Climate Action Plan: The ‘secret’ public meeting

When thinking about ways in which the Government’s climate action plan could be publicised and discussed by all who will be affected by it, the environment ministry had an inspired idea: An old-fashioned town hall meeting.

These meetings are public gatherings at which, traditionally, citizens meet to question politicians on topics of interest, such as proposed legislation, and to debate or protest. What a pity it was, and what an indictment of this administration’s barefaced lack of interest in transparency, that the “town hall” meeting organised by the ministry in Cork was nothing at all of the kind.