Scrapping the carbon tax would be an “insane” move and Sinn Féin will not attempt it in Government, Eamon Ryan has insisted.
The Environment Minister accused the main opposition party of repeatedly deploying a “ruse” on the revenue raising measure, whereby it repeatedly opposes budget day increases to the tax, but is content to accept the benefits generates by the money raised.
“Sinn Féin will not get rid of the carbon tax,” said the Green Party leader at his end of year media briefing.
“Like, that’s absolutely clear. Sinn Féin, every budget say, ‘oh we are opposed to an increase in carbon tax. We pocket all the money and all the gains again from last year’.
“Because Sinn Féin knows that it is really working.
“And it works for the poor people in this country. 30 per cent goes towards social protection, increasing social welfare.
“Fifty five per cent goes to retrofitting – that’s one reason why we’re such a success, because everyone knows it’s (funding) going to come in every year, it’s not budget dependent.
“So the industry can scale up and hire someone knowing it’s going to be there again next year. It’s going to be bigger.
“And, of that, 55 per cent of it goes to lower income warmer homes, which is a 100 per cent grant.
“So, it’s very progressive. And 15 per cent goes to farming.
“So, no one’s going to get rid of the carbon tax because that would be insane.
“You’d have to replace it with something else. You’re going to have to go to those warmer homes (applicants) and say, ‘sorry, folks, we changed our mind’.”
Asked if he believed Sinn Féin would be a compatible coalition partner if it agreed to retain the carbon tax, Mr Ryan added: “I think they need to up their game dramatically on the environment. I don’t think they take it seriously enough.
“And I don’t think that sort of ruse where every year you say, ‘Oh, we’re opposed to the carbon tax increase’. But then the following year, you say, ‘well, we’ve taken the increase from last year and then we just do the same trick again’. That’s not kind of really honest, in a way.
“In terms of the scale of the change you need to make and the need for the leap we need to make (to tackle climate change), I don’t think we can rule out any one party (as a coalition partner).
“Because if they’re elected by the Irish people, if they’re democratic, constitutional and peaceful, then I don’t think it makes sense for us to start turning climate into a divisive political issue. I think it has to be something that belongs to all parties.
‘And yes, you have to be willing to work and talk to all parties, but with Sinn Féin that has to start with them being honest around that actually they would keep the carbon tax, and it is working and it makes sense.”
