Sinn Féin spokesperson for climate justice has published legislation to rein in the fossil fuel industry.

Senator Boylan said:

“As the negotiations at COP get sidetracked by the CEO of a gas and oil company, the urgent need to break the stronghold of fossil fuel lobbyists on our climate policy has never been clearer.

“Today, I am proud to announce the publication of a ground-breaking bill aimed at reining in the influence of the fossil fuel industry and its hired lobbyists.

“In a year when global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions shattered records, the detrimental impact of their actions on public policy has become all too evident.

“At the COP summit in Dubai, 2,456 fossil fuel lobbyists have been granted access according to Global Witness.

“Meanwhile, closer to home, fossil fuel lobbyists have been swanning around the corridors of power for long enough. The revolving door between public office and lobbying positions is swinging fast. Entries in the lobbying registry reveal multiple interactions between fossil fuel companies and high-ranking officials.

“Mary Robinson was rightly praised for standing up to Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber when he said climate action wouldn’t need the phase out of fossil fuels. But she shouldn’t have to.

“If it was a health conference, there is no chance Mary Robinson would need to argue with a tobacco CEO about whether the phase out of cigarettes was needed to cure lung cancer.

“And there’s a very good reason why tobacco’s influence has been curtailed. Strong action was taken to put limits on the tobacco industry’s ability to influence public debate. We signed up to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

“It’s time for big oil to get the big tobacco treatment. My bill creates a robust code of conduct to severely limit the power of fossil fuel companies to have their way.

“If we’re to stand a chance of ensuring a liveable planet, we need to put an end to the undue influence of fossil fuel lobbyists.”