St Patrick's Day has been branded an “emissions nightmare” because of the climate impact of Ireland’s jet setting TDs.
Some 35 politicians and the Attorney General are visiting countries all over the world in the name of our patron saint.
According to calculations by green energy specialists at a Cork renewables firm, their carbon footprint for this one trip will be equivalent to the average annual exhaust fumes of 61 cars if they all go business class.
READ MORE: Ireland weather: St Patrick’s Day tornado and more extreme events Met Eireann charted over the years
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue’s business class trip to New Zealand is the worst polluter, racking up 14.84 tonnes of C02e.
That’s more than the average household’s yearly home (11 tonnes) and car (3 tonnes) emissions combined.
He was followed by Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney who’s in Australia, AG Rossa Fanning who travelled to Argentina and Chile, Limerick TD Patrick O’Donovan, Thailand and Indonesia, and Niall Collins who’s travelling to Malaysia and the Phillipines.
Together their flights produced 55.46 tonnes of carbon if they flew business class - and 19.13 tonnes of they went economy.
Party leaders Leo Varadkar, Micheal Martin and Eamon Ryan will produce a total of 17 tonnes of CO2e on their business class travels - with Green Party leader Eamon’s Ryan trip to China and Hong Kong the biggest emitter of the three.
In order to offset their flight emissions, Wizer Energy estimate the Taoiseach would have to go vegetarian for 3.6 years, the Tanaiste for 3.2 and Eamon Ryan 7.5 years.
But avoiding the trip altogether would be as climate friendly as being car free for 12,700km in Varadker’s case, 12,400km for Martin and 34,400km for Ryan.
The difference in emissions between business class and economy has also been highlighted.
If all our ministers take business class flights 185.58 tonnes of pollutants will be emitted with average emissions of 5.57 tonnes a trip - 3.44 tonnes more than if they sit in economy.
The long standing argument is that TDs need business class seats to work without sensitive government material being seen.
But Wizer calculations show that “for a government that has been pushing green policies” - 123.84 tonnes extra pollutants will be emitted if they all go business class.
Wizer Energy MD, Martin Desmond, said: “We all need to do more to reduce our carbon emissions and overall carbon footprint.
“This excessive consumption of fossil fuels is harmful to the environment and is something we should be striving to reduce, if not eliminate completely.”
The company is calling on leaders to consider the environmental impact our most famous day is having on the country’s overall emissions.
“What is it saying about our commitment to fighting climate change?” they asked.
The Environmental Protection Agency and Government departments have been contacted for comment.
Wizer's calculations were done using carbonfootprint.com and based on direct flights from Dublin to the TDs’ destinations and back.
Action needed on business flight emissions
Some of Ireland’s biggest companies have been slammed for their lack of action to reduce business flight emissions.
Environmental NGO Opportunity Green, led by Irish woman Aoife O’Leary, drilled into available data on business flights worldwide.
The Travel Smart Ranking lists 322 companies worldwide according to air travel emissions, reduction targets and reporting.
Eight Irish multinationals, based both north and south, were rated category C in the list because of their lack of targets to reduce airmiles amid sustainability claims.
Aoife told us: “Some of them don’t even report their business travel so we’re not even sure how much some of them do.
“Aviation travel is one of the most carbon intensive forms of travel and we really need to get a handle on that.
“There is very little regulation to recuce it as a whole.
“We all know flying is bad for the environment and it’s very hard for any one individual to say they are not flying anymore.
“If you look at the people who are flying very frequently - especially business travellers - the idea that entire section of the economy is not contributing to hospitals, schools etc is really quite galling and quite crazy when they also do loads of carbon damage.
“Putting a tax on business flights would be a start.”
READ NEXT :
Met Eireann forecast major temperature swing before weather system takes over
Shamed socialite Marcus Sweeney still living the high life as we track him
Presenter Dermot Whelan speaks of 'pain' of losing mother to dementia
Imelda May's boyfriend 'lucky to be alive' after horror car crash on icy roads
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
