Stanley slams Taoiseach’s u-turn on climate change

Sinn Féin press release:

July 10, 2012

The Sinn Féin spokesperson on the environment, community and local government Brian Stanley TD has slammed the Taoiseach's latest u-turn on climate change.

In the Dáil today the Taoiseach said that there would not now be a climate change bill until 2013.

Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon Deputy Stanley said:

"This government is refusing to deal with the issue of climate change. There had been an agreement that the bill would be introduced this year following a public consultation but the Taoiseach has now reneged on this commitment. He stated that the bill will not now be introduced until 2013. This is totally unacceptable.

"It is ten years since Kyoto and we are still waiting for an Irish government to introduce legislation on this important issue. The introduction of a climate change bill was part of the Programme for Government. The government has serious questions to answer on its commitment to tackling the causes and consequences of climate change.

"This government is lagging behind its EU neighbours on climate change. In the second half of this year the on-going negotiations on the international regime on climate change will reach a crucial stage at the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change in Qatar. This conference will be preceded by Ministerial sessions in Korea. In October, the Council will adopt the negotiating position of the EU at the meeting of the Conference of the Parties and other matters relating to the implementation of the commitments.

"The current laissez faire attitude of the government to tackling climate change is a continuation of the Fianna Fáil approach. It is costing us financially and environmentally and now we face more challenging targets for 2020.

"Sinn Féin will continue to hold the government to account and raise this matter at every opportunity."