As the general election looms, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are banding together to block the Green Party’s plans for new anti-pollution taxes on cars and heavy goods vehicles.
The Green Party wants the Cabinet to sign off on a strategy – just before the general election is called – to reduce traffic congestion by hitting road users with new taxes.
However, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil insist they will not clear the plan drafted by Transport Minister and former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan before the country goes to the polls.
Speaking at the official opening of the new Snugborough Interchange in Blanchardstown, Minister O’Gorman said the strategy puts forward proposals to fill the gap in income from motor tax as more people move over to electric cars.
However, the Minister insisted this was not a “taxation document”.
“It does flag the issue that as more people move to e-cars as we have fewer petrol and diesel cars, VRT, motor tax is going to decrease, and that’s big chunk of the income.
“And we are going to look at ways of how we fill that gap. And this talks about some of the potentials,” Minister O’Gorman said.
The minister added that there was pushback from Coalition partners on the strategy but that he had no sense that the Government would “down tools”.
“There has been pushback, yeah, and there’s been pushback on some other pieces as well that we’ve been proposing in terms of the road strategy.
“Look, my view was we work all the way to the end of Cabinet, to the end of this Government. We continue to bring meaningful proposals forward.”
Minister O’Gorman also said Fine Gael’s proposal to examine if State-owned buildings unsuitable for international protection accommodation can be used for creches “doesn’t seem well thought out”.
“I don’t understand how a premises that isn’t regarded as suitable for international protection accommodation suddenly becomes usable for a creche for young kids,” Minister O’Gorman said.
The party leader added that creches are specially designed to adhere with regulations.
“There are specifications that are required in terms of Tusla regulations in terms of size, in terms of toilet facilities, in terms of sometimes cooking facilities.
“They are bespoke buildings, and this idea that we can just throw them up anywhere, doesn’t seem to me well thought out. But again, I’m just responding to the article that I saw.”
The Green Party is yet to put forward its childcare plan ahead of the election. However, Minister O’Gorman said he wants to see the State play a greater role in providing early education.
“Going into the general election, we’re focused on the state actually taking a greater role in the provision of early learning and care, and the state actually being a player alongside private providers, alongside community providers,” he said.
“I’d certainly look to see it done, maybe through the education and training boards who have buildings all over the country and who have a track record in terms of providing education at primary and secondary.”
He added that the legal right to the free two years of ECCE was key.
“That is essential because if we give everyone a legal right in the same way that we believe a right to a primary place in primary school, or place in secondary school, it places a stronger obligation on the state to make sure that early learning and care is guaranteed for everybody,” Mr O’Gorman said.
“So I actually think that’s where the focus needs to be in the election campaign.”
