Varadkar and McDonald bottom of poll for climate credentials

'In our view, Sinn Féin is getting more and more serious about climate policy, but their leader still has some work to do to convince the public of her climate credentials,' Friends of the Earth chief executive said.

Nearly two-thirds of people are more worried about climate change compared to two years ago, but trust Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald the least with action, a survey suggests.

According to a survey of 1,060 by the environmental group Friends of the Earth (FoE), Ms McDonald and Mr Varadkar finished bottom of the pile when participants were asked how serious political leaders in Ireland were about taking action on climate change.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan and Social Democrat leader Holly Cairns were on top.

FoE's annual Temperature Check survey also found some 46% think the Government “is not doing enough, fast enough, to cut Ireland’s pollution”. Just over a quarter said it was too fast, with a similar percentage thinking it was doing enough.

An indefinite pause on new data centres is supported by 58% compared to 42% opposed, the survey found.

Some 52% said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was wrong to delete a tweet about eating less meat after criticism from farming organisations.

The EPA had tweeted advice in August on cutting down on red meat "slowly" by trying more vegetarian options and being more "adventurous".

It was accompanied by a picture of Sex and the City actor Kim Cattrall suggesting playfully that doing so would make someone "healthier, wealthier, and more fabulous".

Following complaints by organisations such as the Irish Farmers' Association and the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association, the EPA removed the tweet because it was not intended to cause anger or "confusion".

Regarding the survey's results, FoE chief executive Oisín Coghlan said the poll results "should give the Government the confidence to scale up climate action urgently in the 2024 Climate Action Plan, due out shortly".

He added the results were timely given Sinn Féin's upcoming ard fheis.

“In our view, Sinn Féin is getting more and more serious about climate policy, but their leader still has some work to do to convince the public of her climate credentials. I look forward to seeing how she addresses this issue in her leader’s speech at this weekend’s ard fheis.”

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB