Foraging about in the spiritual home of the Greens

TRAIPSING through a sea of organic and eye-catching produce untainted by genetic modification, John Gormley yesterday visited what could be seen as the spiritual home of the Greens.

In Cork’s English Market as part of a walkabout to show support for local Green Party candidates, Mr Gormley got acquainted with a giant monkfish, called it wrong when identifying John Dory as Sea Bream, sipped coffee at the Farmgate and soaked up the gloriously aromatic delights of an emporium dedicated to taste.

Some shook his hand and wished him well, but one trader, who did not wish to be identified, chastised him on behalf of party colleague, Trevor Sargent. Mr Sargent, she said, had passed through the market on a previous occasion without a single word of encouragement to local producers.

At Coffee Central, proprietor Mary Rose Daly said she found Mr Gormley’s honesty refreshing, when asked to rate his performance on Monday night’s leaders’ debate. “I couldn’t say my mind is made up in relation to how I will vote, but I thought he was very honest and his points were well made.”

As a small employer, the biggest thing for her employees was the introduction of the Universal Social Charge, which, Mary Rose said, she has absorbed for her part-time workers. “I couldn’t deduct any more money from those on low salaries, so I’m paying it myself,” she said.

Bina Deasy from Dublin Pike, a customer at The Chicken Inn, said she thought Mr Gormley had performed well in the debate, but she had never given the Greens a vote. “I’ll be giving Micheál Martin my number one,” she said.

Tim Mulcahy, son of Jack and Mary Mulcahy, proprietors of The Chicken Inn, said while he thought Mr Gormley had done okay, none of the debate participants, with the exception of Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, had mentioned small business.

“I wouldn’t be voting for Sinn Féin, but the only thing that will get this economy back on track is support for small business.” He said they were being crucified by commercial rates, which went “sky high” during the boom, but had failed to return to manageable levels in the recession. Tim said he would vote Fianna Fáil because Fine Gael had been in control of the local councils “but didn’t do anything about rates”. He also said he agreed with a lot of Green policies but “ where you are trying to get work or trying to put food on the table, if I had to choose between the environment and food, I know which I’d choose”.