TWO ICE SCULPTURES of Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Environment Minister Denis Naughten have been doing the rounds outside Leinster House this morning.
The sculptures, whose features are looking a little the worse for wear on a balmy November morning, are the work of activist group Stop Climate Chaos and ice-cream company Ben & Jerry’s.
At first stationed outside the Dáil itself, the sculptures have since moved to Buswell’s Hotel which today will play host to 250 people seeking to speak to their TDs on the subject of climate change, according to the group.
Last week it emerged via an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report that Ireland is set to miss its EU-mandated targets on climate change for both this year and next year, prompting the Green Party to say the Government has “thrown in the towel” on the issue.
Minister for the Environment Denis Naughten is currently in attendance at a climate change conference in Morocco.
This morning he was on RTÉ Morning Ireland to talk about Ireland’s green record in the context of the plastic bag ban instituted here in 2002.
“We are making improvements in relation to our emissions,” Naughten said. ”But we still have to drive emissions down in agriculture,” he added.
“We’re asking TDs to really take a stand for climate acion today by urging the Government to boost solar power, take taxpayers money out of fossil fuels, and support cycling and walking,” said Heather Mason, the coordinator of Stop Climate Chaos.
“Ireland has a duty to uphold the Paris Agreement and we hope people across the country will join us in demanding action.”
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