THE FINAL CABINET meeting before an election is called turned sour today with the government parties at loggerheads over a climate fund.
The Green Party is unhappy that a memo on how the €3 billion Climate and Nature Fund would be allocated was blocked by the Taoiseach and Tánaiste.
As the coalition parties move to sever ties before the general election, Environment Minister Eamon Ryan found his old partners in government blocking his memo.
It is understood the minister wanted to deliver an outline plan to ministers on how the money would be used to help farmers, industry and the public sector develop new income streams and reduce their energy bills in ways that would also help Ireland meet its climate targets.
The plan indicated that hundreds of millions of euro would be spent on retrofitting public sector buildings such as hospitals, schools, leisure centres and universities so that they use less fuel for heating, while at the same time reducing their emissions.
A similar approach would be taken to helping private companies become more energy efficient, allowing them to make substantial savings.
The plan also included proposals to support the development of district heating in Ireland, whereby waste heat from large industries could be used to heat homes and public buildings through a network of underground pipes.
The also outlined financial support being allocated towards developing biomethane projects in rural Ireland, a process in which farm and food waste is used to produce gas which be fed into the grid.
Further funding would also have been used to roll out infrastructure to support offshore wind energy and microgeneration.
However, a Green Party source told The Journal:
It’s hard to know why Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael blocked this.
“This was based on the work of a cross-departmental task force on climate action. We’ve flagged on several occasions where this money needs to be spent. This will help businesses, public bodies and farmers save money while cutting their emissions so we’re a bit baffled why it wouldn’t get the green light.”
Another senior party source said there were a number of climate action memos the party wanted to see progress before the election, but the other party leaders would not allow them to proceed to Cabinet. They added that climate action is not always easy, but it takes courage to push ahead on such matters.
Those in Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil claimed it was premature Ryan to earmark money for specific expenditure.
When asked specifically this evening if Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael blocked the memo from the Greens, spokespeople for the Taoiseach and Tánaiste said they didn’t know why it did not proceed.
A spokesperson for Roderic O’Gorman said the the three party leaders need to sign off on what makes it to Cabinet and agreement could not be reached.
As parties move to differentiate themselves in the run up to the election, it was also revealed today that no breakdown of how many of 303,000 homes will be affordable and social homes will be outlined by government.
A government spokesperson confirmed that such things would be debated during the upcoming general election before being decided by the next Government.
The new targets were announced as the Government today agreed to progress a draft schedule of amendments to the National Planning Framework (NPF).
Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald claimed today that the targets are too low.
“Now, as your Government heads for the exit door, your record of failure is clear – people live with it every day,” she said.
Responding to the Sinn Fein leader in a heated exchange marked by pre-election barbs, Harris said housing most be the “number-one priority” for the Government as it remained “the biggest challenge that faces this generation”.
He added that the new targets would effectively mean a doubling of new housing supply over the remainder of the decade.
McDonald told Mr Harris: “Your very great problem is that nobody believes you.”
As the Taoiseach responded, “we’ll see”, the Sinn Fein leader agreed: “We’ll see, alright.”
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