Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

For the first time ever, a case concerning climate action has been taken to the European Court of Human Rights. In the so-called Swiss grannies case, a number of women have argued that the Swiss Government has not done enough to meet its climate targets, thereby endangering these women's lives and health. While a number of countries have made written submissions to the court about this case, Ireland is the only country that has sent a team of lawyers to make verbal submissions. It is the view of the Government that the European Convention on Human Rights does not guarantee the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. The Government was so worried about this case succeeding, and the public being conferred with stronger rights to a clean environment, that it has instructed lawyers to argue against it at huge cost to the State. How on earth does this decision for the State to insert itself in this case at this time and in this way align with its claims that climate action is an existential crisis? Was this decision signed off by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications or by the entire Cabinet?

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