What have the Greens achieved in government?

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michaelm

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I was struggling to listen to Eamon Ryan this lunchtime - almost as difficult to take as Roche and Cullen these days - in relation to Boxer pulling out of DTT and I was trying to think of what the Greens have achieved in the two years they've been in government.

As far as I can see they've created serious divisions in their party, they've washed their hands in relation to roads, incineration, Shannon and any objective position on the EU. Their crazy lightbulb ban is shelved, as is the €200 car space levy, no carbon tax, the bike tax relief scheme has been largely ignored by employers. There was the silliness with the Stag Hunt, nothing achieved there. Broadband roll-out stutters on and now the DTT is fubared. There was even some partial ban on turf cutting which is now suspended or partially reversed or something. They wasted money on air-mile carbon credits, stood over voting machines and stood behind FF all the way.

So I'm thinking what they've actually managed to do is secure two ministerial positions plus a junior which they have just lost, Dan was gifted a job, oh and BER certs which are pointless, and they also re jigged car tax and VRT which penalised large families and caused a flood of imported UK cars. They jumped into bed with FF and now face opposition oblivion, or will suffer the same fate as the PDs, in double-quick time.

I voted for them and now I feel dirty. If anyone could list off their noteworthy achievements it might lift my shame somewhat.
 
As a fellow Green voter, I feel your pain. Having said that didn't Trevor Seargent help raise awareness of brussell sprouts or something!
 
Sunny said:
As a fellow Green voter, I feel your pain.
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+1

The only real achievement I can think of is the existence of many more cycle lanes around the cities and towns.

BUT

Not really achieved since in government and apparently, hardly anyone uses them outside of Dublin anyway.
 
Here's a few.....
- given more employment to the SEI
- allowed Solar energy/green energy suppliers installers to earn more money by putting the grants in place so that the installers can charge the consumer more as a result
- setting the foundation for ensuring that people only use over priced CFL/LED bulbs ie saving energy will cost the consumer more as a result
 
The most useful thing they could do now is to pull out of Government and force an election. I'm not saying Fine Gael would do a great job, but out of two evils I would like to get rid of the one that has been in power for so long they have lost sight of who they're supposed to be serving ie not themselves.
 
Sunny said:
As a fellow Green voter, I feel your pain. Having said that didn't Trevor Seargent help raise awareness of brussell sprouts or something!
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What, they make you f@rt ? :)

Once the Greens got into Govt, their colour changed to Yellow almost immediately. Cowardice on every major item of note. Tara/Skryne valley being the most significant IMO.
 
Have been thinking the same for weeks :
John Gorrmley could instantly go from zero to hero by pulling out of Government and forcing an election.
It is to me inconceivable that in light of what the Green Party stand for, that they do not simply hold up their hands and state that they have made a grevious error and acknowledge what every person on the Island of Ireland knows only to well that this Government is an unmitigated shambles.
John Gormley above anyone else in this country and in political history holds the power to salvage Ireland by fullfilling his moral obligation to the nation and pulling the plug on Cowen and his cronies.
Why he does not is unfathomable, his reputation would be enhaced a thousand fold for me if he had the courage of his convictions.
 
The greens are yet another example showing that you can stand for whatever you like but in a democracy like ours which is constructed to have weak government all parties are sucked toward the middle as the exercise of power is the science of compromise. Democratic Left went through the same process as will the Shinners if they ever get into office.
 
csirl said:
Greens wont exist very soon. Hard to see any off them getting reelected.
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Exactly - they're coining a few quid with nice salaries & expenses right now - they know they haven't a hope of getting re-elected so they will do what best for themselves right now.
 
Before an election, its up to the Irish to demand better value for our votes.

If we simply say "we want an election" FG and Labour can take it easy like FF have been doing for years. They will be comfortable in the knowledge that they need only show up at the polls and a majority of them will oust their FF counterparts . . . Great, change is afoot but what will we get from it . . .

If we want T.D's on lower wages , then we need to demand it (for our vote).

If we want tougher laws on criminals and more rights as citizens, we need to demand it for our vote.

If we want higher earners hit harder, we need to demand it for our vote

If we want Quangos abolished we need to demand it for our vote.

If we want to end up with a differant (but similarly inept, limited ) government we can ask for a differant government and end up with a similar bunch of self interested individuals with their own specific vested interest groups to look after.

As a nation we tend to vote for the "in" crowd at the expense of real issues being addressed. We dont ask or demand anything, we just wait to see what we are being offered and take the best looking box on the shelf. Why are T'D's so arrogant when it comes to some questions on their remuneration or questions regarding any bills that will affect them, its because they know that we, the Irish, wont really challange them properly.

We may slag off the French who strike on the streets for anything, but they at least demand respect and demand to be heard. The worst we do is go onto the joe Duffy show and make some very poorly constructed arguements on why we have lost out to "that shower" in the Dail.

I dont have a gripe or problem with any specific party or TD (well maybe one or two of the idiots in the dail), but I do have a problem with politics in general. I have no confidence in the system. It rewards those who are the sneakiest, cutest and the most popular people in parties or constituants. Thats not democracy as it is understood by many, thats a talent contest . .

Some people say "Well thats politics", well I say "well, thats just not good enough". To this day some people have asked me would I get into politics and I have to say, right now I would have no intention. I imagine you have to be prepared to drop your morals, ethics, beliefs and best intentions to survive. If anything, the more honest you are the less likely you would be to get in office . People in this country are fickle (like those crazy yanks we always laugh at) and vote based on who they like the look of, rather then who they feel would do the best job.

This was the country and system I was born into, but it really makes me laugh (otherwise I would just cry!) at how pathetic political systems are organised in "free" countries. We might aswell let Louise Walsh and Simon Cowell grill all potential Politicians before they can go up for the vote. At the very least we would get to hear some of them stuttering around controversial topics they would rather not discuss and that they can avoid in the Dail . . . . ;)

Wow, just realised I went totally off topic . . . Well the Greens have done sweet feck all in overall the scheme of things . . . .

We will only get a real change when we demand it . . . .
 
Purple said:
The greens are yet another example showing that you can stand for whatever you like but in a democracy like ours which is constructed to have weak government all parties are sucked toward the middle as the exercise of power is the science of compromise. Democratic Left went through the same process as will the Shinners if they ever get into office.
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Well put Purple.
 
Purple said:
The greens are yet another example showing that you can stand for whatever you like but in a democracy like ours which is constructed to have weak government all parties are sucked toward the middle as the exercise of power is the science of compromise. Democratic Left went through the same process as will the Shinners if they ever get into office.
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Exactly. (althoug is that a bad thing? ) And I am generally quite impressed by Eamonn Ryan.
 
Is it incoceievable that the Greens could pre empt and climb in bed with Fna Gael.
Surely seeing as they are conceieved as rightly, the lap dogs at the moment of this Government, and are utterly impotent, that they could have the power to vastly embolden their powers wihin a coalition by dictating what role they would play in future post election.
It seems to me a win win situation. By holding up their hands as so many hundreds of thousands have done and declaring they have made a mistake in trusting this Government they could save themselves from oblivion, possibly salvage the country as a whole, and further their own political standing, reputation and agenda in the process.
Perhaps their is alot to be said for the fact that the only concerns are their personal gains in the short term.
 
They have utterley sold out all of their principles

They have voted in stringent education cuts

They have stood back when the poorest in society have been targeted in welfare cuts

They gave votes of confidence to Mary Harney, Bertie Ahern, et al

If they had any decency they would just join Fianna Fail as they have done nothing except promote their policies
 
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