2 June 2021
The Government’s recently published Economic Recovery Plan
“feels more like ‘build back quick’ than ‘build back better’”, according to environmental
organisations.
Director of Friends of the Earth Oisín Coghlan commented
that the €500 million towards ‘Advance the Green Transition’ is just a down payment
on the much larger investment that is needed in retrofitting and public
transport.
The Economic Recovery Plan 2021 was launched by the
government yesterday, with the primary goal of achieving rapid job creation and
economic growth after the pandemic.
In the launch of the Plan, the Government said that the
investments are set to create a “green and digital job revolution.”
Minister for Climate Action Eamon Ryan noted how ensuring a Just
Transition is central to the plan, as the country moves towards a new green
economy.
“This plan will see a series of exciting investments in the
areas of climate change, including a loan guarantee system to provide for the
low-cost retrofitting of homes and ambitious spending on commuter rail in
Cork,” he said.
Lack of transparency
Head of Advocacy at Birdwatch Ireland, Oonagh Duggan, says
that it is imperative that these building retrofits enhance the biodiversity of
species like birds and bats, and not cause harm.
She also welcomed the wastewater treatment plant upgrades,
as it should improve water quality and aquatic biodiversity. However, she expressed
disappointment around the Plan’s transparency.
“Overall, the lack of transparency and poor public
consultation with civil society associated with the plan is regrettable,” she
said.
Speaking at the launch of the plan, Taoiseach Micheál Martin
said that the plan aims to go beyond pre-pandemic employment levels, and to
push forward with Ireland’s decarbonisation goals.
Civil society groups have noted that such an inclusive
recovery will only be achieved with full engagement from all stakeholders
involved.
As Yvonne O’Callaghan from SIPTU commented, if the
government establishes the sectoral committees as promised in the Programme for
Government, this could provide the platform to “plan the necessary strategies
to meet the challenges ahead”, according to Yvonne O’Callaghan from SIPTU.
Director of the European Anti-Poverty Network, Paul Ginnell,
said that he was “disappointed” with the plan, as it does not contain a
commitment to setting welfare rates at an adequate level to afford a minimum
essential standard of living.
”This plan should be judged on how it delivers in a real way
on access to public services for everyone, on decent jobs, and on ensuring that
everyone can afford the cost of living, whether in or out of work,” he said.
The Climate Action Plan and revised National Development
Plan, a core pillar of the government’s Economic Recovery Plan, is now in the
committee stages and is to be published in the coming months.
Story by Thomas Hamilton
The post NGOs: Recovery Plan “build back quick” rather than “build back better” appeared first on Green News Ireland.
