New group to replace Greenpeace

Greenpeace Ireland is being disbanded and replaced by a new environmental campaign group as part of an agreement with its parent organisation, The Irish Times has learned.

The new group is set to receive seed funding from Greenpeace International, which is undergoing radical restructuring and changing its environmental agenda.

Water quality and pollution are to be the main focus of the new body, VOICE - Voice Of Irish Concern for the Environment - and it intends retaining the highprofile campaign strategy implemented successfully by Greenpeace from Ireland since 1987 - notably in its widely publicised actions centring on British Nuclear Fuel's installation at Sellafield.

The closure of its Dublin office despite an Irish membership of more than 4,600 follows months of negotiations between Greenpeace Ireland and its parent, which in January announced its intention to close the Irish base. Its two remaining staff are being made redundant.

Greenpeace International - which itself is experiencing financial problems and curbing global campaigns - said the Irish branch failed to meet a target to become self-funding by the end of last year and was subsidised to the tune of £300,000. Figures quoted on costs by the parent body were vigorously contested by its Irish officials, who secured a 42 per cent increase in membership since 1994.

Greenpeace Ireland confirmed yesterday that it was involved with Greenpeace International "in the final stages of negotiations". Its spokeswoman, Ms Gay Brabazon, said the move was in line with the parent organisation's "new overall strategic plan to urgently address the issue of global climatic change and loss of biodiversity due to forest destruction".