FF/FG/Green Government - Part 3

Oh right...December 2019...

Fianna Fáil would bring in nationwide coal, peat and wood ban through the backdoor – Heydon - Fine Gael

Fianna Fáil are looking to introduce a nationwide ban on smoky coal which would bring in a ban on turf, peat and wood by the back door, a Fine Gael TD has said.

“To proceed with a nationwide smoky coal ban as Fianna Fáil suggest is just reckless and populist. 

Which side of Fine Gael's mouth do you listen to? 🤣

Why do I care about that?

I have told you what I favour. What does me supporting a ban on burning turf have to do with what a FG Senator said in 2019.

The Greens are pushing this Government towards a ban on burning turf, I vote for them, can you show me a party that is more in favour? Is there an opposition party pushing the idea more than the Greens?

I have been absolutely clear on this for a long time. Climate Change is the biggest problem of our times, followed now by Russian aggression. I vote Greens because of this. As far as I can see, all of the opposition parties are weaker on climate change and Russia than the current government parties, so next time out, I will continue my preferences for the government parties.

No whatabout this Senator or that Senator changes the reality that the government parties are far better on these issues than the opposition. Not perfect, but far better.

So do it then. Why are FG blocking it? Populist?

FF and FG have been spouting about this turf ban for 10+ years.

Tell that to the Finns who are back cutting turf for electricity generation or the 5 largest CO2 emitters due to burning coal for the same purpose. China are opening over 40 new coal burning plants, Japan 7 (they also refused to sign COP26) and now even that country held up to us by Irish greens as the example to follow, Germany, are back strip mining coal for the same reason.

Meanwhile we have the Irish green party waffling on about clean air in a country that is one of the worlds to rated countries for clean air as if we were going to save the world on our own.

Do the Irish greens somehow believe we are living in our own little biosphere ?

Surely that means we should redouble our efforts rather than join them?

Ban burning oil and gas too?

We need to start planning for that.

We have already banned certain coal products and closed Moneypoint, so a good start has been made. Turf is the most polluting one.

Gas is the better of the fossil fuels, or rather least worst, so that should be last to go.

We will need to retrofit every house in the country for gas heating then. And then re-retrofit when gas gets the chop for something else.

By complete chance I found an article on Fine Gael's website, when FG were in government, warning people not to vote for Fianna Fail because they were going to bring in a ban on turf "through the backdoor". Priceless.

I contend that FG are only paying lip service to climate change and have no interest in banning commercial turf sales. They are much too populist for all that.

And by the way, Martin Heyden was a FG TD in 2019.

"To proceed with a nationwide smoky coal ban as Fianna Fáil suggest is just reckless and populist. It would immediately expose people in rural areas across the country, who for generations, have traditional sources of logs and turf which they rely upon, to the risk of a sudden ban."

....

Fine Gael did all this drama in 2011 with Frank Feighan (FG) and Crony Coveney (FG) leading the charge.

Flanagan walks out after turf-cutting exchanges (irishtimes.com)

Mr Flanagan said his Fine Gael constituency colleague Frank Feighan had said before the election he would “sign his name in blood” to oppose turf-cutting bans.

Mr Coveney remarked that populism could be a dangerous thing.

“Populism and bondholders,” said Mr Flanagan. “I am leaving the chamber.” Mr Coveney said Mr Flanagan should “go on and walk out in protest”. Mr Flanagan replied: “My daddy did not give me a seat.”

That's lovely but the era of coal is coming to an end. It's not happening tomorrow but give it a decade or two, meanwhile, we have to get our own house in order.

Seeing as our own energy regulator does not view our gas supply as secure as well as it not being in E.U. compliance, the expense of retrofitting for gas looks a dodgy investment.

Especially with Ryan hand-sitting on Barryroe and attempting to ban LNG, the only other transitional energy source recognised by the E.U. other than nuclear.

More pathetic deflection...'look over there!'

It`s not going to happen in a decade or two for coal. If you do not believe me then then check out just the known coal reserves for the two largest economies in the world China and the USA. You can throw in another of that big 5, India, if you like.

Getting your house in order sounds great if you are living in a biosphere. Otherwise you are just pissing into the wind and are going to suffer blow-back.

The New Politics document was 2011. 11 years ago.

Here is the intro...

The New Politics is the most ambitious programme for political reform since the 1930s. Fine Gael, the party that created the State and declared it a Republic, will build a New Republic in Ireland - where trust is restored in our democratic institutions and the concerns of the Citizen, rather than the elites, are placed firmly at the centre of government.

Fine Gael’s starting point is simple: political failure lies at the heart of Ireland’s economic collapse. The finger of responsibility must, in the first instance, point directly to the massive policy failures of the recent Fianna-Fail led Governments and their willingness to promote the interests of a so-called “Golden Circle” over the interests of the Citizen. Under Fianna Fail a political culture developed which ensured that the bankers and the developers were not dealt with before it was too late. A culture which tolerates cosy cartels and high costs in the private sector and ignores the need for radical reform in the public sector.

They have achieved none of it and arguably made it much worse. It was all lies but I voted for it. They also removed it from their website when they started getting grief about it. I have a copy I can send to you. 😉