New FF commitment to the environment

HISTORICALLY, as Mr Bertie Ahern noted yesterday, Fianna Fail has been "the party of development". But now it wants to develop an economy which is "both competitive and sustainable" from an environmental viewpoint.

"Protecting the environment will be the imperative consideration in every economic and planning decision that we make," Mr Ahern declared. He should tell that to the Fianna Fail councillors who persistently vote for every land rezoning proposal in the greater Dublin area.

Although the party's comprehensive policy document on the environment is said to have been produced in consultation with local councillors, it is hard to reconcile its approach with their activities on the ground - in particular, decisions made in defiance of clearly-expressed public opinion.

Numerous environmental groups were also consulted about the preparation of the document and some of them were represented at yesterday's launch. One suspects more would have been present but for a nagging feeling that Fianna Fail is carrying some unfortunate baggage in this area.

The party's environment spokesman, Mr Noel Dempsey, has never been forgiven in some quarters for deciding - as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works - to proceed with the Mullaghmore visitor centre in the Burren on the very day the High Court decided there was a case to answer.

Mullaghmore has been the most bitterly contentious environmental issue for many years, yet it does not rate a mention. All the document says is that the planning laws "will be revised to ensure inappropriate visitor centres or buildings do not interfere with the character of heritage sites".

Perhaps the most far-reaching pledge in the party's new policy is that Ireland's carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced to 1990 levels - and specifically by 300,000 tonnes per annum by the year 2010.

There are a lot of sensible things in the document - such as linking new house grants to better energy efficiency and linking industrial grants to the use of clean technology. Stronger measures are also proposed to minimise and recycle waste, including a tax on plastic bags.

Fianna Fail has also come out in favour of "waste to energy", or incineration, as an alternative to landfill disposal. But when Mr Dempsey was asked if the party favoured the £113 million plant proposed for Goddamendy, near Blanchardstown, he wondered if it was the right site.

Most of the proposals in the document have been put forward in a series of position papers over the past few months. And they can't all be aimed at targeting the seat held by the Green Party TD, Mr Trevor Sargent.

"We could have drawn up a wish list to show that we are greener than green," Mr Dempsey said yesterday. Instead, it has become the first of the major parties to treat the environment as a priority by producing a detailed plan for "sustainable development" - even if this is at odds with its traditional stance.