The Green Party has accused the Government of ignoring a "financial time bomb" in failing to cut greenhouse gas emissions in line with Kyoto Protocols.
The party claims Ireland will have to pay an estimated €1.3 billion a year in climate change levies as the Kyoto deadlines expire.
Party leader Mr Trevor Sargent accused the Government of "walking us blindly" into these deadlines and of failing to seriously tackle our "runaway" CO2 emissions.
To mark the Government's first year in office, the party published a document entitled What the Greens would have done differentlyin which it calls for the immediate introduction of an energy tax.
They say the proposed tax would be charged at a rate of €20 per tonne of CO2 emmission and would "incentivise more efficient energy use".
In its document the party outlined 20 measures it would have introduced if it had been in Government including an-increase in the top rate of income tax as well as an increase in corporation tax.
The money would then be used to fund increased spending in primary healthcare, a reduction in employers' PSRI and the introduction of energy efficiency conversion grants, the party said.
Dublin TD Mr Eamon Ryan attacked the Government's roads-building programme as being "far too expensive", saying the money would be better spent improving public transport.
Mr Sargent also accused the Government of being "dishonest" in introducing a plastic bag levy to fund incineration.
He also charged the Taoiseach of hypocrisy, saying Mr Ahern had "a penchant for opening pubs while at the same time highlighting Ireland's drinking problem".
