The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union supports all students across the world who are striking today, Friday 20th September, to demand action on climate change. Tens of thousands of students have been joined by their third-level peers, teachers and workers on this day of climate action. This strike represents the largest to date, with more than 5,000 taking place across the world. 

ISSU Sustainability Officer Saoi O’Connor, present at the strike in Cork, noted “The strikes over the last few months have really shown us how powerful voices of the student body all across the world really are, with this issue being brought to the forefront of the public consciousness. This morning Richard Bruton stated that the strikes were no longer necessary, but the number of dissenting voices out there on the street today proves that he is wrong”. Saoi has been striking in Cork every week for the last 36 weeks, and is one of the founders of the Fridays For Future Ireland Movement. 

The lead-up to the strike was not without opposition however, with reports of a number of schools announcing to students, staff and parents in the preceding days to not allow students to join the marches. This was met with much backlash by students and activists online. ISSU Honorary President Sarah Harte, present at the strike in Dubin stated “ It is not acceptable that students were being discouraged and threatened with punishment for expressing their opinions on a future that will affect them.This is a climate emergency, and students seem to be the only people treating it like one. We should be encouraged to take an active role and an interest in the world that we are going to live in, and schools should be teaching students to be active citizens, not discouraging them.”

The ISSU will be present at future climate marches, until serious action is taken by those in power. Before it’s too late.