The world's most well-known environmental activist, Greta Thunberg, will not be in Dublin when she accepts the Freedom of the City award after she was controversially nominated by the Lord Mayor.
The 20-year-old was pictured yesterday being carried away from a peaceful protest in Sweden where the Take Back the Future group were blocking oil tankers accessing a harbour. Ms Thunberg had been blocking a road before she was carried away.
The firebrand activist was not expected to attend the Freedom of Dublin award ceremony as she refuses to take flights because of the emissions they cause. Dublin City Council's press department confirmed she "will not be attending in person" at the ceremony being held in the Mansion House on Wednesday.
Lord Mayor of Dublin and Green Party Councillor Caroline Conroy attracted criticism from fellow councillors after she nominated Ms Thunberg for the award. Dublin climate activist and former host of RTE's Eco Eye Duncan Stewart was also nominated for the award.
Read more: Lord Mayor slammed for 'hypocrisy' of Greta Thunberg's Freedom of City award
Traditionally, the Lord Mayor of the day nominates a candidate for the award which is usually rubber stamped by the rest of the Dublin city councillors without protest. However, many councillors accused Cllr Conroy of using Greta Thunberg as "headline fodder" to "greenwash" her own party's credentials after an EPA report predicted Ireland would miss our climate goals by a wide margin.
Cllr Nial Ring alleged the nomination had come from the "hierarchy" of the Green Party and not from the Lord Mayor which he apologised for. Cllrs Cieran Perry, Sophie Nicoullaud and Pat Dunne will boycott the ceremony due to the alleged "greenwashing" of the award but added they had the utmost respect for Greta Thunberg.
They previously sent a letter to the climate activist urging her to reject the nomination. Social Democrats Cllr Karl Stanley blasted the Green Party for the "hypocrisy" of the nomination.
He said: "The cynicism and hypocrisy is palpable.
"I can't let it pass... This is an attempt to use the truly unimpeachable reputation of a truly excellent campaigner to try and furnish your own [the Green Party's] credentials."
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