Nuala Ahern
Encyclopedia
Nuala Ahern is a former Irish
Green Party
member of the European Parliament
representing Leinster
in Ireland
from 1994–2004. Ahern became active in politics in 1991 becoming elected to Wicklow
County Council. She joined the Green Party in 1989.
Her involvement in politics began through community action in Wicklow to prevent sewage pollution into the Irish Sea
. She is a long-term anti-nuclear
campaigner, promoting the use of renewable energy
. She grew up in the Cooley peninsula
of North County Louth
which is close to the plutonium reprocessing plant in Sellafield
on the West coast of the UK
. She campaigned against the construction of a nuclear power plant in Carnsore Point
, County Wexford
in the late 1970s and for the closure of Sellafield which still operates today. She campaigned against the use of genetically modified food stating concerns of inadequate scientific knowledge. She has also campaigned against animal testing
in the European Union
.
In the European Parliament Ahern was vice-president of the Petitions Committee, vice-president of the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research & Energy, member of the Culture Committee and Legal Affairs Committee and president of the Intergroup on Complementary and Natural Medicine.
Ahern is founding member of the Irish Women's Environment Network and the Wicklow Greens.
Her father Vincent MacDowell
from Newry, is a former councillor and political activist, a former vice chairman of Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
and a representative of the Green Party and the Labour Party.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
representing Leinster
Leinster (European Parliament constituency)
-1999 election:Alan Gillis lost his seat to his party running mate Avril Doyle.-1994 election:Alan Gillis replaced his party colleague Patrick Cooney who had stepped down...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
from 1994–2004. Ahern became active in politics in 1991 becoming elected to Wicklow
Wicklow
Wicklow) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. Located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island, it has a population of 10,070 according to the 2006 census. The town is situated to the east of the N11 route between Dublin and Wexford. Wicklow is also connected to the rail...
County Council. She joined the Green Party in 1989.
Her involvement in politics began through community action in Wicklow to prevent sewage pollution into the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
. She is a long-term anti-nuclear
Anti-nuclear
The anti-nuclear movement is a social movement that opposes the use of nuclear technologies. Many direct action groups, environmental groups, and professional organisations have identified themselves with the movement at the local, national, and international level...
campaigner, promoting the use of renewable energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
. She grew up in the Cooley peninsula
Cooley peninsula
The Cooley Peninsula is a hilly peninsula in County Louth, Ireland, which includes towns such as Omeath, Carlingford and Greenore.-Geography:...
of North County Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
which is close to the plutonium reprocessing plant in Sellafield
Sellafield
Sellafield is a nuclear reprocessing site, close to the village of Seascale on the coast of the Irish Sea in Cumbria, England. The site is served by Sellafield railway station. Sellafield is an off-shoot from the original nuclear reactor site at Windscale which is currently undergoing...
on the West coast of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. She campaigned against the construction of a nuclear power plant in Carnsore Point
Carnsore Point
Carnsore Point is a headland in the very South East corner of County Wexford, Ireland. This headland is Ireland's southern limit point of the Irish Sea....
, County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
in the late 1970s and for the closure of Sellafield which still operates today. She campaigned against the use of genetically modified food stating concerns of inadequate scientific knowledge. She has also campaigned against animal testing
Animal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
In the European Parliament Ahern was vice-president of the Petitions Committee, vice-president of the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research & Energy, member of the Culture Committee and Legal Affairs Committee and president of the Intergroup on Complementary and Natural Medicine.
Ahern is founding member of the Irish Women's Environment Network and the Wicklow Greens.
Her father Vincent MacDowell
Vincent MacDowell
Vincent MacDowell was an Irish political activist. He was the vice chairman of Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association in the 1960s, and later a representative of the Green Party and the Irish Labour Party....
from Newry, is a former councillor and political activist, a former vice chairman of Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association was an organisation which campaigned for equal civil rights for the all the people in Northern Ireland during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
and a representative of the Green Party and the Labour Party.