FF and Greens put off ‘the personnel’ issue

THE talks between negotiating teams from Fianna Fáil and the Green Party have concentrated on policy areas only and will not turn to the actual composition of the government until the end of the process.

FF deputy leader Brian Cowen and two of Bertie Ahern’s most experienced ministers, Seamus Brennan and Noel Dempsey, are leading the negotiations on behalf of the bigger party.

More than a year ago, the Greens set up the Hamilton Committee, in honour of its late general secretary Dermot Hamilton. That committee has worked at formulating positions and strategies during talks for government. That level of preparation allowed the party speedily to enter meaningful negotiations with FF on policy — talks began within 48 hours of documents being exchanged.

The party’s three-member negotiating team of John Gormley, Dan Boyle and Dónall Geoghegan, continues to discuss each day’s negotiations with this group.

Both sides agree that “outstanding problems” remain on policy. The Greens, for example, oppose the co-location of private clinics on the lands of public hospitals. There are also differences with Fianna Fáil on stamp duty, VAT and PRSI.

Being the party of the environment and climate protection, it is unsurprising that the Greens have hugely ambitious (though they argue achievable) targets on reducing emissions and moving to alternative and renewable sources of energy. Some may seem unrealistic from a FF perspective.

There are also big gaps between the parties on road building, public transport (the Greens want Luas systems in Cork and Galway), planning, education (the Greens want €1 billion invested in the first year).

And of course, Trevor Sargent and other leading party members have said that a ban on corporate donations was a core Green principle. They have also been critical of developers traditionally close to FF.

The difficulties should not be understated. And even if the parties agree on a common policy platform (and this will involve a much bigger compromise for the Greens than for Fianna Fáil), there are still formidable obstacles ahead.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is believed to be personally handling negotiations with the three independents in the frame and with the PDs. The three independents are Jackie Healy-Rae, Beverly Flynn and Michael Lowry. A fourth independent, Finian McGrath, may have parlayed his way out of the equation after comments on Shannon Airport and health issues. Mr Healy-Rae is said to have sent his “shopping list” to Mr Ahern’s department in the past 24 hours.

However, for the Greens, a link-up with the PDs may prove hard for some of its members to swallow. There is a fair deal of animosity between the two parties, personified by the stand-up row between Michael McDowell and Mr Gormley in Ranelagh during the campaign. Perhaps it can be argued that it may be a little easier, given that the strength of the PDs is greatly reduced and Mr McDowell is gone from the scene.

In any instance, even if everything falls into place by Friday or Saturday, the Green party’s political leadership will still have a hard task selling the agreement to the party’s membership in the Mansion House next Sunday. A two-thirds majority is required and party sources said that from initial soundings, this was by no means a done deal.

The Greens on the PDs:

“If the PDs pull the plug, who exactly are they going to go into Government with? Fine Gael, the Labour Party and the Green Party won’t touch those opportunists with a barge pole.”

— PD chairman John Gormley speaking during the election campaign when the PDs threatened to pull out of government.

“That’s a lie. Withdraw it. ”

— John Gormley to Michael McDowell during the Rumble in Ranelagh. He was referring to a claim on corporation tax made by the PDs.

The PDs on the Greens:

“Is a vote for the Greens a vote for Sinn Féin in government?”

— Fiona O’Malley.

“Whoever heard Trevor Sargent praise our economic development?”

— Michael McDowell.

“Green road-blockers want to halt progress.”

— PD transport spokesman Tom Morrissey claims the Greens are against the building of new roads.