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The Greens in government: the challenges ahead
Read more about: Coalition, Environment, Government, Green Party, Irish Politics 
John Gormley pledged today that he will review his department’s stance in relation to “archaeological practice and policy”. He also released the documents dealing with the site at Lismullen, which is on the route of the controversial M3 motorway. Such openness and transparency is to be welcomed; but the whole affair raises questions over how the Green Party are to handle themselves now that they have made, as Ciaran Cuffe put it, a “deal with the devil”.
Put simply, the Greens did the right thing by going into government with Fianna Fail. They didn’t get much, but then their bargaining position was weakened by the arithmetic; Bertie had the numbers to form a government without them. The choice, therefore, was to be inside the tent… er, looking out, or be outside looking in. But what happens to the Green vote at the next election is now heavily reliant on what Gormley and Eamon Ryan achieve at their respective Ministries. If they can boast of some successes and point to some key shifts in policy, then they can go to the electorate and say: “Look, here’s what we did with six seats, now give us a bigger mandate so that we can do more”.
If however the pair turn in only mediocre performances, the party will suffer for it. Their own core voters will feel that the leadership sold out for nothing, and will stay home on election day. Those who voted and transferred Green in order to get rid of the outgoing government will see them as Fianna Fail lackeys. Fine Gael and Labour voters will withhold transfers.
Maintaining their seperate indentity within government will be crucial as well. Just as the PDs fret about being seen as a “downtown sub-office” of their coalition partner, the Greens need to avoid being merely the ecological wing of Fianna Fail. They may be bound by the June negotiations on issues such as the Dail summer recess and a Seanad voting pact (both in the news today), but in future a few hissy fits wouldn’t go amiss. Standing up to Fianna Fail on a few well-chosen issues will go a long way toward shoring up their credibility with the voters.
The two Departments secured by the Greens (Environment and Energy), are ones close to their hearts. However, the flip side is that there is enormous scope for damaging publicity, as the Hill of Tara saga shows. Minister Ryan, likewise, needs to tread carefully in relation to nuclear power. The opposition, with Eamon Gilmore in the van, are doing their utmost to embarrass Gormley as he gets to grips with his new portfolio (more on that here). Such moves may well prove effective in disillusioning Green supporters for whom the M3 and the US military use of Shannon, for example, are anethma.
If Bertie and Cowen have their way, the Greens will get subtly blamed for any all ills that befall this administration- just as happened to the PDs before them. (For example, if the climate change issue becomes pressing and decisive action is taken, Fianna Fail will happily take credit for saving the environment, while shifting blame for any adverse effects on the economy onto the tree-hugging, sandal-wearing Greens.) The challenge for the new leader is not to let this happen.
Today’s developments bode well for Minister Gormley and his party. He has already scored a hit at his first EU engagement, which signalled a shift in Irish government policy on incineration. Likewise, Trevor Sargent has been making the right noises on GM foods. More of the same is needed. As Michael McDowell once said about the PDs, the Green Party needs must be “radical or redundant”.
The Greens have accepted that since they did not win any concession on the M3 it is now part of the deal that they can do not obstruct its progress while in Government. Gormley is already hugely damaged by his inaction on the issue and in particular, as you point out, his complete lack of any type of ‘hissy fit’. The core problem is that Gormley does not think he can do anything to change the road at this stage and is therefore not prepared to expend any political capital on the issue. The mistake he is making is that to (at least) appear to be attempting to push an independent, progressive agenda is very important. And polls consistently show an overwhelming majority want the route changed – he does not seem to understand that public opinion is with him on this one. Only €150 million has been spent so far and this is a drop in the ocean to the punch-drunk public at this stage. Especially when there are clear economic and heritage potential for the land already in public ownership. I think the leadership election in one to watch, if Mc Kenna polls over 30% (which is quite possible) Gormley is in real trouble.
BTW todays release of documents was to take place last Friday, the only new information concerns a site called Baronstown, which it transpires was recommended for National Monument status by Pat Wallace of the National Museum (but rejected by NRA and Roche). This was an opportunity for Gormley to review and re-prioritise Baronstown – the recommdation is on his desk. But what happened? The release of documents was delayed by a week and on Tuesday morning at 4am bulldozers entered Baronstown. Funny old world eh?
cheeba:
“BTW todays release of documents was to take place last Friday, the only new information concerns a site called Baronstown, which it transpires was recommended for National Monument status by Pat Wallace of the National Museum (but rejected by NRA and Roche). This was an opportunity for Gormley to review and re-prioritise Baronstown – the recommdation is on his desk. But what happened? The release of documents was delayed by a week and on Tuesday morning at 4am bulldozers entered Baronstown. Funny old world eh?”
Source?
On the DOE website here is the link to the advice by P. Wallace that
says Baronstown = Lismullen.
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Heritage/NationalMonuments/FileDownLoad,14640,en.pdf
And Part 5 of the documents is Brian Duffy’s letter.
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Heritage/NationalMonuments/FileDownLoad,14639,en.pdf
Just to contextualise a bit more: You will notice that Wallace’s letter is dated May and was therefore available to the new Minister from day one. An FOI request was submitted re: Baronstown at the beginning of last week and it is very possible that this request went to the wrong desk at the DOE and was communicated directly to SIAC/NRA – it wouldn’t be the first time that FOI’s are deliberatly misdirected. On the proposed date of the initial release of documents: Minister Gormley was to release all documentation on Lismullen simultaneously with the appointment of Conor Newman to the Lismullen oversignt committee. That appointment took place on Friday (29th June) but inexplicably there were no documents released that day. I cannot shed all more light on this I’m afriad.
“Minister Gormley was to release all documentation on Lismullen simultaneously with the appointment of Conor Newman to the Lismullen oversignt committee. That appointment took place on Friday (29th June) but inexplicably there were no documents released that day.”
What makes you say that?
That is what was intended to happen, it’s what a number of people were told would happen, it’s what did not happen.
“That is what was intended to happen, it’s what a number of people were told would happen, it’s what did not happen.”
“A number of people”? What people?
By the way, Conor Newman’s appointment took place on the 27th and not the 29th according to my news-o-tron: http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0627/breaking87.htm
Well there you are then – that proves what I’m saying is bullshit then dosen’t it….get over it will ya, there are no direct allegations in my post, only speculation about actions and dates of actions…do you want me to include footnotes the next time?
Fair enough, I’m over it.