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Children's Rights Over Flights

@rightoverflight.bsky.social

We want to see children’s rights prioritized above polluting flights. Every sector needs to play its part in tackling climate change, including aviation. Increasing flights is reckless in the face of the climate emergency.

165 Posts122 Follower 22 Folgt

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 3w ago

Great letter about how continued growth in aviation goes against climate commitments www.irishtimes.com/opinion/lett...

Continued growth in aviation deserve must be weighed against climate commitments

State needs international connectivity, but recent weather patterns underline need for careful scrutiny

irishtimes.com

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 3w ago

People of Ireland! #YourJourneyCounts Except of course if you’re this guy! Our Minister for Transport & Climate chose to FLY to Kerry this week. The most recklessly polluting journey he could possibly choose. Even as Europe burns.

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 4w ago

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026...

Opinion: The Government is trying to undermine climate laws. President Connolly could stop it

The potentially irreversible impacts of climate change will be experienced by our children and grandchildren

irishtimes.com

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · last mo.

childrensrightsoverflights.ie/2026/06/30/c...

CAMPAIGNERS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES DEMAND PAUSE ON RECKLESS PASSENGER CAP BILL

Ahead of Dáil vote on the Dublin Airport Passenger Capacity Bill, children’s rights and local community campaigners demand the Government allows due process to review evidence of serious harms that…

childrensrightsoverflights.ie

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · last mo.

❤️ Thanks Art - yes we did. ( ⬇️ letter in Monday's Irish Times) We hand-delivered a letter, reminding our children's Minister for Climate that there is a worsening climate emergency threatening the future for every child.

Sir, – I see reports on social media that a group of mothers from North Dublin hand-delivered a giant letter to Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien during the week calling on him not to remove the passenger cap at Dublin. The group, Children’s Rights Over Flights, is concerned about the effects increased flights will have on their children’s health.

None of the mainstream media picked up the story, and I haven’t heard any response from the Minister.

What I have heard all week is people saying that the hot weather we’re experiencing is due to climate change caused by fossil fuels. And that it is going to get hotter.

It is surely blatantly obvious that rather than scrapping the cap at Dublin Airport, the Minister should be looking for ways to reduce the number of flights. – Yours, etc,

ART Ó LAOGHAIRE,

Bray,

Co Wicklow.

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · last mo.

🚨 New research: aviation growth isn't paying off for ordinary people. Ireland is facing the largest rent increase of any country studied, with average rents projected to rise by €250 a year by 2031, driven directly by aviation-fuelled tourism growth. www.transportenvironment.org/articles/boo...

Booming air tourism could fuel European rent hikes of up to €250 a…

Europe’s leading advocates for clean transport & energy

transportenvironment.org

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · last mo.

Our giant letter to the Minister, delivered outside the Dáil, while he recklessly expands aviation climate pollution: We write to urgently remind you there is a worsening climate and and biodiversity emergency that threatens every child's future.....

Dear Minister O'Brien
We write to urgently remind you there is a worsening climate and biodiversity emergency that threatens every child's future.
Protecting kids from the worst of climate harms depends on rapid cuts to fossil fuel pollution. You are obliged to do this to prioritize their welfare.
Instead by pursuing a reckless plan to remove limits to Dublon Airport passenger numbers you are forgetting them. Your bill will lead to more fossil fuel pollution when aviation pollution is already out of control.
Kids need real action to give them the best chance we can, but instead your bill would do them even more harm.
Kids need you to remember there is a climate emergency and their rights demand it.
On behalf of the children in our lives.

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · last mo.

As Dáil debated the reckless Passenger Cap Bill, we delivered a special letter to Minister O'Brien to remind him there is a Climate Emergency. We reminded him of his obligations to rapidly cut fossil fuel pollution across *every* sector incl aviation. Call darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie to #KeepTheCap

Activists deliver large person-sized hand-written letter in giant envelope titled Urgent - Minister for Climate. Others hold signs "Kids need climate action not airport expansion", "Stop aviation emissions from rising - Keep the Cap", "Children's rights not future flights"

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 2mo ago

If you wish to donate to CROF, we now gratefully accept donations through this link. Monies raised will help us with our campaign expenses – website hosting, printing leaflets, banners, contributions to the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition (which we just joined!) etc. opencollective.com/children-rig...

Contribute - Open Collective

opencollective.com

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 2mo ago

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026...

Trevor White: Michael O’Leary’s contradictions could fill an aircraft hangar. Time we called them out

Lately the libertarian has even urged the nanny state to act over passengers’ early-morning drinking

irishtimes.com

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 2mo ago

www.irishexaminer.com/news/politic...

Lifting Dublin Airport passenger cap could lead to 'serious legal risks', top barrister warns

Legal opinion argues lifting cap may be incompatible with Ireland’s commitments under the European Convention on Human Rights, and its legally binding national and international climate targets

irishexaminer.com

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 2mo ago

www.bbc.com/sport/footba...

World Cup 2026: The numbers behind 'the most polluting World Cup'

BBC Sport analyses the environmental cost of a 48-team World Cup held across North America.

bbc.com

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 2mo ago

👌Well said Celestine! (letter in Irish Times) The hugely conflicting actions of Minister O'Brien must be called out. Reckless plans to remove any passenger limit at Dublin Airport will sadly wipe out any emissions savings from more EVs on the road. www.irishtimes.com/opinion/lett...

Sir, - In case it has escaped anyone's
attention, our Minister for Climate,
Darragh O'Brien, is on the one hand
shelling out grants for EVs to save
burning fossil fuels, while at the same
time removing the passenger cap to
increase flying — our most heavily fossil-
fuel burning form of transport - under
pressure, it seems, from US airlines. -
Yours, etc,

CELESTINE O'REILLY,

Foxrock,

Dublin 18.

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 2mo ago

www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

Who really benefits from lifting the Dublin Airport passenger cap?

Figures from the tourism industry shows increasing passenger numbers are not driving GDP growth — it's the other way around

irishexaminer.com

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 2mo ago

⬇️Great explainer below on gross inadequacy and corporate capture of ICAO - UN body meant to be regulating aviation's climate-harming emissions. ICAO and CORSIA are referenced by airline reps, semi-state DAA, and Dept of Transport as excuse for not taking action. influencemap.org/insight/The-...

The Aviation Industry's Playbook to Stall the EU ETS by Leveraging CORSIA

This analysis highlights the three-step playbook that aviation industry groups—Airlines for America (A4A), Airlines for Europe (A4E) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA)—have deploye...

influencemap.org

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 2mo ago

www.transportenvironment.org/articles/rya...

Ryanair’s global emissions are now 50% higher than in 2019, the…

Aviation is the only polluting sector escaping carbon pricing in Europe, with two-thirds of its CO2 emissions not covered by the ETS

transportenvironment.org

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 3mo ago

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/lett...

ir, – In the article “Ryanair cuts fares to maintain demand,” (May 18th), we read that Ryanair is lowering summer fares to attract more passengers, dismissing fears of a fuel shortage as “almost zero”. This optimism, however, applies only to the airline’s privileged position. While Ryanair has hedged 80 per cent of its fuel needs and sits on more than €2 billion in cash, a severe global fuel crisis is unfolding elsewhere.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has created a shortage of fuel for essential needs worldwide. As fuel prices soar, energy poverty is spreading now, with food insecurity looming in the coming months. And yet again, it is the most vulnerable who are worst affected – those who have never been on an aeroplane and never will be.

Yet Ryanair’s response is not to ground fleets or conserve more fuel, but rather to slash prices to keep the wealthy few flying. This is capitalism at its finest: extracting profit and maintaining “business as usual” at all costs while the rest of the world faces an unprecedented fuel crisis.

We must choose: use this crisis to shift toward a truly sustainable, healthier and fairer society for all, or continue prioritising cheap holiday flights to the sun over human survival. – Yours, etc,
Ola Løkken Nordrum,
South Lotts Rd,
Dublin

T&E @transportenvironment.org · 3mo ago

👀 Coming tomorrow. How “ultra-frequent flyers” are threatening Europe’s housing market and leading cities to blow past their climate targets. Stay tuned!

T&E @transportenvironment.org · 3mo ago

NEW: European aviation emissions reached its highest point ever last year, with flights departing from European airports surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time in 2025. Meanwhile, two-thirds of aviation’s CO2 emissions escaped carbon pricing by not being covered by the EU ETS. 🧵⤵️

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 3mo ago

📚Children's Rights Over Flights will be at the Radical Book Fair - Saturday 30 May 2026 - Teachers’ Club, Parnell Square, Dublin, D01 T6V6 - 2.30 to 5 pm Come say hello and learn more about our campaign and how to support it! rupture.ie/bookfair

Dublin Radical Bookfair

Books, zines, clothing swap, exhibitions, poetry, art, campaign groups and workshops all under one tent; the Radical Bookfair promises to be a fun and exciting part of 2026’s cultural and political ca...

rupture.ie

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 3mo ago

www.irishexaminer.com/news/politic... 📈It remains unconscionable that our Government continue to pursue even more polluting flight traffic, when experts are warning of increased likelihood of climate breakdown. 📝Sign and share our petition my.uplift.ie/petitions/ke...

Committee urges climate review before lifting Dublin Airport passenger cap

Oireachtas transport committee has also recommended legislation be curbed to limit the potential powers of the transport minister

irishexaminer.com

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 3mo ago

www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Ryanair emissions rise again as other large Irish carbon polluters show reductions

Airline’s rapid growth outstrips emission reductions per passenger

irishtimes.com

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 3mo ago

95+ groups across 25 countries have responded to the jet fuel crisis with a manifesto proposing ten measures to reduce air traffic. The manifesto highlights aviation’s impacts, from climate heating to militarisation. @staygroundednet.bsky.social childrensrightsoverflights.ie/2026/04/29/j...

10 Measures to Stop Airport Expansion & Reduce Air Traffic
Stay Grounded.
Let's end the most destructive and pointless flights and make way for a fair and liveable future for all.

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 4mo ago

This Earth Day, ⬇️sign this petition: action.uplift.ie/campaigns/take-action-this-earth-day 🌈🤱🧒🏽We will be standing up for kids today, Wednesday 22/4 joining a protest at the Dáil at 5.30pm, calling for the real and urgent climate action they need for a safe and stable future. Please join us.

The energy crisis is the climate crisis
Join the protest!
Wednesday April 22nd, 5:30pm, Leinster House

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Open letter from 16 organisations to Minister O'Brien calling on him to urgently halt the Government’s interventions to legislate exemption from climate obligations for the Dublin Airport cap. childrensrightsoverflights.ie/2026/03/18/j...

Joint Letter on Aviation Emissions and Passenger Cap

Calling for “an urgent halt to the Government’s intervention to remove the Dublin Airport passenger cap” out of concern for “the negative implications that the resultant increase …

childrensrightsoverflights.ie

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 4mo ago

🚲🚶‍♀️🚌 As we're rightly reminded by our Govt, our journeys count in climate emergency. ⚠️ But they seem to have forgotten flying less! www. wri.org/insights/climate-friendly-choices-ranked We know they're busy trying to remove ANY airport limits, so we've taken time to rectify this bizarre omission

Image of airplane with slogan "Your Journey Counts" and text "Flying less is one of the most impactful things any of us can do to give our kids a better chance for their future. #YourJourneyCounts

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 4mo ago

European Commission: calls on people to drive less, fly less and work from home where possible Irish Minister: discusses all these options *except* flying less www.rte.ie/news/politic... Unrelated observation: Minister meets with lobbyists from both Irish and US aviation industry.

Govt information campaign to help people conserve fuel

The Government is to bring forward an information campaign to assist people to conserve fuel during the energy crisis, according to the Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien.

rte.ie

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 4mo ago

👏 Great letter in Irish Times on inappropriate aggressive lobbying of American airline lobbyists to remove Dublin airport cap. www.irishtimes.com/opinion/lett...

Sir, – Your report on US airlines demanding the “immediate removal” of the passenger cap at Dublin Airport highlights an increasingly troubling dynamic in international aviation policy and diplomacy (“US airlines demand immediate removal of Dublin Airport passenger cap,” March 14th) .

With Taoiseach Micheál Martin in the United States, it is timely to recall a principle that both Ireland and the United States regularly invoke in other contexts: the rule of law and judicial process.

The dispute over the Dublin Airport passenger cap has already entered the legal arena. Proceedings initiated by airlines, including the US trade group Airlines for America (A4A), were referred by the Irish High Court to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

In February, the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) in Luxembourg, advocate general Manuel Campos Sánchez-Bordonaan advised that such a passenger cap could legitimately be considered an operational constraint within EU slot allocation rules.

In that context, the increasingly explicit lobbying by US airlines for the Irish Government to legislate immediately, before the European court has delivered its judgment, raises uncomfortable questions.

It risks appearing as an attempt to pre-empt or circumvent an ongoing judicial process.

More striking still is that the lobbying is not confined to Irish policy debates. Airlines for America has also sought intervention from the US Department of Transportation and even threatened retaliatory measures against Irish carriers serving the United States.

Such moves go well beyond normal commercial advocacy and edge toward political pressure designed to influence a sovereign state’s planning law and regulatory framework.

It is an avid reminder of 2011 when A4A challenged EU requirements for airlines flying internationally to pay for their pollution. Though ultimately the airlines lost in court, their relentless lobbying led to that legislation being “paused” for 13 years.

While this legislation (the Emissions Trading System) is back for review this year, it is clear that A4A will again attempt to interfere in EU domestic environmental policy.

Giving in to pressure from external lobbying will only embolden them to challenge even more domestic and EU policy.

Increasing airport capacity at Dublin Airport will result in unchecked growth of the aviation sector and increased fossil fuel use, despite Ireland’s binding climate obligations.

Legislation facilitating increased passenger throughput must be rigorously assessed and not be fast-tracked through parliamentary and judicial process to assuage commercial interests.

As the Taoiseach engages with US business leaders this week, he might usefully emphasis that Ireland remains open to international businesses that remain committed to the principles of the independence of courts, and the importance of environmental action. – Yours, etc,

SORCHA TUNNEY,
Senior Manager, Ireland.
Opportunity Green,
Dublin.

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 4mo ago

dublinpeople.com/news/dublin/...

Protesters tear up Bill at Dublin Airport cap demonstration

A copy of proposed legislation was torn in two as protesters gathered to oppose plans to scrap the passenger cap […]

dublinpeople.com

Children's Rights Over Flights @rightoverflight.bsky.social · 5mo ago

⚠️Even if you're not interested in the Dublin Airport passenger cap as an issue, there are many alarming things in the Heads of Bill drafted to remove it, that should be of concern to a great many people in Ireland. We break it down in a LinkedIn post here ⬇️: www.linkedin.com/posts/childr...

What you should know about the Bill to remove the Dublin Airport passenger cap