Independent TD for Donegal Thomas Pringle has today spoken to a group of Donegal students at a climate march event organised by students in Lifford to call on the Government for greater action on climate change. Student marches were carried out globally across a number of cities with a number of larger marches organised in Dublin and Cork.Deputy Pringle was the only elected politician present and spoke to the crowd saying “we have to remember that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail all knew climate change has been happening since the 1990s therefore it’s vitally important that the young people of today say enough is enough and hold those politicians to account for refusing to act on something they were complicit in.Pringle is a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Action and recently had his Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill signed into an Act which removes public money from investments in fossil fuel companies.He further addressed the group of students saying “politicians should take a leaf out of your book today and reflect the sense of urgency on the issue of climate change as you have so clearly demonstrated today.“Past and current Governments are failing the young people of today and future generations by refusing to respond urgently to climate change. Fine Gael continues to maintain a close relationship with oil and gas companies and on the overall fossil fuel industry.“I commend all those who showed their support today and in particular Conal O’Boyle who organised the event and who spoke plainly on the impacts of climate change not just in Ireland but across the world where entire populations are already being severely affected by climate change.“I also acknowledge the hard work carried out by the students from Meentinadea National School who also attended this important march.“I believe the only way we can effect change is to stand up to the politicians. Young people across the country are an important constituency, a constituency for the future and one which through action such as strikes, marches and campaigns can demonstrate to politicians that complacency will no longer be tolerated.“Governments must face up to their failures and start prioritising climate action now” concluded Pringle.
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Posted: 3:44 pm March 15, 2019