Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly TD has said that climate change and the destruction of the natural environment represent the defining social and moral challenges of our time, warning that the consequences are already being felt – both globally and here in Ireland.

“Climate change is not a distant problem,” Catherine said. “It is a present reality - reshaping our weather, threatening our biodiversity, and deepening inequalities both at home and abroad.

“Across the world, it is the poorest communities who are suffering most - losing their homes, their livelihoods, and in many cases, their lives. Here in Ireland too, it is those least able to afford it who are paying the price - from flooding and energy costs to the loss of natural habitats and community green spaces.”

Catherine said that the Irish Government has failed to give the climate and environmental emergency the sustained attention, focus, and action it deserves.

“We need more than slogans and targets. We need a fundamental shift - one that places environmental responsibility and social justice at the heart of everything we do. This is not simply about carbon budgets or emissions - it is about fairness, the quality of life we leave behind, and the kind of country we want to build.”

She said that as President, she would make climate action and the protection of Ireland’s natural heritage a central theme of her Presidency, using the moral authority of the office to promote awareness and inspire action:

“As President, I will use my voice and the platform of the Áras to highlight the urgency of climate action - to support communities, scientists, and activists working for change, and to celebrate the deep connection between the Irish people and the natural world.

“Our rivers, our bogs, our coastline, our forests - these are not just resources to be managed, but gifts to be protected and cherished. We have a duty to future generations to act now, to protect our shared home.”

Catherine concluded:

“The challenge of climate change demands leadership - not only in government, but in civic life, in education, and in the everyday actions of all of us. As President, I will do everything in my power to keep this issue at the top of our national and international agenda.”

ENDS

Contact: press@connollyforpresident.ie