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It’s not just the border between the US and Mexico that Donald Trump is proposing to build a massive wall. Originally calling climate change “a hoax”, it looks as though he’s changed his mind (or at least meanwhile his personal property is at risk) as Trump and his hotel company ‘Trump International Golf Links’ (TIGL) are now seeking to build a massively controversial seawall on a public beach to protect his private Trump Golf Resort in western Ireland. The proposed wall on Doonberg’s Doughmore Beach would run 2.8 kilometers, reach 15 feet high and consist of 200,000 tons of rock dumped in a sensitive coastal sand dune system. Doughmore beach is a favorite playground for Ireland’s surfers and kiters and one of the last untouched beaches on the west coast of Ireland. Construction of this seawall will destroy the sand dune habitat, restrict public access to the beach, negatively impact the quality of the waves and ultimately result in beach loss and the end of Doughmore beach.

Here’s one kiter’s petition video:

Trump’s golf course is built along Carrowmore Dunes. The 31 acres of sand dunes are legally protected as a ”˜Special Area of Conservation’ by the European Union Special Habitats Directive and play a critically important role for Doughmore Beach as they contribute the sand supply for the beach, provide habitat to the endangered, prehistoric snail, Vertigo anguistor, as well as create the offshore sandbars that make Doughmore Beach a consistently fun surf/kitesurf spot.

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Doonbeg golf course. Photo: Irish Examiner

Building a 2.8 km, 15 ft tall seawall at the foot of the sand dunes will disrupt the beach’s natural process as well as starve the beach of its necessary sand. This will negatively impact the quality of the surf, restrict publish access and ultimately lead to the erosion and disappearance of Doughmore Beach.

wallAccording to Save the Waves Coalition, “After a series of winter storms in February 2014, Donald Trump began to illegally dump boulders along the public beach at Doughmore and without any permits to protect his golf course. Enraged local authorities quickly intervened and Trump was forced to cease his illegal revetment and is now required to obtain the legal permits. Trump has grown incensed that he needs to comply with the local planning regulations and has threatened to close the golf resort if his permit is not approved.

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Trump began unauthorized work before being ordered to stop by the county council. Photo: Séamas Hassett / DCO

Trump sought special permission from the Irish national government for the wall in March but was rejected in April. The local Clare County Council is now the responsible agency deciding the fate of Doughberg Beach. They have reviewed Trump’s permit application and Environmental Impact Statement and have sent a Request for Further Information outlining 51 specific points that they want resolved or clarified. Trump has until December 2016 to submit the requested information. At that point, the Clare County Council will make a decision. All sides expect any council decision to be appealed, a process that will last several months more.”

ACT NOW

Act now and voice your condemnation of this project to the Clare County Councilors. They will decide the fate of Doughmore Beach and the Carrowmore Dunes. Sign the petition to stop Trump’s Irish wall here: https://www.change.org/p/stop-trump-s-irish-wall-naturetrumpswalls