Green plans take a hit as department loses €58m funds

DESPITE all the talk of Fianna Fáil and the Greens embarking on a new crusade to save the environment, the department will see its budget cut by €58m next year.

The 2% drop in Environment, Heritage and Local Government Department’s €2.9bn will hit a range of green-friendly projects.

The Environmental Protection Agency will have its expenditure slashed by 5% to €26m despite the leader of the Green Party John Gormley being Environment Minister. The budgets for the recycling services and landfill remediation will stay static at €10m and €10.5m respectively.