Gormley insists Greens will stay in Coalition for full 5 years

GREEN leader John Gormley last night insisted the Coalition with Fianna Fáil would last a full five years despite the post-budget “battering” his party has taken.

Mr Gormley denied the Greens had been thrown into disarray by the backlash against education cuts, but admitted the budget was “unpalatable”.

The move came as Taoiseach Brian Cowen played down the chances of further budget U-turns for farmers following climbdowns on medical cards, the tax levy and disability payments.