The Greens are “electioneering” over claims that the Government almost collapsed over climate measures, the Tanaiste has said.
Micheal Martin said he does not recognise claims made by his coalition partners over an apparent split in 2023.
It comes after the Green Party said the coalition almost fell during negotiations with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael over the establishment of a multibillion euro climate and nature investment fund in 2023.
Green Minister of State Ossian Smyth said the coalition almost broke down during negotiations with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael over the establishment of a euro climate and nature investment fund in last year (Brian Lawless/PA)
The 3.15 billion euro state investment fund will be put into infrastructure, climate and nature projects until 2030, sourced from windfall corporation tax profits.
Green Minister of State Ossian Smyth said the Government “nearly collapsed” over Fianna Fail’s position on establishing the fund, which was eventually agreed as the Infrastructure Climate and Nature Fund.
The alleged row occurred when the Greens were led by Eamon Ryan but his predecessor Roderic O’Gorman claimed last week that it had been made clear that the fund was a “red line” for the party. He said the negotiations were a “tense” and “very difficult time”.
Mr Smyth also said he was prepared to walk out of Government at a later stage over the threat of repeated delays to the land hoarding tax – which the Greens see as an essential measure to combat the housing crisis.
Asked about Mr Smyth’s comments on Monday, Mr Martin said: “That must have passed me by.”
Pressed on whether he recognised the central claims by Mr Smyth, he added: “I don’t – it’s just not serious.
“The infrastructure idea was mine, by the way. The idea of having a consistent fund to make sure we got that infrastructure through .
“To be fair to Eamon [Ryan] and others, they wanted the climate and nature in – that was agreed.
“There was toing and froing, that happens over most of the Budget.
“The idea that there was nearly a collapse of Government? To be fair to Eamon Ryan, he never threatened to collapse any Government – that’s electioneering, and that’s not serious.”
He added: “I don’t think anyone was aware that Ossian Smyth was going to walk out of Government – at any stage.
“He seemed to me to be a very enthusiastic participant right up to the very end.”