The Green Party is urging Minister Alex White to develop the political and societal consensus necessary to achieve Ireland's targets in renewable energy production and reduction in climate change emissions.

Green Party Leader, Eamon Ryan, welcomed the consultation process and hopes that it is the first step in a more expansive approach to developing Ireland's renewable energy potential.

Mr Ryan said: "What we want to see more than anything is the development of a political and societal consensus around the creation of energy policy, similar to Germany, where all of the main Bundestag parties support their own renewables agenda. By taking up some of our suggestions around public ownership of generation and transmission assets, interconnection with international energy markets, and innovative financing measures, we believe that Ireland’s energy policy can be significantly improved.

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"The recent negotiations between Fine Gael and Labour highlighted how far the environment and climate change had fallen down the national agenda. After all the promises before the election, the government have completely failed to realise the social and economic benefits of signing up to emissions reductions and a clean power supply. There is no real discussion around tackling the big environmental problems we face in this country, and that silence stems from inaction at the top of government."

(CD/MH)