Mary Robinson: Ireland no longer a ‘laggard’ on climate change

Former Irish president Mary Robinson has repeatedly called for more action on climate change (Niall Carson/PA)

Mary Robinson has said it is time for Ireland to set out its “actual plan” to tackle climate change.

A landmark report on the catastrophic impact of global warming, published by the UN on Monday, said the world will reach or exceed temperature rises of 1.5C – a limit countries have pledged to try to keep to in order to avoid the most dangerous consequences of climate change – over the next two decades.