Eamon Ryan told he has 'blood on his hands' as Trinity students interrupt event

Thu, 23 Mar, 2023 - 13:45

James Cox

Trinity College students interrupted an even with Green Party leader Eamon Ryan on Thursday morning to express their anger at the removal of the eviction ban and climate issues.

A number of protesters interrupted the Minister for Transport's speech this morning.

The student groups identified themselves as Extinction Rebellion, Time To Act TCD, Connolly Youth Movement, Students4Change and Trinity People Before Profit.

The students involved set their alarm clocks for 12.20pm and stood up to speak one after another.

The first protester said: "Minister Ryan, Ireland has the highest level of emissions Europe-wide, your pairing of neo-liberal economic policies has led to poverty and hardship for members of the Irish working class... there can be no climate justice without social justice."

The students also criticised Minister Ryan for going into government with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, and "inaction" over the Direct Provision system.

They kept speaking over pleas from the event's moderator to stop, with one student telling Minister Ryan he has "blood on his hands" over the decision to end the eviction ban and "leave thousands of families and children homeless".

The students were eventually removed by security officers.