Environmentalists pressure Greens on coalition talks

Environmentalists today tried to force green issues centre stage as crunch talks to form a new Government entered their final phase.

With the Green Party and Fianna Fáil negotiating the formation of a new coalition, campaigners demanded environmental reforms be a top priority.

Activists said the Greens must block plans to build the M3 motorway through the Tara valley, while the Sustainable Development Council Comhar also issued a series of recommendations.

Talks between the two parties broke for an hour at 4pm to allow the Green Party delegation to consult with colleagues.

Today is a make or break day for the Greens as the party enters its fifth and possibly last day of negotiations ahead of its planned party convention on Sunday.

"It's a very important day for us," Green Party chairman John Gormley.

"There are some outstanding issues which are of great importance to the Green Party and we do want some resolutions today.

"I understand from the other side [Fianna Fáil] from phone calls I've had they see the need to address these issues.

"But certainly from our reference group the pressure is coming to get some movement because we can't go on talking for days like this because it's simply not tolerable."

Frank Convery, chair of Ireland's environmental watchdog Comhar, said the talks must prioritise environmental matters.

"Time is now a critical factor in delivering vital policy changes to ensure the sustainability of our environment, economy and society at large," he said.

"A commitment to sustainable development needs to inform the actions of the next government right from the beginning of its term.

"While much progress has been made, it is now opportune to make Ireland a leader in development that is sustainable."

The organisation called for a number of recommendations to be implemented.

These included the introduction of the polluter-pays principle, a new Government green purchasing policy and greater safeguards for biodiversity, coastal zones and other important landscapes.

On the issues of climate change and low carbon energy, Comhar said Ireland was in a position to show international leadership, but this could only take place in the context of ambitious targets.

The Campaign to Save Tara said specific concerns about the historic Co Meath site must be addressed in the Programme for Government if it was to support a Green/Fianna Fáil coalition.

"In addition to an immediate moratorium on all work, archaeological and construction, within the Tara/Skryne Valley, pending a review based on existing heritage legislation, the Campaign argue more robust heritage legislation would have avoided the Tara debacle," a spokesman said.

If a deal emerges from the talks it must be brought to a Green Party convention on Sunday where two-thirds of the 800 delegates must back the plan.

The Fianna Fáil delegation includes Brian Cowen, Seamus Brennan and Noel Dempsey, with John Gormley, Dan Boyle, and party secretary Donall Geoghegan representing the Greens.

Fianna Fáil is believed to be seeking to form a coalition with a comfortable majority made up of the Green Party, PDs and a number of independents.