Paul Murphy: Condemns EU 'green' label for gas and nuclear
Paul Murphy criticised EU institutions for labeling fossil gas and nuclear power as green and opposed planned imports of liquefied natural gas from the US. He argued the move reflects fossil fuel and nuclear industry lobbying and warned it will lock in private investment in unsustainable infrastructure.
Labelled green by EU institutions
Murphy condemned the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament for agreeing to classify fossil gas and nuclear power as green, saying simply calling them green does not make them green. He described the decision as the consequence of extensive lobbying by the fossil fuel and nuclear industries.
LNG imports and fracked gas
He highlighted an agreement between the European Commission and the United States to import liquefied natural gas - described in the speech as fracked gas - warning this doubles down on fossil fuels and will lead to more private investment in fossil fuel infrastructure for decades.
Scientific and economic warning
Murphy argued the science is clear that further investment in fossil fuel infrastructure is incompatible with sustainable human life, summarising his position with a stark environmental warning. He stressed that long-term infrastructure investments risk locking societies into emissions trajectories at odds with climate science.
Questioning the Taoiseach and government response
Murphy asked whether the Taoiseach agreed with the decision and why the government had not objected by the deadline. Respondents defended the EU course, citing Russia cutting off gas and an accelerated timetable for renewables, and pointed to domestic measures including rent protection zones, a 2% limit and six pieces of legislation to protect renters.
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There's no economy on a dead planet and yet the European Commission has proposed and scandalously the European Council and European Parliament have agreed to just simply label fossil gas and nuclear power as green as if calling them green somehow makes them green it's the consequence of extensive lobbying by the fossil fuel industry and by the nuclear power industry another example of it is the agreement between the European Commission and the US to import liquefied natural gas i.e. fracked gas for the next decades doubling down on fossil fuels the consequence is more private investment into unsustainable fossil fuel infrastructure locking us in potentially for decades the science is crystal clear we can't have any more investment in fossil fuel infrastructure that is incompatible with civil globalised sustainable human life on this earth does the Taoiseach agree with the decision why did the government not object by yesterday's deadline I just would have to say Deputy Barrett you know we can learn from France and I know Deputy Murphy was anxious that maybe you might learn on the nuclear front as well because you suggested that's one of the ways they're keeping their energy prices down is to nuclear and maybe that's are you advocating that we go nuclear like France oh I see but you do want me to learn from but you do want me to learn from France you do want me to learn from France you do want me to learn from France in respect of issues but that said we have brought in a lot of measures we've brought a lot of measures in terms of wreck in terms of rent protection zones we have brought in the 2% limit we've brought in six pieces of legislation to protect renters and we're going to have to continue to do more in that regard Deputy Murphy Murphy can I just say you're probably one of the more anti-European members of the European Union members of the European Union members of this house you you have a consistent negativity about Europe about the LNG coming in they have no choice Russia's cutting off the gas Russia has caused a crisis yes and the European Union which you ignored to say the European Union has brought forward the timetable for renewables the European Commission is driving on renewables but yourselves Sinn Féin and others you just constantly have to abort the European Union you just always have to abort the European Union but anyway
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