Ireland
UK
Scotland
London
Sinn Féin has hit out at the government's newly released Climate Action Plan 2025, accusing it of offering no fresh ideas and dooming Ireland to miss its climate targets.
Pa Daly TD, Sinn Féin's spokesperson on Climate, the Environment and Energy, criticised both the contents of the plan and recent comments made by Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien during an interview on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne.
He said: "The publication of the Climate Action Plan for 2025 confirms what we had all been thinking.
"This government is determined to continue more of the same. Their regressive approach not only lacks in ambition and urgency, but it is completely devoid of any new ideas.
"As a result, Ireland will blow right past our climate targets.
"With their 'new' plan, it is clear the government has zero intention of actually delivering on their promises.
"It is all hot air and bluster to distract from the fact we are way behind where we need to be and have absolutely zero hope of catching up.
"The Programme for Government is full of fine words, committing to ‘decisive action to radically reduce our reliance on fossil fuels’. However, the Climate Action Plan 2025 does nothing of the sort.
"It does nothing to address the fact that Ireland risks locking in more fossil fuels by rolling out the red carpet for commercial LNG in the government’s attempt to appease a foreign administration.
"It does nothing to address the fallout from further data centre expansion that will almost certainly be powered by fossil fuels.
"And what does it do to address the fact that the government’s approach has only resulted in 5% and 13% of our heat pump and retrofitting targets achieved so far? You have guessed it. Nothing.
"Climate Action Plan 2025 was this government’s chance to do a radical reset following years of minimal progress and a growing unease and mistrust amongst the general public.
"Instead of the ambitious, urgent and fresh action we desperately need, what we got was the same tired approach that is destined to fail.
"Ordinary people will continue to be punished, the corporate balance sheet will continue to be prioritised and our incredible 640GW of untapped offshore wind potential will continue to be squandered."
