Green Party may soon want people to turn out the lights when they’re having sex, Fine Gael TD tells heated party meeting

 7th April 2022

The Green Party may soon want people to turn off their lights when they’re having sex, a Fine Gael TD has said.

During a marathon four-hour parliamentary party meeting, Fine Gael TDs rounded on their Green Party coalition colleagues as they raised concerns over next month’s carbon tax increases.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar committed that the Government will introduce measures to “fully offset” next month’s carbon tax increase amid backlash from his TDs and senators.

Read More

Kerry TD Brendan Griffin told the meeting the carbon tax increase could be a “watershed moment” for the Government

Mr Griffin added that the Greens will “want people to turn off the lights when they’re having sex”, according to sources at the meeting.

Mayo TD Michael Ring was also critical of the Greens and said their leader Eamon Ryan may want people to have one shower a week but insisted he would shower every day.

This was in reference to the Green Party suggesting people should have shorter showers to save on energy costs.

The Tánaiste told the meeting he would shower as long as he feels appropriate.

Michael Creed warned colleagues public anger could “crystallise” over the carbon tax increases and said it is a “lightning rod” for discontent in rural Ireland.

Mr Creed also said there could be a huge political price to be paid by Fine Gael TDs supporting Green Party ideology.

Carlow-Kilkenny TD John Paul Phelan, who tabled the motion calling for the debate on Carbon taxes, said the party will be “doomed” if its polices do not reflect the reality facing people struggling to pay bills.

Mr Phelan also noted the comments of climate activist Cara Augustenborg who said carbon taxes are no longer changing behaviour.

Former minister Charlie Flanagan criticised the lack of electric vehicle (EV) charging points in his constituency.

He said the national rollout of charging points was a mystery and that the EV targets were “overambitious and an expensive option”. He said the promised reduction in train fares had not been delivered, and that home retrofitting was “complex and confusing”. He said the retrofitting scheme had been “completely overegged”.

Cork-based senator Tim Lombard said the cost of fertiliser for farmers was spiralling and said that he was “petrified” that middle Ireland was “walking away” from the party.

Several TDs, including junior minister Patrick Donovan, criticised the Greens over what they claimed was a lack of any policy on energy security.

Mr Varadkar responded, saying there would be some room for manoeuvre on the cost of living with the public finances in good order and that the costs people face for childcare, healthcare, public transport and higher education should be further reduced.

While cautioning against responding to every increase, the Fine Gael leader said there will be a plan to fully offset the forthcoming increases in carbon tax which may come before Cabinet before the Dáil returns after Easter recess.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe urged colleagues to stick to the commitments in the programme for government and said the party had to be logical about the forthcoming increases.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin ruled out a delay to the carbon tax increase in a private meeting with Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators tonight.

Despite calls for the increase to be delayed past May 1 in recognition of the hardship being faced by families, Mr Martin told his parliamentary party tonight that the increase will go ahead.

Government sources have been keen in recent days to emphasise that the carbon tax increase will work at about an extra €1.50 per month on household gas bills.

It is understood TDs Christopher O’Sullivan and Paul McAuliffe as well as Senators Timmy Dooley and Malcolm Byrne spoke strongly in support of keeping the carbon tax increase in an effort to combat climate change.

“The Taoiseach said that there is no point delaying the increase but acknowledged that there will be a price increase,” said a source.

“But this will be ringfenced for retrofitting and to combat fuel poverty.”

Carlow-Kilkenny TD John McGuinness, who was one of the TDs pushing for the increase to be delayed, is understood to have told the meeting that he understands the reasons for not delaying the increase and that he was not against the tax.

Mr Martin is also understood to have told the meeting that the carbon tax increase will be offset by “focusing on those with low and middle incomes”. However, he did not say how the increase would be offset.

Senator Byrne also suggested that the Taoiseach should make a ‘state of the nation’ address on the war in Ukraine, the cost of living and climate change. Such an address has not been seen since the announcement of changes to restrictions during the Covid pandemic.