One of Ireland's leading scientists, Professor John Sweeney, has warned that the debate on climate change is long over and valuable time is being lost in addressing the urgent problem.
He was commenting after a British parliamentary committee concluded it found no evidence to suggest that research conducted by a leading English university had been manipulated.
A storm of protest erupted late last year when emails from the climate research unit of University of East Anglia, suggested data it produced, which was used around the world, may have been manipulated.
Climate sceptics claimed the emails proved scientists at the CRU were hiding data and falsifying scientific evidence and this raised questions over global warming.
However, today a Commons Committee said it found no evidence that the CRU manipulated data and stated the reputation of its leader, Professor Phil Jones, and the team remained intact.
In reaction, Professor Sweeney of NUI Maynooth said the findings were to be welcomed; and he called for urgent action to make up for lost time tackling the problem.
