An Independent TD says he doesn’t believe in climate change and that ‘God above is in charge of the weather and we can’t do anything about it’.

The comments in the Dáil by Kerry TD Danny Healy Rae during a debate on climate change led to him being dubbed ‘Kerry’s Sarah Palin’ by Galway Independent Catherine Connolly.

Deputy Healy Rae insists that the world’s climate is nothing to do with “combustible engines”, or mankind.

“I don’t agree with all this story about climate change at all, and there has been patterns of climate change going back over the years, before indeed there was ever a combustible engine.”

The response of @catherinegalway to @dannyhealyrae is also worth a quick watchhttps://t.co/4whAWbMXop

— Páraic Gallagher (@paraicgallagher) May 4, 2016