Greens ‘deal with the devil’ as FF talks start

THE Green Party was back in with a chance of getting into government last night after Fianna Fáil-initiated coalition talks began.

The Greens will present their coalition “wish list” toFianna Fáil today, when the two parties exchange policy documents.

The FF move camedespite recent comments by Green Party leader Trevor Sargent that corporatedonations to politicians must go if the Greens share power with FF. Earlier this week, Green Party TD Ciarán Cuffe described a possible FF pact as a “deal with the devil” on his website

However, communication lines were opened yesterday. Party sources said thatlow-level talks had taken place, and that policy documents or a “wish list” would be exchanged today.

Key demands by the Greens will likely include pledges on energy, transport, housing and education.

These could include cutting carbon emissions by 3% annually, introducing the Luas in Galway and Cork, providing 10,000 social and affordable homes annually as well as a €1 billion package for education in the first year of any coalition.

The Greens earlier in the day dampened hopes of a pact with Fine Gael, noting that any such arrangement was dependent on the PDs.

Earlier, former Fianna Fáil general secretary Martin Mackin said Mr Sargent’s party could help “greenify” the government, but he warned about internaldivides among Green TDs.

“One of the legitimate difficulties in dealing with the Greens is the multiple voices coming out of the Greens,” he said.

“Some of the TDs making rather colourful or almost emotional statements isn’t the way to get a meaningful negotiating process,” he warned. The Greens could not remain “virginal” forever, he told Newstalk’s Lunchtime Show withEamon Keane.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern indicated that a change in the government position on the use of Shannon Airport would not be entertained in coalition talks.

Mr Ahern, who was in Berlin for discussions with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the stalled European constitution, said: “I do not intend to change my policy on Shannon” when told that Dublin North Central independent deputy Finian McGrath had said the American military should be banned from the airport.

Mr Sargent has already categorically refused to tie the Green Party to a ban on US military and CIA use of Shannon, saying it would not be a precondition in Green Party coalition talks.