Young people fearful for their future and the future of our planet are calling for action on climate change.

Mary supports young peoples call for our Government to stop shirking its responsibilities and to take urgent and coordinated action to address climate change.

Over the last eight years Fine Gael have failed to address climate change from a policy perspective. Ireland has been without a coordinated strategy to tackle its growing emissions and is coming under increasing pressures from Europe. The window to act on climate change is closing rapidly.

Our Government needs to understand that delayed action only means higher costs and greater burdens which will fall heaviest on the next generation.

Fianna Fáil introduced carbon taxes and insists that that prior to any increase in carbon tax the government must introduce specific policy measures to protect those suffering fuel poverty.

Any taxes raised from carbon tax must be ring fenced and used to assist those in fuel poverty and increase supports and incentives to assist people to transition away from using fossil fuels.