Greens call for Budget to be ‘climate-change proofed’

THE Green Party yesterday set out the basis for what may be its “shopping list” if it opens coalition negotiations after next year’s general election.

The party announced its pre-budget statement with its expected heavy emphasis on the environment, measures to radically reduce carbon emissions and reverse climate change.

They include a €20 per tonne green levy, public transport initiatives, a pollution levy and measures to promote energy security and sustainability.

“We require the Budget to be climate-change proofed,” said party leader Trevor Sargent.

“This is a criminally reckless Government, which has externalised the cost of the survival of civilisation.”

The statement ahead of the Budget also highlights issues of childcare, stamp duty reforms, pensions and an overhaul of social policy.

The party’s finance spokesman, Dan Boyle, said that the party wants to see free pre-school education available for all children in the year before they start school.

It is calling for relief on stamp duties for distinct categories of people — older persons who are downsizing their homes, first-time buyers who wish to move into those vacated properties; and those with disability and care needs.

The Greens also want a new inflation adjuster for stamp duty that would be no longer pegged to the consumer price index but would reflect the higher inflation rates for houses.

On carbon taxes, Mr Boyle said that the party adhered to the polluter pays principle. He said it was attracted by the system of individual carbon quotas but said there was the issue that administering such a system may undermine the beneficial effects it should have.

Three Green election candidates outlined different aspects of the party’s new social policy. Cllr Bronwen Maher (Dublin North Central) pointed out that there were thousands of women dependent on their partners’ social welfare payments.

Patricia McKenna (Dublin Central) said that one fifth of the Irish population was at risk of poverty and that only one in six carers qualified for the allowance.

Cllr Tony McDermott (Dublin South Central) said that nearly a third of lone parent households are in consistent poverty.

The party called for an increase of €20 in social welfare rates, increases in fuel allowances; scrapping tax relief on private pensions, as well as refundable tax credits for those on low incomes, for parents and for carers.