The environment won't save the economy if the Celtic Tiger begins to slump, Tánaiste Micheal McDowell warned today.
The Progressive Democrats leader was responding to the latest national opinion poll in which his party collapsed to its lowest level.
The Minister for Justice said: "There's a vague notion out there that somehow it is moral to be concerned about the environment but it's not moral to be concerned about economic success and prosperity.
"If we falter economically and if economic growth goes down in Ireland with our increasing population, we will have mass unemployment. We've had it before. We've had emigration. We've had recession and we certainly don't want to go back there again."
The Irish TimesTNS/mrbi study placed support for the current Fianna Fail/PD administration at 38 per cent, one percentage point ahead of the alternative coalition of Fine Gael and the Labour Party at 37 per cent.
Mr McDowell, whose personal rating was up six points to 44 per cent, added: "I don't own anybody's vote and neither does any other party. We are not in the business of doing a deal for office's sake.
"We will field candidates in constituencies with ordinary men and women going out there and canvassing our point of view and our policies," he told RTE Radio.
The Tánaiste criticised many of the Green Party's policies like raising corporation tax and stalling investment on motorway construction as 'catastrophic errors'. However, the Green Party accused Mr McDowell of "misinformation" with regard to its tax policies.
In the latest poll, carried out among 1,000 people on Monday and Tuesday, Fianna Fáil is down three points at 37 per cent while Fine Gael dropped one to 26 per cent. Labour is unchanged at 11 per cent, Sinn Fein up two points at 9 per cent, the Green Party up four points at 8 per cent, the PDs down two points at 1 per cent and the Independents are unchanged at 8 per cent.
Voters' satisfaction rating with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has fallen three points to 56 per cent while Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny is down two points at 41 per cent while Labour leader Pat Rabbitte was up one point at 47 per cent.
Mr Kenny said today that it was the highest rating for his party during January for five years.
"It's another poll, and while I don't place much credence in opinion polls, we are going in the right direction." He added: "The Government has become removed from the reality of what is happening on the ground.
"There are only 20 weeks to go, the people will make their choice and that will be the ultimate poll.
"The Government has been in power for 10 years and its appalling failure has been in its indecisiveness and lack of delivery. The Government will be punished by the electorate when they get a chance."
The Green Party accused the Tánaiste of "resorting to misinformation" on its tax policies.
Finance spokesman Dan Boyle said that during his radio interview today, the Tánaiste stated on three occasions that the Green Party favoured an increase in the rate of corporation tax.
"It seems that the Tánaiste is now resorting to misinformation to restore his and his party's sagging reputation. Minister McDowell should be aware that the Green Party at the its National Convention last year approved the Taxing Smarter policy document, which I wrote, and which clearly states that at the forthcoming General Election the party will be campaigning on a platform of NOT changing the rate of corporation tax or the rates of PAYE taxation," Mr Boyle said.