The People Before Profit motion calling for the Dáíl to support the passage of the Climate Emergency Bill to committee stage in the Dáil will be debated on Tuesday, 26 March at 8pm in Dáil Éireann. There will also be a protest outside the Dáil supporting the progeress of the Cliamte Emregency Bill ay 6pm on Tuesday 26 March.
Speaking at a press conference in Dublin City Centre on Monday TD Bríd Smith, who sponsored the bill, said:
“The Fine Gael government, in my view, have thrown the kitchen sink at the People Before Profit Climate Emergency Bill in order to have it stalled and frustrated in a procedural wrangle. They, along with independent Senators and Minister Canney, seem hell bent on appeasing the fossil fuel lobby in opposing this bill. This motion is a call for the Dáil to articulate its support for and recognition of the urgent need to tackle the climate crisis. It is the responsibility of all elected representatives to tackle the impending issue of climate change and move the bill to the next stage.
“What the government clearly do not get, despite their rhetorical iterations for climate action measures, is that we have only 12 years to avert radically extreme weather events becoming more prevalent. The dangers of climate change are becoming more real every day when we see events like Cyclone Idia and the damage that this has caused for the people in Mozambique.
“It is widely known that we have to keep at least 80% of fossil fuels in the ground to have any chance of fighting runaway climate change. Our government pay lip service to this in their cynical PR game to appease the movement against climate change; however, their actions show us that they are still ideologically wed to the fossil fuel industry.”
Cian Parry, a student who took part in the School Strike 4 Climate last week, said:
“In the Dáil Leo Varadkar claimed that he supported the student strikes and found them inspiring. One of the students’ demands is to cut fossil fuel usage by 2030 in line with IPCC recommendations. If the Taoiseach genuinely found the strike inspiring and wanted to take meaningful action on climate change it makes little sense to me as to why his government are not supporting this bill.”
Dr. Ciaran O’Carroll, of Extinction Rebellion, said:
“We are in an existential crisis. The scientists are telling the truth and we can now see it happening – arctic temperatures are rising at a devastating rate, farmers will not be able to grow food, our children could die if we do not act – it is real and it is happening now.
“The Government must tell the truth to the public about the climate and wider ecological emergency and commit to enacting legally binding policy measures to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2030. The Climate Emergency Measures Bill is an important first step in the right direction.”
Gillian Brien, the People Before Profit candidate for Dublin in the European Elections, said:
“I think it is absolutely disgraceful the Fine Gael MEPs would vote against more robust and ambitious climate measures. This just shows, along with their continued opposition to the People Before Profit Climate Emergency Bill that they do not take the climate challenge seriously.
“I would call on all members of Dáil Éireann to support this motion and to pass the Climate Emergency Bill to committee stage in the Dáil.
“It is clear that Fine Gael, their TDs, MEPs and Minister Canney is only interested in falling in line with the fossil fuel corporations. Their continued opposition to this bill demonstrates that they either do not believe the science about keeping 80% known fossil fuels in the ground or they do not care.”
Paul Murphy, Solidarity TD, said:
“School students have led the way with over 10,000 on the streets of Dublin as part of 1.6 million young people around the world. Instead of politicians like the Taoiseach patronising these young people by patting them on the back, they should implement the policies needed to stop climate change, by supporting this Bill and leaving fossil fuels in the ground. Instead of dressing up austerity measures in green clothes, eco-socialist policies are needed. On top of this excellent Bill, we need free public transport, a transition to a sustainable model of agriculture, and taking those companies responsible for the vast majority of the world’s pollution out of the hands of the polluters and profiteers and into democratic public ownership.”
