[ad_1]
Environmental leader Eamon Ryan has told his party’s online national convention that the government will spend at least € 1 million every day on walking and cycling infrastructure.
He said there is also an ambition to allocate three-quarters of the modernization budget to low-income and social housing.
“Reflecting on the past year, there are signs of hope despite difficult times. In general, we come together and act in social solidarity to try to keep the virus at bay,” he told party members.
Ryan admitted that the government faces the challenge of striking the right balance between saving lives and protecting livelihoods.
“We have certainly made mistakes, and in all likelihood we will not do everything right in all the tough calls that lie ahead, but I still have faith in our people, our public administration and the democratic system to move forward,” he said.
The Green Party leader said that Covid-19 had reminded everyone that “we are not immune to threats that come from stress in our natural world.”
He called on people to show the same urgency they did during the pandemic in responding to the climate and biodiversity crisis.
“In this larger crisis there is no vaccine or recovery plan that can protect us. We have to act now, and I am confident that the Irish people and our Government will rise to the occasion,” he said.
Ryan described the establishment of a commission on the future of the media as one of the most important tasks for the government to undertake.
“Our media is losing out as all ad revenue goes to online platforms,” he said.
Earlier, Green Party Deputy Director Catherine Martin said the pandemic was testing people’s resilience like never before.
He said it was important to have a robust debate and question decisions, but now is not the time for any political opportunism.
“Just as the Brexit challenge has brought consensus and cross-party support, it is crucial that there is a unified approach to fighting the virus,” he said.
Read more:
Tension over restrictions is at the heart of government
The Green Party debated and reviewed its first 100 days in government today.
The convention was due to take place in Donegal last summer, but had to be rescheduled due to the pandemic.
Agriculture Department Minister of State Pippa Hackett previously said convincing farmers to change their approach will be challenging.
She told the Green Party convention that farmers are somehow being asked to turn back the clock and make their land less productive and this will be difficult.
Meanwhile, Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan expressed disappointment at the failure of a motion, tabled by her and Ciarán Cuffe MEP at the convention, which would have allowed the joint leadership of the Green Party in Ireland.
The motion, which required a two-thirds majority to pass, was rejected by four votes.
[ad_2]