Ireland facing 'one of the most challenging winters in a generation'

Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan warns coming months will be difficult but that support will be available

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan says the budget will consist of immediate measures to “protect families and small businesses”.

Ireland is “facing into one of the most challenging winters in a generation”, according to Green Party leader Eamon Ryan.

The upcoming budget is to include much-needed supports as the country deals with crises in energy and cost-of-living, with Mr Ryan warning the coming months could be difficult.

The party kicked off its annual think-in on Saturday in Ennistymon, Co Clare after this week’s publication of the Climate Change Advisory Council annual report, which calls for increased targets for wind and solar renewable electricity.

The budget will consist of immediate measures to “protect families and small businesses” and long-term measures including “the accelerated roll-out of renewables, continued reductions to public transport fares and significant cuts in childcare costs”, the party said in a statement.

Mr Ryan said Ireland has a “difficult year ahead” which his party is facing “head on”.

“We cannot shy away from the fact that Putin is weaponising energy and fossil fuels in Europe as his war on Ukraine continues and we are facing into one of the most challenging winters in a generation,” he said.

The Minister for Energy met his EU counterparts this week to discuss reining in soaring energy prices. He said, “short-term measures are not enough” as expensive fossil fuels will become the “new normal”.

We have to fast-track investment and resources in wind and solar to secure our energy independence and create an Ireland 100% powered by renewable energy.

Minister for Equality, Roderic O’Gorman, said his party is doing “everything we can in Government to bring about long-term improvements and make sure there is money in people’s pockets”.

He pledged to halve the cost of childcare over the next two years and deliver “safe and affordable transport for every town and village in Ireland”.

Minister for Arts Catherine Martin, who is deputy leader of the party, said: “With so much uncertainty in the world now including the war in Ukraine, the climate crisis, and huge cost of living increases, we need the arts more than ever to help inspire us to imagine and create a better future for ourselves.”