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

Has the Taoiseach read the report issued by Oxfam and others in the past days on the wealth divide in the context of carbon emissions? They tell us that the richest 1% in the world account for more carbon emissions than two thirds of the world's population. They tell us that someone who is in the poorest 99% of the world's population, which is the vastly overwhelming majority of humanity, would take 1,500 years to account for the same number of carbon emissions as that of some billionaires today. They conclude that "The super-rich are plundering and polluting the planet to the point of destruction and it is those who can least afford it who are paying the highest price."

I am aware the Taoiseach is a little bit ideologically committed on this issue but would he not see the error of his ways and admit now that there is a need for serious wealth taxes on the super wealthy to pay for the measures we need to tackle the climate crisis and that we need to go further and end the rule of the rich and the system of capitalism itself? Maybe the Taoiseach would look again at his policies in that regard.

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