'Nothing but lies' - Brid Smith threatens legal action against Government for blocking climate Bill
The Government is facing a legal challenge over their decision to block Brid Smith's Climate Emergency Measures Bill.
The People Before Profit deputy has seen her Bill backed by a majority of Dáil TDs on two occasions.
However, the Government is bringing a rarely-used Parliamentary rule into play to block it from moving forward.
The Bill was to act as an amendment to the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960.
According to Deputy Smith, it would ensure regard is had to national and global environmental considerations including the annual average global temperature and the monthly mean level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere when issuing licences under the 1960 Act.
Deputy Smith says she's going all the way to the High Court to fight that move.
"Stopping this Bill on the spurious grounds of a money message is absolutely outrageous and it is nothing but lies," she claimed. "We do not have to return, under the current license regime, a single cent back to the oil companies who have invested in exploration.
"I have proved that over and over again," she added.
"Legally, it is cast-iron. I'm going to go to the High Court with this along with the rest of the movement because it is outrageous."
Meanwhile, protesters have disrupted a speech being given by Richard Bruton at a Climate Change Conference.
Two members of Extinction Rebellion - a group which opposes commercial forestry - joined the Minister at the top of the room and held up banner, which was quickly pulled down.
The Minister was forced to stop his speech when more protesters began shouting.
One of the event organisers managed to bring the situation under control.
