Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

It is not often I quote a British Tory but I will do it today. Alok Sharma, the president of COP26, said with regard to COP27:

Emissions peaking before 2025, as the science tells us is necessary. Not in this text. Clear follow-through on the phase down of coal. Not in this text. A commitment to phase out all fossil fuels. Not in this text. And the energy text, weakened in the final minutes.

Of course, that is hypocrisy. His government signed up to the text. COP27 was a sure sign that the corporations that rule and rob the world and the governments that act as their puppets are part of the problem, not part of the solution. If the Taoiseach says any different, he can tell me this: why did the EU governments, fronted by a delegation led by the Minister, Deputy Ryan, sign up to this text? It is completely inadequate, so why did they sign up to it? Why did the Irish Government sign up to this text? Is that really the best it can do?

See this speech in context