Environmental activists have urged the Government to act fast on fossil fuels as they head for New York for talks on global climate action.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan will attend the United Nations General Assembly in the week ahead.
Global leaders will be discussing progress on the UN’s sustainable development goals amid concerns targets set for 2030 will be missed.
The UN will also host a climate ambition summit in New York during the week.
The best crime fiction of 2024: Robert Harris, Jane Casey, Joe Thomas, Kellye Garrett, Stuart Neville and many more
We’re heading for the second biggest fiscal disaster in the history of the State
Housing in Ireland is among the most expensive and most affordable in the EU. How does that happen?
Ceann comhairle election key task as 34th Dáil convenes for first time
In advance of the high-level meetings, Friends of the Earth organised a demonstration on Sandymount strand in Dublin, with the tall chimneys of the Poolbeg power station in the background.
It was staged as part of series of events internationally to mark Global Day Of Action to End Fossil Fuels.
The demonstration at Sandymount on Sunday afternoon was endorsed by a range of organisations, including Trocaire, Christian Aid, Not Here Not Anywhere, Young Friends of the Earth and Christian Blind Mission.
Friends of the Earth chief executive, Oisin Coghlan, called for a “fast, fair and forever” end to fossil fuel dependence in Ireland.
“The case for getting off fossil fuels has never been clearer,” he said.
[ Irish leaders head to UN summit to push poverty eradication, social justice goalsOpens in new window ]
“The UN secretary general recently confirmed what we already knew – climate breakdown has begun and that we’re now entering the era of ‘global boiling’.
“Ireland is very much part of the problem – the country remains hugely dependent on polluting expensive fossil fuels and, to make matters worse, the Government is still considering more polluting gas infrastructure.
“We have to draw a line in the sand. Fossil fuels must stay in the ground now, not in 20 years’ time.”
He added: “We also need Government to drive down demand for fossil fuel energy.
“That means setting a date for a ban on new gas boilers for industry and homes. We say 2028.
“It means getting a grip on the unregulated growth of data centre demand for electricity, which is driving demand for gas.
“Data centres used 18 per cent of Ireland’s electricity in 2022. That’s almost twice the amount used by all rural homes put together and projected to use 30 per cent by 2030. The European average is less than 3 per cent.
“And in the run-up to the Cop28 UN climate summit, it’s also important the Government supports global efforts to phase out fossil fuels, particularly through a new treaty to end the expansion of fossil fuels.” – PA