Republican News · Thursday 23 January 1997

Greenpeace may fold

By Aine Keane

``Greenpeace is too hierarchical, bureaucratic and authoritarian'' - these are the reasons suggested by a former member of the organisation for the possible closure of its Irish branch.

Although Greenpeace now has a global membership of more than four million, Greenpeace Ireland has never been able to hold onto more than 6,000 core members since it was formed by John Bowler, formerly of the direct action group Sea Shepherd, just under ten years ago. A recent drive to raise the profiles of community Greenpeace groups has been seen by its critics as too little, too late.

The problems of the organisation in Ireland followed the restructuring of national Greenpeace offices by Greenpeace International who decreed that each national branch should be self-sufficent. Although this proposal has led to decentralisation and redistribution of power to national branches, it has received a negative response from its Irish branch due to their financial problems.

Sources close to Greenpeace Ireland have also cited inadequate recruitment and a decline in green radicalism as a source of grave pressure on an organisation already finding it difficult to raise its media profile.

Greenpeace spokespersons are refusing to comment on the situation until after a members' meeting on Sunday 26 January to decide the future of the organisation in Ireland.

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