Let's make our issues election issues

Six Steps to a Fossil Free Future

Activists outside Leinster House illustrate the "tug-of-war" between fossil fuels and renewables for the future of Irish energy policy Politicians are always telling us that nobody ever mentions climate change on the doorstep.

Let’s change that this time.

Whenever canvassers call to the door over the next few weeks, say you’re concerned about climate change.

You can mention the flooding, fracking or Ireland doing its fair share if you want, but just saying you’re concerned will mean politicians will be more likely to listen when we lobby them.

If you get into a conversation with them here are six questions - ask them any or all of them:

Will you / your party:

1. Prohibt fracking in Ireland?
2. Promise a payment for solar electricity so households and communities can get paid for the electricity they feed into the grid?
3. Make a plan to stop burning peat for electricity by 2020 and coal well before 2025?
4. Set up one-stop-shops in every county, like the Tipperary Energy Agency, to help households and communities to save energy and own renewable generation projects?
5. Set up a financial support scheme, like the old SSIA's, to help people invest in upgrading their homes to cut energy waste (Labour is promising one for first-time buyers, will you extend it to anyone retrofitting their home)?
6. Make it the law that local communities have to be offered 20% ownership of developer-led energy projects, as happens in Denmark?