THE Green Party has called on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to commit to ending Direct Provision and to introduce a universal basic income in return for entering a coalition government.

Party leader Eamon Ryan has set out 17 questions - all of which call for the two parties to commit to a series of policies - in a six-page letter sent to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on Wednesday in response.

The letter represents the Green Party's response to the framework document produced by the two parties last week.

In the detailed letter the Greens call on the two civil war parties to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 7pc per year; an ambitious programme of offshore wind energy, ending offshore gas exploration, and ceasing the controversial LNG project which would import fracked gas.

Among other measures, the party also calls for a comprehensive retrofitting programme and the development of a new economic plan and social contract.

In the letter, Mr Ryan states: “We believe there is political consensus on the goals set out in your document around the urgent need for carbon emission reductions rooted in fairness and equality, a single-tier health system and the widespread provision of affordable public housing.

“While those stated ambitions are to be welcomed, the document is lacking in clarity and detail in many areas.”

Mr Ryan’s detailed letter also calls for a ‘Town Centre First’ policy to revitalise towns and city centres and the construction of public, social and cost-rental housing on public lands, as well as a timeline on a possible referendum to cap land prices.

It calls for the development of a national action plan against racism; more protection for LGBTQ+ community; more autonomy for trans people; more health, employment, housing and education supports for the Traveller community; and “robust” hate-crime legislation.

The letter also calls for a significant reform of Irish agri-food policy to meet emissions targets and the designation of 50pc of territorial waters as ‘marine protected areas’.

The 17 "questions" posed by the Green party to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are:

Will you commit to an average annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of at least 7 per cent? Will you commit to an ambitious programme of development of, and investment where necessary in, renewable energy infrastructure including off-shore wind, grid and interconnector upgrades and community energy projects? Will you commit to ending the issue of exploration licences for offshore gas exploration? Will you commit to ceasing the construction of new fossil fuel infrastructure, particularly LNG import terminals that could allow the entry of unconventional liquefied natural gas into the Irish energy mix? Will you commit to the exclusive provision of public housing, social housing and cost rental housing on public lands? Will you commit to prioritising urban renewal in line with a 'Town Centre First' model? Will you commit to a comprehensive deep retrofit programme as part of a programme for government?

Will you commit to convening a social dialogue process representative of all key stakeholders with a view to developing of a new social contract?

Will you commit to working towards ending the Direct Provision system and replacing it with a not-for-profit system based on accommodation provided through existing or new approved housing bodies?

Will you commit to setting us on a clear and certain path to meeting our UN obligation to spend 0.7pc of our national income on Overseas Development Aid? Will you commit to the development of a national land use plan which will inform both the new national economic plan and the new social contract? Will you commit to rebalancing our transport infrastructure spend, dedicating at least 20pc of infrastructure expenditure in transport to cycling and walking and ensuring that other public transport infrastructure investment is allocated at least two-thirds of the remaining infrastructure budget?

Will you commit to establishing a trial of Universal Basic Income (UBI) within the lifetime of the next Government?

Will you commit to the revision of the existing National Development Plan so that we can meet our New Social Contract goals and climate change targets?

Will you commit to a review of the State's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, undertaken by the Oireachtas, to enable us to learn lessons for the future?

Will you provide a clear and detailed analysis of how your Joint Framework Document is to be financed?

Will you commit to publishing and implementing a Green Procurement Policy?



Speaking at Leinster House on Wednesday, Mr Ryan said he hoped it was possible for the Greens to enter coalition talks with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in the coming weeks, saying their framework document “contains a lot of really good things”.

“This next government has to be a government for change, real change and I think it can be, I think it could be," he said.

“It has to be change in terms of massive investment in public housing, it has to be change in terms of really using this economic moment to switch to public health, and it has to be change that we turn this country green."

Mr Ryan said a commitment to reducing carbon emissions by 7pc per annum was a red line for his party and suggested that anything less would see the Greens’ parliamentary party and its members veto entering government talks.

“If we were trying to go into government where it wasn't kind of being really ambitious around climate, I think it would be very hard for us to get to our members not only that but even through our parliamentary party,” he said.

Asked about other red lines, Mr Ryan also said the Shannon LNG project would have to be scrapped and the civil war parties would have to commit to meeting the UN obligation to spend 0.7pc of national income on overseas aid.

Mr Ryan said forming a government should take “a short number of weeks” if the Green Party gets the right level of clarification from the two parties in the coming days to allow it to enter talks.

He acknowledged there were divisions within his own party on entering government with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, but said it was “a healthy enough thing” to have different views.

Mr Ryan said the possibility of being Taoiseach was not on his agenda and declined to discuss whether he would like to be Tánaiste or what cabinet posts the Greens would seek in coalition talks.

“That comes at the very end of any process,” he said.

Online Editors