SOME "green taxation" measures are likely to be included in next January's Budget, according to the Minister for the Environment, who said the matter was being examined by an inter departmental working group.
Among the measures believed to be under consideration are changes in road tax to reflect the car fuel consumption rather than engine capacity, and higher VAT on bituminous coal to make smokeless fuels more attractive.
But the Department of Finance is thought to be resisting these and proposals such as a tax on the sulphur content of heavy fuel oil used by the ESB and larger industries, because of their impact on the Consumer Price Index.
At yesterday's Earthwatch conference, Mr Howlin quoted a recent report by the European Environmental Agency which said: the main reason for using "ecotaxes" was to underline the real economic costs of pollution.
He looked forward to the publication of an ESRI study on the possibilities of using economic instruments to support environmental policy and said he was also "finalising" his own national sustainable development strategy.
The Minister added that it was one of his priorities as president of the EU Environment Council to "intensify" its commitment to sustainability and to have a "suitable formulation" of the concept included in a new EU treaty.
Mr Noel Dempsey, the Fianna Fail spokesman on the environment, said his party had "completely reappraised" its environmental policies and would introduce a Bill later this month giving full access to environmental information.
He also told the conference that a meaningful plan for sustainable development needed to be based on the natural environment and empowering people living and, working in their own localities, rather than imposing it from above. "Progress towards sustainable development can only be made if there is widespread participation from the bottom up. Under Fianna Fail, integrated regional plans would be drawn ups on the basis of river basin catchment areas."
