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Dáil votes to ban oil and gas drilling in Irish waters

The Bill, if passed into law will make Ireland the 5th country globally to ban oil and gas exploration.

A MAJORITY OF the Dáil voted to ban oil and gas drilling in Irish waters today, despite government opposition.

The ‘Keep it in the Ground’ Bill, if passed into law will make Ireland the 5th country globally to ban oil and gas exploration. 

It aims to stop the issuing of any new licences for the exploration of fossil fuels, something Costa Rica, Belize and France have already implemented. 

The Bill passed the Dáil in February 2018 but it has since stalled due to the Oireachtas Environment Committee refusing to progress the Bill back to the Dáil.

Today’s Dáil approval means the Bill should now proceed to Select Committee stage, said TD Bríd Smith, who added this would bring it one step closer to becoming law. 

In the last year, there has been cross-party support for the Bill ( as well as support from pop superstar Cher who tweeted her support).

The government maintain the Bill is unworkable and forces Ireland to rely on imported oil and gas from abroad. 

Oil and gas stakeholders

Junior Minister Sean Canney was criticised by environmentalists last year for commenting about the benefits of oil and gas exploration off the coast of Ireland. 

Speaking to Irish oil and gas exploration stakeholders at the Atlantic Ireland Conference, the Minister of State for Rural Affairs and Natural Resources Seán Canney dismissed the Climate Emergency Measures Bill, telling the stakeholders at the event that the Irish government “recognises that the realisation of Ireland’s offshore oil and gas resource potential can deliver significant benefits to the people of Ireland”.  

He said Ireland imported 100% of the country’s oil needs in 2017, while for gas, it was a much lower figure of 34%, largely because of the addition of the Corrib gas field in late 2015.

“While our overall consumption of fossil fuels will reduce over time, the level of fossil fuel imports will not decline at the same rate. This is a concern,” he said at the time. 

At the time, Smith said it was “extremely worrying” and “depressing”, stating that the minister effectively pledged government support for future exploration for gas and oil in Ireland.

“He is ignoring the science, and he is ignoring the reality of climate change,” she said. 

Reacting to vote today, Smith said she is “delighted the attempt by the government to wreck this Bill has failed” and government of having a “two faced approach to climate change”. 

“On one hand the Taoiseach and ministers say they accept the science and that we need radical action, then they support continued exploration for fossil fuels that we cannot use if we hope to limit temperature rises – it’s insane. Their only interest is using rhetoric to justify increased carbon taxes on ordinary people,” she said. 

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    Mute iComment
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:35 PM

    However finding oil and gas is a good thing….Stop us being dependent on gas from UK and Russia….Or Saudi oil…Need gas for electricity when there is no wind……We will probably need gas petrol and diesel for a few more years at least…

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    Mute Tony Gordon
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:45 PM

    @iComment: now way mate, Cher said so. End of argument, Cher!

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    Mute Cal Mooney
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:00 PM

    @iComment: Yeah, not sure your getting it. In 5 years time, the majority of new cars will be electric. Any new explorations will take at least that to become financially viable. In the meantime, invest in wind energy and our cars will run on renewables.

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    Mute Ivan Connolly
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:12 PM

    @Cal Mooney: it’s going to take a lot more than five years to convert the electricity generation required for those electric cars from fossil fuels to renewables. We have nowhere near the volume of supply from renewables required to substitute fossil fuel electricity production. With our planning regs can you even imagine how long it would take to build and incorporate the number of wind farms needed. While renewables are the future our gov has done nothing to move towards that kind of energy market. We will be burning fossil fuels here for at least another ten or more years. In addition how do you heat your house? Gas, heating oil or have you a wind turbine? I’m sure your aren’t using all electric heaters. Despite the dire warnings we aren’t ready to abandon fossil fuels.

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    Mute Ivan Connolly
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:16 PM

    @Ivan Connolly: and even if we did so tomorrow our output on a global scale means nothing. It’s sad to say but we as a country cannot have an effect. We are doomed by our ineffectual government to pay high carbon taxes to live our lives while they offer us no alternative. Unless some carbon capture system is developed I have little hope for us ever resolving this crisis. Enjoy what’s left of the planet while it’s there.

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    Mute Jason Genovani
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:25 PM

    @Cal Mooney: ” 5 years time, the majority of new cars will be electric” – Absolute nonsense

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    Mute Cal Mooney
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:36 PM

    @Jason Genovani: new cars… what part do you disagree with

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    Mute Gavin Conran
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    Mar 28th 2019, 9:08 PM

    @Ivan Connolly: I feel we can have an effect – we can he held up as an example for others to follow based on the successes and failures along the way

    14
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    Mute Doubtchya Boy!
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    Mar 28th 2019, 9:08 PM

    @Cal Mooney: you realise cars and other vehicles need oil based products just to come into being, not just run on?

    43
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    Mute Gus McIntosh
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    Mar 28th 2019, 9:14 PM

    @Cal Mooney: the cars may be electric but they will be made from crude oil derivatives (plastic, rubber) and will be running on electricity predominantly generated by coal and gas.

    We are a long way off being independent from oil and gas. Best way to help the planet. Buy local, cycle, cut down on waste (reusable cups and bottles etc) and stop having so many kids.

    I for one could do a lot more. I currently have the hall light on and It’s not being used… better go an turn it off!

    41
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    Mute ThatLJD
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    Mar 28th 2019, 9:18 PM

    @Gus McIntosh: true on that but plastic accounts for less than 10% of oil and gas usage. But as regards powering the vehicles we are a long way off that yet. Why don’t the government switch all public service vehicles to electric? Why don’t the use carbon tax for that, hell we might even get a new ambulance or decent cars for the Garda. Go all out and get some fire engines or whatever they are called nowadays.

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    Mute John Moylan
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    Mar 28th 2019, 9:59 PM

    @Cal Mooney: not at irish electricity prices we won’t. Passing this Bill is beyond moronic. Transport is only a % of its potential uses.

    22
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    Mute John Moylan
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    Mar 28th 2019, 10:03 PM

    @Cal Mooney: look at the price of new electric cars. Way above what most people spend on a car of any kind. 30 years time, maybe. And the reason France has a similar law is because…..80% of their power comes from Nuclear. Which if course we won’t do either..

    31
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    Mute ThatLJD
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    Mar 28th 2019, 10:35 PM

    @John Moylan: imagine trying to get nuclear in Ireland ha ha, 100 years in planning and then another 100 for appeals!

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    Mute Daniel Lehane
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    Mar 28th 2019, 10:41 PM

    @Ivan Connolly: well hopefully this will signal to them they need to get off their holes and start adapting

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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Mar 29th 2019, 10:33 AM

    @iComment: Except when it’s found here our Government gives it away.

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    Mute Quentin Moriarty
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    Mar 29th 2019, 1:17 PM

    @Cal Mooney: unless they come up with a reliable Electric MPV they’re at nothing

    (Fit a family of 5 in a Leaf with baggage ?)

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    Mute philip mcnally
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    Mar 29th 2019, 9:02 PM

    @Cal Mooney: Take a look at the environmental damage caused by mining for lithium for the lithium ion batteries (not to mention the child labour) we are far better off driving old petrol cars with very high mileage to leave a small (er) carbon footprint. I drive a 02 Honda civic with 180000 miles.
    Unfortunately the general public are so brainwashed by political parties that the concept of a 3lt hybrid makes scene to them….
    Lexus fir example do a 3.5 V6 petrol hybrid that does 7lts per 100 kms…
    My civic beats that hands down
    Your smartphone contains half of the metals in the periodic table!!!!
    Data centers ust more power than most small towns yet provide few jobs .Cloud storage caused approximately 96 000 deaths worldwide due to pollution last year.
    All public busses are diesel powered.
    The list goes on and on.
    Christ I sound like an environmentalist…. Trust me I am not. I just read a lot

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    Mute mmz
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    Mar 30th 2019, 2:34 PM

    @Doubtchya Boy!: Electric cars have few moving parts compared to fossil fuel powered ones. No gearbox, no oil sump.

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    Mute sVRCsaSg
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:48 PM

    So we’re going to use the same amount but pay other countries for it?

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    Mute ThatLJD
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:22 PM

    @sVRCsaSg: and be reliant on constant and consistent supply!

    48
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    Mute Humphrey Harold Haddington
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:46 PM

    Even when we find oil or gas we just give it away so really we are losing Notting by signing this ban

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    Mute ThatLJD
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    Mar 28th 2019, 9:03 PM

    @Humphrey Harold Haddington: we don’t give it away, that’s like saying we should all own the cows and milk and beef which comes from them. We don’t. It’s not cheap purchasing and buying animals. We make the tax from the products when sold. We also provide tax breaks and grants to help support the industry. Not massive differences here buddy. Why have people got such delusion over some things I just don’t knkw

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    Mute Humphrey Harold Haddington
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    Mar 28th 2019, 9:05 PM

    @ThatLJD: Alright chill out and don’t forget to breath. Il take it you own a gas rig off the west coast?

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    Mute ThatLJD
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    Mar 28th 2019, 9:09 PM

    @Humphrey Harold Haddington: sorry maybe a bit ott, I used to work in shipping associated with oil and gas. I get a bit worked up when people, not saying you here, make comments on this which they have heard on some posts here before which are not totally untrue, shall we put it, but not the reality. Sorry about that chief.

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    Mute Humphrey Harold Haddington
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    Mar 28th 2019, 9:17 PM

    @ThatLJD: No worries mate. I was just going off hear say. You seem to know what your talking about.

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    Mute ThatLJD
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    Mar 28th 2019, 9:21 PM

    @Humphrey Harold Haddington: probably not ha ha! As I said what you say isn’t entirely untrue, large tax breaks and allowances in place on exploration and development. Ireland doesn’t have an infrastructure for it so by allowing for such a tax regime is to encourage people to come, explore, find and build it and everything else that’s needed. Then we can tax properly. It hasn’t happened yet so will wait and see. That’s about all I know ha ha

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    Mute DReynolds
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:50 PM

    This is a NIMBY approach. We won’t allow our fossil fuels to be utilised but it’s ok to import fossil fuels from other countries? Whatever happened to personal responsibility? If we, as a country, use fossil fuels we should be responsible for the damage it causes. This is a cop out.

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    Mute Quentin Moriarty
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    Mar 29th 2019, 7:16 AM

    @DReynolds: a potential to change the destiny of the country and the donkeys voted against it

    Had the Arabs decided to ” leave it in the ground “……….

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    Mute Skimothy
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:43 PM

    What good will this do? It won’t make any difference to how much we use.

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    Mute Sean O' Donovan
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:47 PM

    @Skimothy: It’ll likely drive oil prices up. Perfect for the oil baron’s bang per barrel.

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    Mute Willy
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:40 PM

    Couple of envelopes get things moving again…

    72
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    Mute stuohy
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:37 PM

    Quite an usual decision. Cutting usage, far better than cutting our exposure to foreign markets.

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    Mute ThatLJD
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:14 PM

    @stuohy: but it ain’t trendy!

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    Mute John Kelly
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:39 PM

    Wonder if Norway would vote for that …..

    69
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    Mute Doire
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:03 PM

    @John Kelly: everyone loves Norway, Norway oil norway borders. Sick of bloody Norway. Nobody talks as much about the Norway butter crisis of 2011 national outrage.

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    Mute jamesdecay
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    Mar 28th 2019, 11:20 PM

    @Doire: lovely folks, the Norwegians

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    Mute Seamus Mac
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    Mar 29th 2019, 7:33 AM

    @Doire: they also have gas & fish!

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    Mute Doire
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    Mar 29th 2019, 10:32 AM

    @Seamus Mac: dont believe it until I see it. Shady outfit, wheeler dealers.

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    Mute Will
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:20 PM

    Hypocrisy and virtue signalling all in one pointless vote. This will have no effect whatsoever on how much fossil fuels we use but we’ll pat ourselves on the back all the same.
    We should install a wind turbine at the entrance to the Dail chamber.

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    Mute Jason Genovani
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:26 PM

    @Will: Exactly. Drop in the ocean. Purely done to pander to the EU.

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    Mute mmz
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    Mar 30th 2019, 2:47 PM

    @Jason Genovani: Except that (1) we might also be “pandering” to our grandchildren’s future ability to live on this earth at all as is outlined in the last (10/2018) IPCC report on the global warming ecocide / extinction issue.
    (2) We currently are 4th worst in dealing with greenhouse emissions in the EU. and face 200 billion a year fines because of this from 2020.

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    Mute @mdmak33
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:06 PM

    PBP are 2 faced,have they considered how even their supporters will heat their homes, it’s ok for the politicians as they can well afford to upgrade and move away from fossil fuels, many cannot,have they a plan in place to help people.

    52
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    Mute Timothy McCarthy
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    Mar 28th 2019, 9:13 PM

    Oil is used for more than just petrol/diesel, we use it daily so we will need it for years to come.

    34
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    Mute Andy mc Laughlin
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:07 PM

    Successive irish governments have made a mess of protecting our natural resources for the last thirty years. Ray Burke signed our rights away in the 80,s. With the country receiving very little or nothing at all in return.

    http://bocktherobber.com/2008/07/the-oil-company-the-crooked-politician-and-the-theft-of-irelands-energy-resources/

    42
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    Mute Hipity Hop
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:47 PM

    Utter nonsense , 95% of the last 10000 year was warmer .

    38
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    Mute George Salter
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:52 PM

    @Hipity Hop: Really? Care to justify that?

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    Mute Hipity Hop
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:55 PM

    @George Salter: Mangerud and Svendsen, 2018

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    Mute Hipity Hop
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:00 PM

    @George Salter: Carbon tax should quadruple to €80 per tonne by 2030, committee recommends , nonsense justifying robbery

    24
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    Mute Joeber Wallace
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    Mar 28th 2019, 11:02 PM

    @Hipity Hop: So you find one paper that claims that the highest average temperature in the warm holocene period is equal to today’s average… A time when there was no human influence on the environment…

    And you say nonsense…

    The global average temperature now is equal to the global average of the holocene warm period. We are literally at the start of unknown temperatures and the majority of climate scientists agree that it will have catastrophic effects on all of earth’s eco systems. But you find one article that disagrees a little bit and you’re convinced that it’s all a hoax?

    Carbon dioxide acts as an insulation material, think of double glazed windows.
    This is secondary school science.

    Please stop discussing things you obviously know little about.

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    Mute Hipity Hop
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    Mar 29th 2019, 6:20 AM

    @Joeber Wallace: It is nonsense and it is a problem that it is secondary school science . If you get a bell jar or whatever jar you want , put carbon dioxide in it at atmospheric pressure add a common heat source to both it will only ever be 1 degree warmer in the carbon dioxide jar and we dont even live in a jar . Go outside on a lovely summers day with no clouds and feel the heat of the sun , it will actually burn you , saying its atmosphere is fantasy .

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    Mute Hipity Hop
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    Mar 29th 2019, 6:43 AM

    @Hipity Hop: stop peddling fear

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    Mute Van Alcorn
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    Mar 29th 2019, 8:12 AM

    @Hipity Hop: That is because 10000 years ago was the end of the last ice age. We are currently in what is called an interglacial period, which is the exception not the norm in Earths climate. This period happened to coincide with the beginning of the rise in farming and the beginning of civilisation as we know it. It’s not the slow rising of temperature that is is associated with this that is the problem. It is the exponential rise in temperature assiocated with industry that is the problem. Industry started with simple metal smelting about 6000 years ago. The whole history of it can be traced in ice cores from Greenland from then up to the present day.

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    Mute Hipity Hop
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    Mar 29th 2019, 8:30 PM

    @Van Alcorn: If we all lived at manhattan density the earths population would fit in new zealand , were not over populated . Nobody arguing that its getting a bit hotter but to think its carbon dioxide levels thats causing the warming is like finding a correlation between a bicycle and a car going up a hill , when water vapour for example has a far greater greenhouse effect its alarmist nonsense that climate change is anthropomorphic , what youre doing is being an extremeophile .

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    Mute Jason Genovani
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:26 PM

    “No please! We don’t want money!” – Another looney decision from our looney government

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:44 PM

    @Jason Genovani:
    The government opposed it…..
    It usually pays to read the article before commenting.

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    Mute mmz
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    Mar 30th 2019, 2:58 PM

    @Jason Genovani: We have made no money from our offshore resources in at lest a generation. The deals signed have and will produce little in the way of onshore jobs. The oil is sold overseas or here at world price levels which at present are in long (if not short ) term decline as more renewable energy comes on stream. The UK now uses renewables for 40% of its energy needs and this is cheaper to buy and quicker to be put in place than any of the domestic or increasingly the imported fossil fuels. Irish renewable energy on the other hand will be totally “homegrown” bringing jobs and clean cheap energy with only the profit from necessary loans going “offshore.”

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    Mute Shane Healy
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:38 PM

    Make it law. Think long term.

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    Mute John Kelly
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:40 PM

    @Shane Healy: short term solution to a long term problem

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    Mute Shane Healy
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:53 PM

    @John Kelly: True perhaps John. But at least it makes the long term solution the focus, hopefully. And long term solutions will hopefully have long term effect and benefit.

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    Mute John Moylan
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    Mar 28th 2019, 10:05 PM

    @Shane Healy: putting people into penury over it is stupid.

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    Mute Boyne Sharky
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:53 PM

    It’ll be interesting to see exactly who blocks this, and what excuses they use…

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    Mute Mill Lane
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:08 PM

    Stupid decision.
    We could have set up a state company with a limited production period while plowing the profits into funding renewable energy.

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    Mute ThatLJD
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:19 PM

    @Mill Lane: I know it’s the Norway example again, they export 95% of their o & g and have invested in hydro, so much so they have excess of that that they now sell and have replaced and added to this with wind. Sadly due to short sighted governments and objections to any sort of progress we could never do that. Good job back in the 30s and 60s we didn’t have such issues or we wouldn’t have turlough hill or ardnacrusha.

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    Mute mmz
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    Mar 30th 2019, 3:00 PM

    @ThatLJD: Sadly our government is a vassal state of the US when it comes to public long term investment strategies.

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    Mute Padraig
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:57 PM

    Hopefully this will stop Providence drilling off the coast of Cork this year as they have planned. It won’t be worth feck all to the state so best left in the ground.

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    Mute ThatLJD
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:17 PM

    @Padraig: well that’s entirely untrue!

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    Mute ThatLJD
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:40 PM

    @ThatLJD: to clarify, I meant the last sentence. Though haven’t seen anything on providence securing anyone to do their appraisals so I assume that’s delayed.

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    Mute Don O Sullivan
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    Mar 28th 2019, 7:56 PM

    The Healy Raes reckon it has nothing to do with climate change.

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    Mute Anastasia
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:38 PM

    Bit late is it not already gave the gas find / oil in the west away

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    Mute James Moore
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    Mar 28th 2019, 9:56 PM

    We need to start producing rechargable Battery’s in large numbers for our home produced all battery cars. Produce Battery pack to power our houses. Start producing solar panels to charge the power pack, and install home produced mini windmill as a backup charger for the battery pack and backup for the all electric car so one can go off grid and be able to supply ones house free electricity for ever.

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    Mute John Moylan
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    Mar 28th 2019, 10:09 PM

    @James Moore: if you think oil production is anathema to the environment, wait til you see the damage battery production does. Even Amnesty International got in on that subject in the last week….Google it and ‘ Congo’ to see but one facet of why they’re not the panacea everyone thinks that they are. ..

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    Mute ThatLJD
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    Mar 28th 2019, 10:42 PM

    @John Moylan: government to ban cobalt mining in Ireland! That’ll be next! Ha ha. Place will be up in arms with the massive closures of all the mines but government doing the right thing for the environment, so they said as they tweeted on their phones and tablets from their electric cars and buses! Ha ha

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    Mute mmz
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    Mar 30th 2019, 3:03 PM

    @James Moore: Why that sounds almost like anarchy – people being able to provide for themselves without profiting corporations or their brown envelope seeking political lackeys…

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    Mute Anastasia
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:41 PM

    Do the same for water saying that it can never be privatised

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    Mute Pat Lonergan
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    Mar 29th 2019, 7:56 AM

    Go nuclear

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    Mute Anthony Harte
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:08 PM

    Costa Rica, Belize, France and Ireland make it 4 countries….

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    Mute ThatLJD
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    Mar 28th 2019, 8:21 PM

    @Anthony Harte: and only Ireland has any decent reserved to explore, with Norway and UK identifying the Atlantic as being worth exploring!

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    Mute mmz
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    Mar 30th 2019, 3:06 PM

    @ThatLJD: Perhaps you are rich enough to indulge in the fantasy that your grandchildren will be able to buy themselves out of the coming climate change catastrophe….sad, but it won’t stop them despising you.

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    Mute Einsteinstringtheory
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    Mar 29th 2019, 7:42 AM

    Has Ireland any oil or gas in it’s waters?
    If not it’s a bit of an empty gesture.
    Maybe the ban on beef farming would be a more climate change helpful contribution,
    Or would that mean actually having to give something up?

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    Mute Gerard Heery
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    Mar 29th 2019, 8:58 AM

    This saving the planet is becoming tedious ,this country’s only natural resource is rent at this stage and if you keep take from the working class they will be poor too ,so here a chance to be come self sufficient in a resource and they sign against it ,defies logic, every country that has oil is rich beyond belief ,and while we stop a chance to be self sufficient they will still be selling they’re oil no matter what we do

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    Mute pearse
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    Mar 30th 2019, 2:05 AM

    Is Ireland that stupid not to drill their own resources. No let’s just buy off other countries. And better still sell the rights to the arabs

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    Mute
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    Mar 29th 2019, 8:39 PM

    Great. Ban animal agriculture next and we might actually have a chance of surviving past the next ten years.

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    Mute Ian Hester
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    Mar 29th 2019, 8:19 AM

    Climate change accelerating,we can’t keep up with this, so leave it in the ground for future aliens of the Planet Earth…after we aliens are gone…….

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