Irish Republican News · October 10, 2009

Greens to continue in coalition with Fianna Fail

The Green Party tonight voted to continue the coalition government with Fianna Fail and the highly controversial Nama plan to bail out Irish developers and their bankers.

Following the negotiation of a second programme for government with Fianna Fail yesterday, some 84 percent of the party membership which attended the meeting in Dublin voted to back a second programme for government, negotiated yesterday by the Green Party leadership with a Fianna Fail delegation. The Nama plan was supported by 69 percent of those who voted.

Over 600 Green Party delegates attended the debate on key leadership policies at the RDS in Dublin today.

Among the commitments secured from Fianna Fail were plans not to introduce third-level fees; to recruit an extra 500 teachers; and to restrict corporate donations to political parties.

Oher issues of concern to the Greens which received support from Fianna Fail, included reducing the size of the Dublin parliament; moving the Abbey theatre to the GPO in time for the centenary commemoration of the Easter Rising”; anti-hunting measures; and animal rights issues.

New safeguards were promised by Fianna Fail in relation to home-owners unable to pay their mortgages.

The Green Party’s Minister for Energy and Communications Eamon Ryan told reporters earlier today that the members of the party had made a very difficult decision.

“It’s not an easy or a popular time to be in Government. But it’s a time when you can have real effect and effect real change,” he said.

Sinn Fein Dail leader Caoimhghin O Caolain described the decisions as “a missed opportunity to do the right thing by the Irish people and turf Fianna Fail out of government.”

He said the Green Party was “obviously terrified of the prospect of a general election.”

An opportunity had been missed and the Greens had “acted in their own selfish interests”.

“They are now set to join with Fianna Fail in imposing savage cutbacks that will hit the less well off the hardest while the parasites who caused the economic crisis are bailed out by NAMA.”

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