Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for attending to discuss what is an important part of the work we have been doing. We spend much time with experts discussing the challenges of the issue, but - it is clear from its presentation that Met Éireann is aware of this - the other key part is how to try to bring people with us because we know that we must bring about significant behavioural change. We must do that and take personal responsibility for doing it, but how do we try to bring people with us? Our experience in the past has been that when we get these things wrong, not only is there political fallout as a result but the environment also loses. That is something we have to avoid. In some ways, it is a job of work to bring people with us on that journey of behavioural change. Some citizens are ahead of us, particularly the younger generation which probably has much to teach us. I was struck by this at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition and it was very refreshing to see it.

I wish to raise some points with the representatives of RTÉ and Met Éireann about the programmes they run on news and general current affairs and the opportunities they have each day, given that their reach is phenomenal, to present abnormal weather events and plant the seed in people's heads that this is not normal. My first question is for Ms Forbes.

The BBC recently updated its editorial policy for journalists on how to report climate change. As part of it, the BBC has indicated that since the science is now clearer and climate change is accepted as happening, climate change deniers are not required on panels for balance, as they would have been. It has also invited editorial staff to sign up for a training course on reporting climate change. Does RTÉ have a policy on the inclusion or non-inclusion of climate change deniers in shows that are discussing this issue at length? Has RTÉ changed the way it reports on climate change as the science has become more clear? Has its staff received any training in reporting on climate change?

With regard to the need for balance, how does RTÉ try to ensure it balances its coverage between reporting on the need for Government policies to address both climate and behavioural change and the potential negative responses from certain groups that might oppose it? While I was driving my car last week, I heard a report on a news bulletin about a protest in Dublin.

It went into detail about the protest and at the end of the report there was mention of there being about a dozen or more people involved. The mental picture in my head was thousands of people out on the street protesting, until I heard the last bit of the report. The balance needs to be right with regard to the element of proportionality and in reporting on legitimate protests or in nearly inciting people to go out and making them feel bad if they are not out protesting. I would like to hear the RTÉ witnesses' views on that.

Is RTÉ seeing an increased demand from viewers and listeners for material that addresses climate change in programmes such as "Eco Eye" or special "Prime Time" segments? If so, is RTÉ ramping up its coverage or does it plan to increase its coverage on that?

I have some brief questions for Met Éireann. As the national weather service what does it see as its role and responsibility around communicating the reality of climate change to Irish people? I acknowledge again, along with RTÉ, the progress Met Éireann has made in recent months on its website and improvements in different areas. From the presentation I take it there is a very high level of elements and policies but I still believe that primarily, first and foremost Met Éireann's strongest reach is after the "Six One News" and at the "Nine O'Clock News" onwards with the weather bulletins - and I acknowledge the presence of Ms Evelyn Cusack here today. I am a farmer and always turn on the television for that bulletin, especially on a Sunday. I am very struck that some of my constituents have commented positively to me that it is lovely to see the daffodils out in January before the snowdrops, and that the cherry blossoms are starting to blossom. Personally that frightens the life out of me. I am really worried that it has been such a mild January if this is to be part of a bigger picture. Plenty of people have said to me that it is lovely to get a bit of snow again in the winter and to have a really warm summer. I can understand all of that but I believe there is a fear inherent in this if we think this is all just fine and if we do not see it as part of the four warmest years in 125,000 years. It is frightening. We should be a little bit scared if we want to bring people on the journey of very significant behavioural change that we need to bring them on. They need to understand that this is not normal, as the science is telling us. Does Met Éireann have a policy of infiltrating that? When Met Éireann is reporting on a very mild January is there a way it could subtly reference that by saying it is not normal, that it does not happen very often and that it is a worrying trend? They are my main points.