Dempsey wouldn’t rule out coalition with Greens

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Noel Dempsey has become the second Fianna Fáil member of Cabinet to say he would have no difficulty holding talks with the Green Party in post-election coalition negotiations.

Mr Dempsey said that Green Party leader Trevor Sargent may be “doing a little dance” saying he was not going to go into coalition with FF.

But in an interview with the Irish Examiner, the minister expressed views very similar to those of Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern. He intimated that, despite Mr Sargent’s rejection, such an arrangement could never be ruled out. He put it in the context of the realities on the ground that may face all political parties in the wake of the 2007 general election.

“With my background, I would have no difficulty sitting down trying to work out a policy platform,” he said.

Referring to the Greens’ economic policies, he said “there would have to be a fair few things that they (the Greens) would need to change”. However, he added that was “no more than they (the Greens) would say about us”.

While the Green Party leader has ruled out any arrangement with FF “in its present form”, there are divergent views within the party about its strategy.

At its 2005 national convention, the party membership voted against forming any pre-electoral pact. This weekend, two senior figures in the party, justice spokesman Ciarán Cuffe and its Cork North Central candidate Cllr Chris O’Leary both said the party should keep all its options open.

Mr Dempsey was also scathing of the so-called Mullingar Accord between Fine Gael and Labour.

He said the leaders of the two main opposition parties were “trying to create this ‘Enda and Pat Show’”.

He added: “Let them put their policies forward and let the electorate decide”.