Climate change:The Green Party has proposed a new system of carbon quotas for every person in the country as one of its responses to tackle climate change.
Under the system people who use large quantities of fossil fuels through transport, heating and electricity will be required to pay an additional levy to the State. However, Government would also pay rebates to those who cut their fossil fuel use.
Under the proposals the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from individual use, would be capped at a certain level.
The party decided yesterday however, that the quota system should not be introduced immediately if the Greens are elected to Government later this year.
Delegates agreed that a carbon levy or tax should be introduced at first for at least two years before the quota system is considered.
Party finance spokesman Dan Boyle said the party believed it was a system that could be rolled out within three years of the Greens' participation in government.
"It's a concept that is simple to understand," he said. "If you exceed the quota, you pay; if you're under it, you get paid."
"It will make people think on an individual level what their personal responsibility is in relation to carbon emissions."
He maintained the system could be introduced with relative ease, and that the smart-card technology existed to allow for the quota system.
Meanwhile, the party also said that market mechanisms such as carbon taxes were not the complete solution to tackling climate change.
Energy spokesman Éamon Ryan accused the Government of "denial, dishonesty and delusion" concerning its response to climate change, adding that the market was failing to encourage the switch to renewable energy sources.
He also told his party conference that while the Greens supported a carbon tax and emissions trading; "They will not solve the problem and should not be the mainstay of our response", he said, adding that it would be "up to us as individuals and what we do".
"Ultimately we will have to choose between having a love and due regard for our fellow man, our children and life on this planet or else maintaining an indifference to the world around us."
He said the party "needs to promote creative solutions" in relation to Irish emissions levels.
Wicklow candidate Deirdre de Burca said the party was "a strong believer in markets".
However, she added that the market mechanisms had failed to respond to the "intergenerational" nature of climate change, where the costs of emissions lasted for decades.
Dublin North East candidate David Healy said "hard decisions" would be needed to deal with climate change, and that the current market "was not working" in relation to ensuring carbon emissions reductions.
Dublin West Green candidate Roderic O'Gorman accused the Government of "denial and bluster" on Ireland's emission levels.
"We can't stand by and allow them to create a disaster we will be left to clean up," he said.