Fine Gael launches climate change manifesto while highlighting policy differences with Sinn Féin
Fine Gael has promised to allocate €2bn of carbon taxes towards the insulation of old homes as ministers appealed to voters to judge the party on its record in government.
The climate change commitments came as Paschal Donohoe launched a blistering attack on Sinn Féin policies, insisting they are anti-EU and will destroy jobs.
In the lead-up to the final days of campaigning before voting, Fine Gael have announced that — if returned to power — they will commit to a new widespread retrofitting scheme for homes. This would involve ring-fencing some €2bn of the proposed €6bn in carbon taxes for schemes.
Climate Minister Richard Bruton described how the scheme would apply to whole communities as opposed to individual applicants and would support insulating social and private homes.
Targetting group schemes and aggregating services and works would reduce overall costs, Mr Bruton explained. A pilot project is underway in the Midlands. Fine Gael says home owners could pay the costs for works as they save money through utility bills down the line.
“Fine Gael’s new plan will replace the current ad-hoc retrofitting model and, instead, group homes together, develop easy pay-back models and put smart finance in place,” explained Mr Bruton.
The party, under its climate action plan, says that some 600,000 homes would be fitted with heat pump systems while 500,000 would be insulated under retrofitting schemes.
Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have committed to increasing carbon taxes to €80 a tonne by 2030, while Sinn Féin has not made any promises about hiking up the levy.
Amid concerns that some carbon-heavy industries will be shut resulting in job losses, Fine Gael has agreed to a 'just transition' programme, mainly targetting the Midlands.
This will involve €200m for a home upgrade fund, for council houses, former Bord na Mona estates, and private homes while another €50m will go towards retraining and community projects.
Climate changes activists today mounted a protest outside Fine Gael's HQ in Dublin, claiming that the government party has been “greenwashing” environment issues for years. Spraying green dye outside the Fine Gael's offices, Extinction Rebellion criticised the party for being inactive.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has shot down the idea of his party and Sinn Féin working in power together after the election, warning of substantial differences between the two.
He argued that some 15 new taxes under Sinn Féin would be introduced, and while the other party is offering a "mantra of change", it would “do such harm” to the country, he warned.
Sinn Féin differs from Fine Gael on corporate tax, support SMEs and how to create jobs, he said.
But the differences also “transcend the minutiae” of policies, he said, referencing Sinn Féin's criticism of the special criminal court and of the EU.
“This is about values towards Europe, values towards our economy and values towards the institutions of our State,” added Mr Donohoe.
He also said, with five days of campaigning left before polling day, that many voters have still to make up their mind.
Mr Donohoe urged voters to judge Fine Gael on its record: “We are not looking for a pass. We are not looking for people to forget, we are asking people to judge us on our record.”
