'Read the text of your own amendments' – Mark Ruffalo hits back at ...

In a video posted to his more than 8 million followers on social media platform X, the Hulk actor said the Green Party is doing “something really terrible to the environment”.

He said the party is trying to “jam through” legislation which will allow for fast-tracking the construction of LNG terminals for imported fracked gas from the US.

Mr Ruffalo said the Green Party promised it would not allow LNG plants to be established while they were in power.

In response, a Green Party spokesperson said the actor’s video “gives a very misleading account” of what is envisaged in the amendment to the Planning Bill which goes before a Dáil vote today.

Mark Ruffalo and Alison Oliver call for public action on Green Party’s LNG Bill

“The Green Party remains fully opposed to a commercial LNG facility and is proud that no such facility has proceeded during our time in Government,” spokesperson said.

The Green Party pointed to the Government’s Energy Security Strategy that highlighted the need for “gas reserve as a back-up” while moving in the direction of a renewable energy based power system.

They said Ireland could be “seriously exposed without the power and heat supply we need” if there was a break in the existing gas pipeline from Britain.

“What the amendment allows for is the possibility of a State-owned, floating off-shore gas reserve that could provide such a back-up supply in such an eventuality,” the spokesperson said.

“It would be temporary in nature, would have to operate under strict climate limits and could not contain gas from fracked sources. It would not be a commercial facility. That is the only reason for this amendment,” he added.

And in further criticism of Mr Ruffalo, the spokesperson said: “Keeping the lights on in Ireland is not something that Mark Ruffalo needs to worry about but it is something that the Irish Green Party obviously cares about.”

In response, Mr Ruffalo called on the Party to “read the text of your own amendments”.

"What’s misleading is that the planning bill doesn’t say anything about stopping commercial LNG. Consequently, it leaves it open to everything including Shannon LNG. Read the text of your own amendments. The public should understand what this bill means for them as well. You made a promise to them,” he said in a post on X.

Friends of the Earth Chief Executive, Oisín Coghlan called on TDs to oppose the amendment to the legislation allowing for LNG terminals.

“The Greens either took their eye off the ball with the Planning Bill or they don’t mind that the risk of new fossil fuel import terminals being approved has skyrocketed between the Planning Bill and the High Court judgement. If almost the last thing this Government does facilitates an LNG import terminal getting approval, then the legacy of the Greens in Government will be in tatters,” Mr Coghlan said.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik labelled LNG a “dirty fuel” and said it is harmful to health and the environment.

Speaking in the Dáil, she raised concerns that there is only three hours allotted to debate the Planning and Development Bill in the Dáil tonight.

She said Mr Ruffalo is from Pennsylvania in the US, where “fracking sourced LNG terminals have been linked to asthma, rare childhood cancers, adverse birth outcomes”.

“Here at home, your Government is trying to designate floating terminals as strategic infrastructure, so that LNG could be imported into Ireland, circumventing normal planning processes,” she said.

She said LNG is a “dirty fuel” which is harmful to health and will increase emissions, as well as adding extra cost to household energy bills.

Ms Bacik said this is not an issue of improving energy security and urged the Government to withdraw support for “dangerous” LNG amendments.

“This is about embedding harmful fossil fuels long term into our energy system against all the evidence,” she said.

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys, who took Leader’s Questions, said she “absolutely” supports the Planning and Development bill.

She denied it would not involve fracking and said the LNG provision mostly replicates existing laws.

“This amendment is to ensure if there is an energy crisis, we have storage facilities, LNG, if that is required, and I’m talking about a massive energy crisis.

“It has nothing, nothing, to do with fracking, this Government is opposed to fracking.”

Asked about Mr Ruffalo's comments in Washington, Taoiseach Simon Harris said: "Obviously, anybody can make any comment they wish in a democracy.

"But the Government has considered this legislation at great length. I think this is the second largest Bill, from my memory, then second largest piece of legislation ever published.

"It's time to get it passed, and I expect it to pass the Dáil this week."