#Climatestrike: Schools not supporting this are not doing justice to the young people, says teacher

Students went on strike and protested in Cork and Dublin today to highlight climate change.

They joined a global movement and the focus of today’s protest in Ireland was outside the Dáil in Dublin.

Amazing #climatestrike today I’m Dublin🌎 Numbers were smaller but we were just as mighty👊🏻 @FFFireland @SchoolStrikesIE @SCANIreland pic.twitter.com/DrWYLxUcVg

— Shona and Molly🌎 (@globalwarning_) November 29, 2019

School children are rallying against a new gas terminal planned for Kerry which they say will be used to import fracked gas from the US.

15 year-old Conor Kirwan from Stepaside Educate Together said it would be bad news for the environment.

He said: "They are being hypocrites when they say that they are going to start being self-sustaining and eco-friendly by using renewable energy sources and yet if this terminal goes ahead then we will be locked into fossil fuels for the next 40 years which is bad."

Students say not climate change isn’t being taken seriously enough and are calling for action from the government and private companies.

Other teenagers explained what they are doing to help the planet.

They said: "Trying to cut down on the amount of meat we are eating and focusing more on public transport. We try to cut down on plastic.

"For me, I don't have a car, I recycle, I take a bus as much as I can."

Kate Minnock, a teacher at North Wicklow Educate Together said young people should have a voice.

Ms Minnock said: "Quite frankly, we are in the middle of a climate emergency and teachers, schools not supporting this are not doing justice to the young people.

"We are not meeting the needs of our young people if we are not coming out to support them today."