Labour has done more for climate change than Greens ever did

04 February 2016

Eamon Ryan’s comments on climate change are frankly unbelievable. He claims one of the only reasons he went into government with Fianna Fail was to deliver climate change legislation, which he then utterly failed to do.  

I’m happy to discuss climate change with Eamon Ryan any day of the week.  

In contrast to Eamon Ryan and his colleagues, Labour in government delivered climate change legislation. The passing of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015 is a hugely significant and historic milestone. It means that Ireland is one of only a handful of countries in Europe that have legislated and committed ourselves to meeting our EU 2020 carbon emission targets in law. This legislation hardwires action and accountability on climate change into the political system. It also helps ensure that we play our part internationally in tackling climate change. 

While Eamon and Co. have been griping we have been leading on the Green agenda.

–       We have introduced a €70 Million euro energy efficiency fund.

–       Published the landmark White Paper on Energy.

–       Expanded the Dublin Bike scheme and extended it to Cork, Galway and Limerick.

Eamon Ryan also said that he felt that his experience in Government had been positive. While he might have found it positive I am sure that the 250,000 people who lost their job on his watch didn’t find it a positive experience. The people who had their Carer’s Allowance or Blind Pension or Widow’s Pension cut didn’t find it positive. The introduction of the blanket bank guarantee wasn’t positive nor was the roll out of the red carpet to the troika. If Eamon Ryan wants to bring this kind of positivity back then I for one say no thank you. I am sure the 135,000 people in the new jobs created in the last five years would say no thank you as well. 

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