Harney attacks ‘alternative government’

TÁNAISTE Mary Harney attacked the so-called alternative government yesterday by casting doubts over Fine Gael’s ability to agree with the Green Party.

After FG leader Enda Kenny reinforced links with Labour and the Greens by urging his party’s voters to pass on their preferences to the fellow opposition parties, the Tánaiste expressed surprise at the development.

Speaking at an EU conference in Clare, she predicted it would cause a significant degree of difficulty for Fine Gael to find an agreed policy platform with the Greens.

While Ms Harney says the PDs could probably go into a coalition with Fine Gael and Labour, she has ruled out going into government with the Greens.

She said Green Party economic policies would drive investment out of the country and it would pose serious challenges to Fine Gael to go down that track.

At the Fine Gael Árd Fheis, Mr Kenny called on voters to give their preferences to Labour and Green Party candidates in local elections and then extended the recommendation to the European elections.

The recommendations are an extension of the relationship between the three parties in recent months, which may develop into a total voting pact before the next General Election.

Also yesterday, a spokesperson for Avril Doyle said the Fine Gael MEP was encouraging voters giving her their number one vote to pass on their preference to her running mate in the Leinster constituency, Mairéad McGuinness.

The lack of an endorsement for their running mate on Ms McGuinness’ and Ms Doyle’s election posters on display at the Fine Gael Árd Fheis was blamed upon the material only being done up specially for the conference.

According to Ms Doyle’s spokesperson, the Wexford-based MEP’s election material does recommend continuing the preference to Ms McGuinness and this was a vital component of the campaign.

“It is very important as there is probably only one Fine Gael seat in the constituency,” the spokesperson said.