Greens criticise Taoiseach over Kyoto Treaty

Ireland needs to look closer to home before pointing the finger at the US for its refusal to sign the Kyoto Treaty, according to the Green Party.

Speaking at the launch of the European Greens conference to be held in Dublin over the weekend, party leader, Mr Sargent, claimed that the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has overseen Ireland becoming the most car and oil dependent country in the world, "flagrantly disregarding" the Kyoto Treaty.

"The Kyoto [Treaty] for the Irish government, is little short of a press release," said Mr Sargent. "I find all this talk about Ireland getting George Bush's house in order quite hypocritical."

Mr Sargent was joined at the launch by Mr Arnold Cassola, General Secretary European Greens, Ms Grazia Francescato, Honorary President of the Italian Greens and Green Party Chairman, Mr Gormley.

Ms Francescato added that the Treaty was merely an "important political step" and not an environmental one because the recommendations set out in it were a paltry gesture towards the reforms actually needed to reverse or slow down climate change.

Tomorrow, the Greens' discussion on the European Constitution will be a "key topic" as it is an area where Greens admit they have some differences on a continental scale.

"A very lively debate took place in Brussels in November and a major talking point was whether the European Greens could speak with a common voice on the Constitution," said Mr Gormley. "There are different concerns and different points of view within the European Greens on the issue.

"While we welcome aspects of the new Constitution, particularly in the Charter for Fundamental Rights, the New Citizens' Initiative and the fact that the Council will now be open when discussing legislation, we do have concerns in relation to defence matters."

Mr Sargent's own stance on the issue is similarly blurred.  "I am wanting to support it but finding it difficult because of the impediments that are still contained within it," he said. "Particularly defence."

"It is going to seriously impact on our budget in this country," he added. "Health and education and public transport policy are going to have to give way  to increased defence spending.  "They are the issues that people need to think about and we are thinking about them and trying to explain them as well."

The party rejects suggestions that the constitution does not necessarily mean that defence spending needs to increase, the suggestion warranting Mr Sargent to quip: "Certainly they are not talking about more press-ups."

Ireland has the lowest defence expenditure in the union, at 0.6 per cent of GDP, a figure that could rise to 1 per cent if the constitution were ratified.

Over 200 delegates are in Dublin for the conference for the anniversary of the founding of the European Green Coordination which was formed in 1984, with the Irish contingent a founding member.

The party hopes that "common campaigns can be agreed on global warming and climate change, GMOs and clean food production, the promotion of renewable energy and the need for a global campaign for fair trade."