04 December, 2005

Civic Forum on Climate Change


Climate Change Ireland (a Green Party initiative as you might well imagine) is hosting a Civic Forum on Climate Change in the Round Room, Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2 at 8pm, Monday 5th December 2005


The Forum will addressed by scientific, civic, economic and political leaders and have a live link to United Nations Climate Change Conference in Montreal, Canada.

The Forum will chaired by Chair: Olivia O’ Leary

Speakers who will address the Forum include:

John Sweeney (NUIM) - The Global & National Impact of Climate Change
Mary Kelly (EPA) – The Challenges We Face
Gerard O’Neil (Amarach Consulting) – Peak Oil
Richard Douthwaite – Making sense of carbon tax
Eddie O’Connor (Airtricity) – The role of the Energy Sector
Gerry McCaughey (Century Homes) – The role of the Construction Sector
Henk van der Kamp (Irish Planning Institute) – The role of Planning & Transport
Danny McCoy (IBEC) – The Role of Employers
Oh, and
Fine Gael Representative
Eamon Gilmore TD, Labour Party Spokesperson on the Environment
Fiona O'Malley, Progressive Democrats Spokesperson on Energy
Ciaran Cuffe TD, Green Party Spokesperson on the Environment
Arthur Morgan TD, Sinn Fein Spokesperson on the Environment
Catherine Murphy TD, Independent

The Minister for the Environment has strong views on the Green Party's response to Climate Change...

"While we should not be surprised by the Utopian fantasy land inhabited by the Green Party, the most incredible aspect of this madcap legislative proposal is that it was supported actively by Fine Gael and Labour.

This is the first foretaste that Ireland has of what could happen, and what would happen, if a Government made up of the Green Party, Fine Gael and Labour, were ever to see the light of day.

It is incredible that the Fine Gael Party, which spends so much time cautioning us to the necessity of carefully judging value for money in every proposal, have swallowed the Green Party bait hook, line and sinker."

Here's the Minister's full release