Greens say they’re ready for Government

THE Green Party wrapped up its annual convention in Kilkenny yesterday, promising radical changes should the party enter Government after the next election.

Displaying a new sense of determination and focus, the party's key figures repeatedly told delegates that, after 25 years in existence, the Greens were now ready for Government an ambition bolstered by yesterday's 2% rise to 7% for the party in the latest Sunday Business Post poll.

"We will go into Government with our eyes wide open and our sleeves rolled up and ready to go. We have spent 25 years coming up with the future solutions that Ireland now needs. We have the energy to do things better," said party leader Trevor Sargent.

Party chairman John Gormley told the three-day conference: "We are radical, realistic, responsible and ready for Government."

Deputy leader Mary White also delivered a keynote speech entitled This is our Moment.

"Our first duty, at this moment, is to put our party in a position from which we can best serve the interests of the Irish people, and this country's future, as part of the next Government," she said.

However, in a likely blow to the party's ability to successfully contest elections, delegates voted to continue the ban on the party accepting corporate donations.

A motion on the issue provoked by far the most heated debate of the weekend with the party's Oireachtas members split down the middle.

Proposing the motion, Ms White said the Greens could not be a force in Irish politics without fundraising.

However, education spokesman Paul Gogarty and the vast majority of speakers strongly opposed that view.

"Once you dip your toe into the pig sty you are covered in shit as far as I'm concerned," he said.

Numerous other motions which were successfully passed copper-fastened the party's policy platform as delegates endorsed policies on tax, housing, health, childcare, education and crime.

On tax reform, finance spokesman Dan Boyle received backing for his promise to not increase corporation or income tax rates. Instead, the Greens propose to fund their social and environmental policies by "reducing unfair levels of tax avoidance".

Other policy platforms include a promise to introduce "proper paid parental leave" and free pre-school places for every child as well as a €1 billion, 50-point education plan.

In addition to reform of the Environmental Protection Agency, the party wants to cut emissions by 80% before 2050 and is promising a new minister for migrant affairs.

Mr Sargent called for the "tired ways of civil war politics" to be replaced by long-term thinking.

"Our outlook is a global one which looks to the long term," he said.

Mr Sargent said Ireland could no longer afford to be ruled by Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats.

"It is costing communities in poor quality of life. It is costing the taxpayer in overpriced infrastructure projects and the misuse of public/private partnership funding," he said.