Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure whether the Minister of State is aware that ExxonMobil faces losing its lobbying privileges in the European Parliament because it failed to show up for a hearing into climate change denial. I think I mentioned this last night, although the Minister of State did not comment on it. ExxonMobil has snubbed the European Parliament as certain MEPs have been attempting to drive forward an understanding on climate change. This large oil giant supports carbon taxes, but at the same time it is renowned for its ability to engage in climate denial. It denies the science. Even though it knows the damage that exploration is causing, it has funded campaigns to block action on climate and is refusing to face up to its environmental crimes. I suggest that because ExxonMobil has a partnership or relationship with Providence Resources off the coast of County Kerry in the south west of this country, we have no chance of saying legitimately that as a Parliament, and indeed as a Government, we are taking seriously the question of action on climate change. I do not think the Government has defended that sufficiently.

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