[Sosfbay-discuss] Greens boost Irish PM to third term

[JamBoi]

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/225154
Greens boost Irish PM to third term

Jun 13, 2007 08:09 PM

DUBLIN–Ireland's Green Party voted overwhelmingly on
Wednesday to back a coalition deal that puts it in
government for the first time and guarantees a third
term for Prime Minister Bertie Ahern.

"This, my friends, is the proudest day of my life,"
Trevor Sargent, who will step down as party leader
after brokering the deal, told fellow Greens.

They voted by 441 votes to 67 in favour of joining a
government dominated by Ahern's centrist Fianna Fail
party.

"It is a day when courage won out over caution. It is
a day when huge change won out over the status quo,"
said Sargent.

Fianna Fail emerged largely unscathed from May 24
national elections with 78 legislators in the 166-seat
Dail (lower house of parliament) but needed new allies
after its pro-business Progressive Democrat coalition
partners suffered big losses.

Backing from six Greens will give Ahern a slim
majority when parliament votes on a prime minister on
Thursday. He is likely to bolster support to 90 by
keeping on two remaining Progressive Democrat
legislators and bringing in four independents.

That will also dilute the influence of any one partner
and ensure that while the new government will have a
greener flavour, Fianna Fail's long-standing dominance
as Ireland's biggest political party will likely be
little impaired.

The Greens had been tipped to join the main opposition
Fine Gael party and left-leaning Labour after the
election in a "rainbow coalition" designed to end
Ahern's decade in power.

In the event the three parties did not win enough
seats between them to form a majority and the Greens
opted to talk to Ahern in the hope of getting some of
their policies implemented.

Having repeatedly criticised Ahern over his
environmental and social record during last month's
campaign, Sargent said on Wednesday he would honour an
old pledge to step down as party leader if his party
ended up in government with Fianna Fail.

Although the Greens had to shelve some key policies in
order get their first taste of power, including
opposition to the use of Irish airports by U.S. troops
bound for Iraq, Ahern has agreed to adopt some of
their environmental priorities.

A draft of the programme for government agreed between
the two sides, seen by Reuters, showed commitments to
cut greenhouse emissions by 3 per cent a year, phase
in a carbon levy, improve building standards and
promote renewable energy.

"We have a better chance of doing what we have set out
to achieve in government rather than remaining on the
opposition benches for another five years," said
pensioner Neil Hurley after voting in favour of the
coalition deal.

But some felt betrayed by the decision to share power
with a party the Greens so vehemently opposed in the
election.

"They have sold out for a Mercedes with a nice leather
interior," said 41-year-old John O'Driscoll, who works
for one of the multinationals drawn to Ireland by its
thriving economy.

"They have sold us down the river," he said.
"Everything they campaigned for in the election was
rejected tonight."

Ahern has yet to say which ministries he will hand
over to the Greens in return for their support but
party officials said they wanted those responsible for
the environment and transport.

Finance Minister Brian Cowen is set to keep his job
after consolidating his standing in the election as
the most likely successor to Ahern, who has said this
will be his last term.

___________________

JamBoi: Jammy, The Sacred Cow Slayer
The Green Parties' #1 Blogger
http://dailyJam.blogspot.com

"To the brave belong all things"
Celt's invading Etrusca reply to nervous Romans around 400BC

"Live humbly, laugh often and love unconditionally" (anon)


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