SF President Slams Govt For 'Lazy Approach' To Climate Justice

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald has hit out at the Irish government over its "lazy approach" to climate action.

This comes after a recent increase in carbon taxes and follows a climate strike from students across Ireland last week.

Calling for a "real and radical climate investment plan", Ms McDonald said: "Climate response policies must be just and fair. Most importantly, they must also work.


"Carbon taxes, without viable alternatives, do not work. Increasing the Carbon Tax passes the buck onto hard-pressed low and middle income families who are already fighting to make ends meet while corporate elites are given a pass.

"The government cannot take the lazy approach to climate justice. The young people who protested last Friday want genuine climate investment and action. A Carbon Tax increase will not deliver on that demand.

"The alternative lies in funding climate action through progressive taxation. It lies in delivering a world-class public transport system, investing in renewable energy infrastructure and in the retro-fitting of our housing stock. These are the type of measures that must be undertaken. Anything less is tinkering around the edges."

(CM/MH)