Sinn Féin climate action spokesman, David Cullinane, is demanding that the State picks up the bill for any costs accrued by the public after it emerged that millions of euro promised for the grants system now no longer exist.

The Government has been accused of "utter hypocrisy" on climate change after it blocked a Bill seeking to ban oil and gas exploration in Irish waters.

The Government has defended the arrangements of a public meeting on climate change, despite complaints that the public was not told where or when it was taking place.