Ahern makes Overture to Green Party

Diaspora

Possibility of FF/Green coalition raised

07 August 2006 07:39
The prospect of a possible coalition between Fianna Fáil and the Greens after the next General Election has been raised by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Ahern said an alliance between his party and the Greens was not 'that off the wall.'

Mr Ahern said Fianna Fáil had demonstrated that it had good green credentials by introducing the plastic bag levy as well as strong initiatives on recycling.

However, he said if the two parties were to go into government, there have to be a radical compromise by the Green Party.

Mr Ahern said the Green Party would have to temper those policies which he said would destabilise the economic environment.

At their national conference last year, the Greens voted not to enter into an alliance with any party.

Party Leader Trevor Sargent has consistently said his party would not take part in any government with Fianna Fáil

What was he thinking he must have known that a response like

No prospect of FF/Green coalition: Sargent

07 August 2006 11:04
The leader of the Green Party, Trevor Sargent has said his party would not enter a coalition with Fianna Fáil in its present form.

Speaking on Morning Ireland, he was responding to the reported comments of the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern who said he would not rule out the possibility of joining with the Greens in government.

Mr Sargent said the current version of Fianna Fáil could not be a partner for any 'responsible' party.

would be the only answer that any of the opposition parties and or independents would give.

Oh I dont know about that.
I'd say Ahern would do a deal with the devil to stay in power it is after all Fianna fáil.

As for Sargent,the key words in his statement are "in its present form"

He's no eejit,he wont rule it out.

I dont think FF are going to lose as many seats as some polls are letting on either, they still have an excelent election machine and candidates that will do well with transfers regardless of the unpopularity of the current governemnt.
They will lose seats alright but,a nice deal with the greens and a few ex FF or FF leaning independents and you'll have Ahern back again for 5 years.

Given a choice between the "southern unionists" [read FG] and Ahern,I reckon its fairly obvious that the SF td's will prefer to support Ahern.Though it is possible they might abstain from a vote if they thought propping up FF was not populist enough,I'd still say they'd plump for Ahern though to avoid the "southern unionists" getting in.

So really unless its a rout against them(which I doubt) you may well be stuck with FF again.
One should never say never with politicians, they can be ruthlessly two faced as was the labour party when they went into coalition with FF against the wishes of the voting public who gave them all those extra seats (in '92 I think it was).

lostexpectation

is everyone not gone a bit too far with these coalitions, I thought the original idea of coalition was simply to get enough TDS to form government and it didn't matter whether they idealogically close. These mullingar accords orwhatnot are a mistake, FG and lab would do just aswell if not better(with their own voters) if they simply said we might go into coalition if thats what happens. I thought coalitions were a numbers game. How about an FG/FF coalition :P

Múinteoir

From the Indo today:

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1667522&issue_id=14471

Ahern's wooing of Greens 'due to local threat'

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern made his weekend overture to the Greens because of a local difficulty, sources in the environmental party claim.

Still angered at Mr Ahern's insistence that they would have to dump some of their policies in order to share power with Fianna Fail, the Greens say that private polls show they are threatening FF in the minister's Louth constituency.

They suggested that the minister's backhanded invitation (he conceded that he "could do business" with the Greens in coalition) arose from the strong showings by Dundalk publican Mark Dearey in opinion sampling.

The Green councillor is said to be polling 9.5pc of the first preference vote in Louth, ahead of the sitting Fianna Fail TD Seamus Kirk.

Louth is a four-seat constituency, with two FF TDs, one from Sinn Fein and one from Fine Gael.

For Fianna Fail to drop to one seat in the constituency would be regarded as a national calamity for the party.

The Greens have already dismissed the idea that they would share Government with Fianna Fail after the next election.

Party leader Trevor Sargent said the minister's apparent wooing was "a piece of spin".

He said that Fianna Fail had a poor record on the environment, despite claims to the contrary by Mr Ahern, which he said took "some cheek".

This was originally reported on politics.ie

Múinteoir

And then(Indo again):

SOCIAL Affairs Minister Seamus Brennan has differed sharply with a Cabinet colleague over whether Fianna Fail should consider coalition with the Green Party.

Mr Brennan said he believed that at the general election voters should face a straight choice between re-electing the present government with a clear record of achievement and the opposition alternative.

The minister said he would not give credence to any other possible coalition partner for Fianna Fail.

Last week his Cabinet colleague, Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern, said a coalition with the Greens could be possible after the next election if that party tempered some of its more extreme economic policies.

Mr Ahern said that while this option was not frequently canvassed it was not entirely "off-the-wall" - subject to radical compromises by the Green Party.

But yesterday Mr Brennan said he believed that offering a "dolly mixture" of possible coalition combinations would only cloud the choice facing the electorate.

The Government, he said, was up for re-election on the basis of its record of leading the country successfully for many years.

Voters faced a choice over whether they wanted to see this government continue with proven economic policies or return to a government that did not produce the same economic growth.

Mr Brennan said that speculation about whether Fianna Fail would enter coalition with the Greens, or any of the other opposition parties, was only giving credence to the notion "that you can have a bit of this and a bit of that".

The country, he maintained, needed an open and honest debate between the Government and the alternative proposed by the opposition parties.

The Social Affairs Minister acknowledged that there were still issues to be tackled and resolved by the Government in advance of the general election, which is expected in May or June next year.

lostexpectation

speaking of...

http://www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=ireland-qqqm=ireland-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=10495-qqqx=1.asp

Im surprised and gladened to see someone actually jailed for illegal dumping...

Mr Moriarty has also one of seven people charged with illegal dumping at the 47-acre Whitestown site in west Wicklow, the biggest secret dump discovered in the State with up to 300,000 tonnes of waste deposited.

Earlier this month, a sub-contractor for Dublin Waste, Neville Watson, was jailed for six months for his part in the operation and the landowner, John O’Reilly, was fined €150,000 but was not jailed.[PHP][/PHP]

Diaspora

€100m would have been the cost of disposing of the quantum of illegal waste disposed of illegally at the Whitestown illegal dump in the legitimate way; the landowner got fined 150k which leaves him significantly better off than before the event.

The real movers behind this have been let off the hook through bungling at the various Dept of the Environment agencies and Wicklow County Council. Only for a very commited local group this would probably still be taking place on the same scale at another site within a few miles of here.

When Dublin City Council are forced to object to retention of illegal dumps on the basis that the subject site might contaminate 75% of the City's water supply you get a strong picture of this governments environmental credentials.

constitutionus

cant help thinking this is more about smearing the greens with the notion they'll hook up with FF than feeling out a coalition . FF will be poison to anyone at the next election, why do you think they keep going on about hooking up with labour if they'll ditch pat rabbite

Húrin

I'm a member of the Green Party and I don't want a coalition with FF, but I would support an alliance with the PDs.

nuttz

constitutionus wrote:

cant help thinking this is more about smearing the greens with the notion they'll hook up with FF than feeling out a coalition . FF will be poison to anyone at the next election, why do you think they keep going on about hooking up with labour if they'll ditch pat rabbite

Really! Next election I'm thinking economy, who has a good record with regard to the economy and who will maintain it. I'm not looking for unlikely conspiracy theories.

Diaspora

Annual rate of inflation hits 4.2% in July

August 10, 2006 21:23
The annual rate of inflation rose to 4.2% in July up from 3.9% in June, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office. It was the fastest annual rise in more than three years and the increase was higher than expected

Recent increases in interest rates rises pushed up mortgage repayments. Higher energy prices also had a significant impact last month, increasing the cost of petrol and home heating oil.

The CSO said that consumer prices rose by 0.3% last month, compared to no change in July of last year and as a result, the rate of inflation hit 4.2%.


The CSO said that housing, water, electricity and other fuel costs rose by 3.3% due to increasing average mortgage interest repayments and more expensive home heating oil and solid fuels. Transport costs grew by 0.9% with increases for air fares, car rental and petrol.

Increased prices were also charged last month in hotels and restaurants, with prices there up by 0.6%.

But the prices of clothing and footwear (down 10.6%) and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (down 1.7%) fell due to the traditional summer sales.

The CSO said that the annual rate of inflation for goods was 1.7% in July, while the rate for services was 6.4%.

*** The Small Firms Association said the Government's anti-inflation strategy is a mockery. It called for for the re-establishment of the social partner 'Anti-Inflation Group', provided for under the new national agreement, to identify workable solutions.

The SFA said there were stark differences between inflation in the services sector at 6.4%, while in the traded goods sector it was running at 1.7%.

ISME said that apart from increases in interest rates and oil prices, there are more fundamental issues that need to be addressed such as the Government's role in controlling domestically influenced costs such as ; local charges, energy, health and education.

IBEC chief economist David Croughan said the big boost to inflation continues to come from the cost of mortgages and fuel and that interest rate rises, while boosting inflation in the short term, will tend to temper spending and ultimately act as a break on rising prices.

He said the Government should exert a positive influence on inflation, by ensuring that public services achieved greater efficiencies, which were reflected in the prices charged and by not adding directly to inflation by increasing indirect taxes.

The economy indeed

jjbrien

Earthman wrote:

Given a choice between the "southern unionists" [read FG] and Ahern,I reckon its fairly obvious that the SF td's will prefer to support Ahern.Though it is possible they might abstain from a vote if they thought propping up FF was not populist enough,I'd still say they'd plump for Ahern though to avoid the "southern unionists" getting in.

Earthman I think you have shown your true colors. Your either a Shinner or a member of the FF party. FG are not unionst. They are actualy more republician than you think.Thoese old civil war days are long gone. FG were never pro british from the start. FG are the most pro european party in europe and dislike britian for been so anti European.

I think the greens will go into goverment whit FG and Labor after the next election. It just shows Bertie is getting nervors as he thinks the way things are going that he might will be in opposition next time.

LostinBlanch

H&#250 wrote: »

I'm a member of the Green Party and I don't want a coalition with FF, but I would support an alliance with the PDs.

:eek:

PDs are anathema to the very things the Greens stand for. Their only "success" in environmental terms was stealing the Greens clothes and introducing the smokeless coal ban in Dublin in the 80's. It was a stated Green policy to introduce a ban on smoky coal AFAIR. Mind you I couldn't see the Greens happy about sitting with McDowell and Parlon among others!

constitutionus

nuttz wrote:

Really! Next election I'm thinking economy, who has a good record with regard to the economy and who will maintain it. I'm not looking for unlikely conspiracy theories.

then why is this "successful" governments biggest party asking everyone else to get into bed with it except the PDs? were talking FF here, theres nothing they wont do PR wise to protect their vote. in this case minimise the losses theyre gonna get. this isnt about a FF GREEN coalition, its about destabilising the oppositions vote so as to ensure theyre the kings makers in the next dail. thats not a conspiracy, thats politics

sceptre

jjbrien wrote:

Earthman I think you have shown your true colors. Your either a Shinner or a member of the FF party. FG are not unionst. They are actualy more republician than you think.Thoese old civil war days are long gone.

I don't know any better than you do but I think it's pretty obvious that the "southern unionist" tag isn't something Earthman thinks of FG, it's something he thinks SF think of FG.

Cork

jjbrien wrote:

It just shows Bertie is getting nervors as he thinks the way things are going that he might will be in opposition next time.

Bertie is still a very strong contender for being next Taoiseach.

I think it is all to play for.

It is no advantage for party support to peak too early.

I personally would prefer to see a mega debate on policy between all partys.

Why no party seems to be putting out any thing of interest is a disgarace.

Achieve power without plans is a waste.

constitutionus

Cork wrote:

Bertie is still a very strong contender for being next Taoiseach.

I think it is all to play for.

It is no advantage for party support to peak too early.

I personally would prefer to see a mega debate on policy between all partys.

Why no party seems to be putting out any thing of interest is a disgarace.

Achieve power without plans is a waste.

still early days yet. no one wants to reveal their plans too early so we wont get any juicy stuff till january at earliest, maybe not even then

mickd

I think the economic growth we have for the last ten years will slow dramatically after next year with a drop in housing prices. Its going to be difficult for anyone who wins the election. I don't think Fianna Fail will be too disppointed if they were not returned to government. Bertie would be smiling while Mutt & Jeff struggle to get a handle on running the country. FG/Lab always associated with the worst of times

constitutionus

gas thing is though what ever gov gets in they'll have an extra 800 million to play around with then that the SSIAs are gone. wonder what they'll throw it at. suppose its too much to ask they try to adress the countrys energy needs for the future.