The Greens have called on the Government to rethink its decision not to impose a carbon tax on fuel and industry and said the revenues raised from the tax should finance cuts in income tax or PRSI.
The party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, said such a policy would be "fundamental" to the Green stance in any negotiation on a coalition with other Opposition parties.
Asked whether the policy was non-negotiable, he said that potential coalition partners would not be serious about an agreement with the Greens if they ruled the policy out.
Mr Sargent was speaking at a press conference to mark the publication of a document in which the party set out what it claimed should be the priorities in office for the new Minister for the Environment, Mr Roche.
"Carbon tax should not be introduced as an extra tax but as a very effective way of changing fuel consumption patterns and of encouraging energy efficiency," Mr Sargent said.
The Greens want Mr Roche to establish a new State body to approve county development plans before they become law.
Such a body would depoliticise rezoning motions, said Mr Ciarán Cuffe. "Rezoning motions are often rushed and made in the dead of night. This is wrong and should be stopped."
The party called for the introduction of a national deposit refund scheme for drinks containers and said fines of up to €15 million or 10 years' imprisonment should be levied on those responsible for illegal dumps.
Ms Deirdre de Burca called for an end to "sweetheart arrangements" such as the decision of Wicklow County Council to allow Cement Roadstone Holdings to retain three illegal dumps on its lands at Blessington by allowing the company to put the waste in a purpose-built landfill on site.
"We also want to ensure that the emerging trend whereby illegal dumps are being converted into legal landfills through the granting of retention licences by the Environmental Protection Agency is prohibited," she said.
The Greens also said the Government should give powers to the National Museum to veto the interference with or destruction of national monuments in road projects. The party's deputy leader, Ms Mary White, said this could be achieved by amending the 2004 National Monuments Act.
