Sargent wins Politician of the Year award

Green Party leader Trevor Sargent has won Magill Magazine’s Politician of the Year award for 2007, it was announced today.

According to the judges, “Trevor Sargent has been highly effective in translating heightened awareness of green issues into policy that ordinary people can relate to”.

“Trevor has also developed the Green Party into a serious potential player in the formation of the next government. Under his leadership the Green Party has secured on-going growth and support as reflected in the opinion polls.”

In another victory for the party, colleague Eamon Ryan was awarded TD of The Year.

The judges cited Ryan’s outstanding communication skills particularly around complex issues, his drive to achieve energy targets that would be agreed by all parties, his vocal advocacy of public transport and his support of government reform in fisheries sector.

The Survivor of the Year Award went to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern for surviving the episode when his career appeared to be on the line after revelations that he accepted separate cash donations while Minister for Finance from friends and businessmen.

On a lighter note, the Wigmore Award or award for political gaffe for 2007 was awarded to Tánaiste Michael McDowell for his branding of Fine Gael's Richard Bruton as the “Dr Goebbels of propaganda” following Bruton’s claim that Garda numbers in Dublin stations had gone up by just two on a year-end comparison in December 2005.