The Green Party has defended its climate change policies after it came in third place in an assessment of election manifestos and climate commitments by an environmental group.
Labour emerged as the party with the best climate action policies in the assessment commissioned by Friends of the Earth.
It was given the highest grade for its manifesto among the parties assessed, with the Social Democrats coming in second place, followed by the Green Party and People Before Profit.
The three biggest parties, Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein, were joint fifth.
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The assessment was carried out by Dr Cara Augustenborg, from University College Dublin, and colleagues on behalf of Friends of the Earth.
In response to the findings, the Green Party’s Catherine Martin said: “I would say, to really get on top of the climate action, you do need more parties taking this issue seriously. So I welcome there are a number of us topping the charts here.
“What is alarming is that the three main parties, one who will probably hold the office of the Taoiseach, are failing and failing miserably.
“I say alarming, but not surprising, having been in government with two of those parties.
“It only points to the fact that we have been driving the change. As (party colleague) Neasa (Hourigan) has said, we are certainly taking top of the charts on delivery.
“That is what we hear on the doors. You can trust us. This is the change you can trust with the Green Party.
“It’s one thing to have the promises there, you follow through. The greenest Programme for Government ever in 2020, two of us here were the negotiators on it, and we will continue with that momentum going forward.”
Dublin Central Green Party candidate Ms Hourigan said “talk is cheap”.
“There’s no metric in that core of what you actually do when you’re in power, and when we were actually in power, we reduced our emissions and we created two new national parks.
“The reality is that when Labour were in government, they did exactly zero on the environment, and in my local area it is Labour and Social Democrats who are actively blocking every piece of public transport that we propose.
“The proof is in the pudding, and the green pudding actually delivers results.
“Talk is cheap.”
In response to the report, the Labour Party tweeted: “Want Green? Vote Labour.
“Labour has emerged as the party with the best climate action policies in an assessment of election manifestos commissioned by environmental group Friends of the Earth.”
The Green Party members made the comments as they set out proposals on the arts sector, including a pledge to expand the Basic Income for the Arts, to roll out a new programme for arts spaces, and to provide supports for a vibrant night-time culture and to maintain record funding for the sector.
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The party, which set out the proposals at Na Piobairi Uilleann in Dublin on Monday, said it will retain and expand the Basic Income for the Arts pilot programme, at a cost of 15 million euro for the first extra 1,000 participants.
It also said it will enact the Intoxicating Liquors Bill 2024 to revitalise the night-time economy.
Ms Hourigan added: “I’m lucky to have the job of talking about the night-time economy, and as a representative of Dublin Central that’s very dear to my heart.
“There’s probably nowhere that should be buzzing in the night as much as Dublin Central and the Green Party understands the importance of a diverse and vibrant night-time cultural environment.
“That’s why our manifesto commits to rolling out new supports for the night-time economy. Those will have to be based on an enactment of the Intoxicating Liquors Bill 2024 to revitalise the night-time economy and modernise our licensing results, because this will allow for longer opening hours and will enable us to reform the event licensing sector.
“This will put us on par with our European neighbours, and we would like to see the city and our towns thrive after dark.
“When you go to Berlin or Paris, it’s just beginning at 11pm and that’s how it should be in Dublin.”