Linking the recent heatwave to climate change is sickening propaganda, according to Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice.
The rural representative was reacting to the fact that the managing director of RTE News, Jon Williams, has apologised for not making a clear connection between the recent spell of good weather and climate change.
Reacting to this, Fitzmaurice said: “The fact is that the climate is constantly changing. If you were monitoring radio and television in recent days, some outlets were nearly disappointed that we didn’t break the record for the highest temperature ever recorded in Ireland – which stands at 33.3 degrees Celsius, recorded in Kilkenny all the way back in 1887.
“We have had heatwaves recorded in 1976, 1983, 1989, 1995, 2003, 2006, 2013, 2017 and 2018 – is RTE going to now apologise for not linking those heatwaves with climate change when reporting on them at the time?
“In 1976, heatwave conditions were recorded in Birr, Co. Offaly, for a full fourteen consecutive days.
“We enjoyed a week and a bit of fine weather and water conservation notices were issued in some areas, which doesn’t say a lot for our infrastructure. How do countries like Spain cope with extended periods of fine weather?
“If you look at Met Eireann’s figures for the record high temperature recorded in each month, only two of the twelve have been recorded in this century.
“Meanwhile, May of this year was one of the wettest in recent memory; but that’s life.
“There is a sickening propaganda being driven by RTE that climate change is at the heart of all weather events. But the fact is, the climate is constantly changing.
“We had less than two weeks of lovely weather for everyone to enjoy, we are not yet able to begin growing bananas or other tropical plants,” Fitzmaurice concluded.
For further information contact Michael Fitzmaurice at 086-1914565