The Green Party has warned that Government inaction on climate change will make the transition to a low-carbon economy more difficult.

The party also said the Government will be judged on their actions, not words.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said: "We are glad to see the climate bill being passed in the Dáil and will welcome its passage into legislation but we cannot ignore the fact that this Government has abdicated on their historic responsibility to push Ireland further along the path towards sustainability.

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"Rather than taking the opportunity to make Ireland a centre for climate solutions they are ensuring we will be seen as a source of the problem. They are defining Ireland as an 'Anti Green' country, just at the moment when the world is starting to go the other way.

"The Government say the right things on climate change, but their policies say otherwise.

"How can Fine Gael and Labour stand up and speak with any credibility on climate change in the same week that they have decided to keep the peat fired power stations burning until 2030?

"What power will the new climate advisory committee have to effect real change when any substantial investment in new public transport systems is put off into future decades?"

(CD/JP)