Budget 2022: Climate change measures show the Greens have influence, but funding has yet to match intent

The coalition has stressed that the capital allocation to climate action was merely the start of a ramp-up in spending

Eamon Ryan, the Green Party leader and Environment Minister, will have €500 million for energy and climate related capital initiatives, such as energy efficiency upgrades.

As long as the Green Party remains in coalition with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, every significant policy announcement or budgetary allocation will be parsed through for that so-called “green influence”.

As the first budget of this government not happening in the throes of the pandemic, Budget 2022 was meant to give a more settled view of the expenditure being reallocated towards the fight against climate change, and reveal the real influence of the Green ...