Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has defended climate activist Greta Thunberg after Donald Trump mocked her in a tweet.
The Swedish teenager had made a powerful speech at the UN climate action summit in New York in which she accused world leaders of stealing her dreams and her childhood.
She said the world leaders would never be forgiven by future generations if they continue to ignore scientists warnings about climate change.
She said: “We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth – how dare you!”
“How dare you continue to look away and come here saying that you’re doing enough when the politics and solutions needed are still nowhere in sight.
“You say you hear us and that you understand the urgency, but no matter how sad and angry I am, I do not want to believe that. Because if you really understood the situation and still kept on failing to act then you would be evil and that I refuse to believe.”
President Tump responded by tweeting a sarcastic post about the 16-year-old.
He said: “She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!”
When Mr Varadkar was asked about the situation, he offered some words of encouragement to Thunberg.
He said: “I think she’s a really passionate person who has inspired young people across the world.
“I know sometimes people are critical of her, but the bottom line is she’s a 16-year-old girl who is trying to make the world a better place. Why would you want to slag her off?”
Take a look at the video below.
