'To hide behind Donald Trump is ridiculous,' row erupts over Carlow climate change plan
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"To hide behind Donald Trump is ridiculous," said Cllr Adrienne Wallace after a war of words erupted over members' engagement in Carlow's Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.
Cllr Wallace claimed there is a "hypocrisy" among local representatives who say they are in favour of tackling climate change but only two councillors - Cllr Wallace and Cllr Will Paton - made submissions to the local authority's strategy.
"That needs to be called out," Cllr Wallace added.
Cllr Paton said it was "disappointing" so few members engaged with the project.
Responding to the remarks made by Cllr Wallace and Cllr Paton, Cllr Ken Murnane said he took offence to the remarks and the view that he was "indifferent" to climate change.
He said they would be "better off following up with Donald Trump and getting him involved in the Paris Accord" and that would give the world a better chance of tackling climate change over the next eleven years.
On June 1, 2017, United States President Donald Trump announced that the US would cease all participation in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation.
Cllr Wallace hit back and said "it is not my opinion, it's a fact, you made no submission".
"To hide behind Donald Trump is ridiculous and you're passing the buck," she said.
She added that Donald Trump's attitude to climate change means "we work harder".
Several members took exception to the remarks and said they were involved in the development of the strategy at different stages.
Carlow County Council's Climate Change Adaptation Strategy was proposed by Cllr Fintan Phelan and seconded by Cllr Michael Doran and the motion was passed by a show of hands.