Greens ‘too toxic’ to canvass for treaty

The Greens’ spokesman on Europe says the party is “still so toxic” in the public eye that it should play no role in canvassing for the fiscal treaty.

Cllr Brian Meaney said a canvassing effort by the Greens could backfire on the yes side and actually harm the treaty’s chances of ratification.

It is extremely rare for a politician to suggest his or her party should not canvass because of public hostility. But Mr Meaney said the opinions of the Greens were “mostly irrelevant” to the bulk of the electorate in any case.

“The perception of the Green Party among the electorate is still so toxic that the Greens should play no active part in the EU fiscal treaty campaign.

“The opinions of the Greens are mostly irrelevant to the majority of the electorate in the first instance, but the hostility that the electorate have for the Greens is such that the best thing the Greens can do to assist the campaign is to stay away from it.

“While it is the view of the European policy group in the Green Party that it is in the best interest of Ireland to pass the fiscal compact, the participation of the Greens in the yes campaign, small enough that it may be, might be enough to convince people to do the exact opposite.”

Mr Meaney stressed his was a personal view and not the official position of the party, and acknowledged that several colleagues had taken issue with his remarks.

Party leader Eamon Ryan said that while he understood where Mr Meaney was coming from, he didn’t agree with him. “It ain’t about party politics, it’s about what’s in the interest of the Irish people,” Mr Ryan said of the referendum.

He said when member states were talking about investing in growth, “it’s really green technology, it’s things like new electricity grids, it’s new public transport, it’s new broadband networks. That’s where all the growth is going to be, that’s where all the spending is going to be, and that’s something that we know a lot about”.

“I can understand what Brian’s saying, but I don’t agree with him. It’s time to explain that green opportunity for the country, and that’s what I’ll be doing.”