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The Irish Independent has reported that the Government
will blow €400,000 on a Green Party pet project, at a time
when they are preparing to cut €500m from spending on essential
public services.
The cabinet quietly approved purchasing carbon credits for
government travel last week. The move was part of deal reached
with the Greens during coalition negotiations following last
year's general election. The project will be formally delivered
by Environment Minister John Gormley next week.
The idea is that taxpayers' money will buy carbon credits
every time a minister, their advisors or civil servants travel
abroad on essential government business. It is estimated that
the backdated bill for the carbon credits will be around €400,000.
The agreement in government for carbon credits is that €3.50
will cover a return flight to the UK and €6 for a round trip
to Brussels. Other European destinations will cost €11, east
America €34, Central America €36, Australia €114, Asia, €64,
the Middle East €40 and central Africa €34.
In the Programme for Government, it was suggested that carbon
credits could be bought by funding the planting trees to create
'urban forests' in Ireland. The Department of the Environment,
Heritage and Local Government later issued a statement saying
- 'Offsetting carbon emissions from air travel isn't a
cure for climate change, but a way to compensate for greenhouse
gases from necessary air travel'.
Sources close to Minister Gormley said - "It is used by a
number of countries in Europe as best practice."
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