Dublin, 2:30pm, 28th September, 2023 At the Criminal Courts of Justice, in a landmark case for environmental activism, Extinction Rebellion Ireland (XRI) activists Rónán Ó Dálaigh and Art Ó Laoghaire were convicted on charges from 10th October 2019 for locking themselves to the gates of the Dáil at Merrion Square South, to escalate their demands for urgent, comprehensive government climate action in the fact of the climate crisis. Both defendants were sentenced to €500 fines. Rather than the ‘just cause’ argument put forward in the defendants’ case - that the wholly inadequate response of the Government to the climate crisis compelled them to engage in civil disobedience - the judge focussed on the possibility that Dáil staff may have been inconvenienced by the lock-on, due to vehicle access from the Dáil car park being blocked. After removal of the locks by the Gardaí, Ó Dálaigh and Art Ó Laoghaire were arrested under Section 8 of the Criminal Justice Act.

Ó Laoghaire, a father of two and semi-retired teacher of EFL who volunteers teaching Ukrainian refugees said,

I expected a suspended custodial sentence, so I’m relieved that didn’t happen. But the whole process demonstrates yet again that the legal structure is designed to support the State hegemony which is in hock to financial interests. We feel a jury would have been more sympathetic to our arguments, but the way the legal system works here means we can’t get to be heard before a jury.
“Climate events around the world since October 2019 have demonstrated that the crisis is more serious than we realised then, more serious than the IPCC had predicted. And our government has still failed to grasp the seriousness of the crisis. We need a radical change to our financial system and lifestyle, a radical change to what we produce and consume. We can't have infinite growth on a finite planet. While pursuit of profit rules, we will continue to have a climate crisis, a housing and health crisis, a refugee crisis.”

In his statement to court Ó Dálaigh, a social entrepreneur from Dublin, said ,

“I was, and remain, driven to taking direct action due to the unequivocal scientific consensus that life on earth is at risk. In particular, the most vulnerable communities around the world are the first to feel the damage. Not only has the Irish state failed in its moral and legal obligations to address the crises, but in fact it has participated in making the situation worse, through the continued increase of emissions, catastrophic biodiversity loss and failure to support a just transition. The democratic process in Ireland is not facilitating the required change, and there is therefore a duty on those most privileged in society and the global north to take direct action.”

The lock-on incident was part of XRI’s larger, week-long peaceful demonstration in Merrion Square dubbed Rebellion Week, highlighting the government's negligence in addressing the urgent and escalating climate emergency as a humanitarian crisis. The group’s explicit demands were the passage of the Climate Emergency Measures Bill 2019, adherence to the Citizens Assembly's recommendations, and the termination of plans for an LNG terminal at Shannon. These actions were deemed essential to fulfil the UN’s directives for a radical reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Ireland’s 2021 Climate Act closed the door on new exploration activities for oil and gas. However it still allows for renewal of existing licences. Planning permission for Shannon LNG was denied by An Bord Pleanála earlier this month.

Dr Sinéad Sheehan, University of Galway said,

“Those who locked onto the gates of the Dáil by their necks, and all those who stood and sat together on that night did the right thing. The cause of climate justice was to the fore, and by making this bold statement, that they would not move until forced to, for that night at least, the ordinary people took our power back.”
"As our planet teeters on the brink of irreversible climatic damage, acts of moral conviction are needed desperately"

said Jo Murray of XRI.

"Rónán and Art symbolise the collective resolve of those striving for ecological balance, emphasising the pressing need for meaningful climate legislation."

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