Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson says it’s imperative that the Irish government support the EU Nature Restoration Law.

She was speaking to Midwest News at the Mary Robinson Climate conference taking place in Ballina.

The Ballina native says the government cannot afford to "mess around" as we are already behind when it comes to nature.

However, many TD's have been opposing the new EU legislation , describing the law as a 'reckless regulation' that could have severe consequences for Ireland's agricultural sector.

Climate activist Mrs Robinson says the impact of fossil fuels on the world's climate must be dramatically reduced and she warned that we are “a generation away from climate disaster”, if the world's population fails to address the crisis.

The Mary Robinson Climate Conference is an inclusive multidisciplinary forum bringing together voices from all sectors of academia and society to share climate experiences and discuss pathways for a sustainable future. The conference theme for 2023 is “Communities Creating Change”.

Speaking to Midwest Radio News Editor Teresa O'Malley, Mary Robinson said every county needs a Climate Conference like that underway in the Ballina Arts Centre at present …..