Greens ‘won’t walk away’ from government talks

Green Party Leaders Eamon Ryan and Clare Bailey speaking to the media outside Leinster House. Photograph: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Several Green Party TDs have rejected weekend reports that they are on the verge of walking away from government formation talks.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said talks about forming a majority government “should be expedited” given the coronavirus crisis. He said he is “ready to step up” and form a majority government with Fine Gael because that is what the country needs at this time.

Green TDs told the Irish Examiner no decision of that nature has ever been taken by their parliamentary party and, as of now, they are fighting to remain involved.

The Sunday Times reported that the party will today decide to abandon talks with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, but this claim was roundly rejected by TDs.

Dublin Central Green TD Neasa Hourigan said her position was absolutely not for walking away from the talks and that no discussion of that nature had occurred among TDs and senators.

“I’m not sure at all where that was coming from,” she said. “Absolutely, our position is to remain in and fight and our position has not at all changed. We still believe a national government is what is required.”

Party colleague Roderic O’Gorman echoed Ms Hourigan’s position and said the focus must be on dealing with the Covid-19 crisis.

“Our position remains the same as last week,” he said. “We believe that all parties should be focusing on the Covid-19 crisis, and government formation talks should be suspended. There’s no big decision being taken by us tomorrow that I know of, contrary to [The Sunday Times’] story.”

Mr Martin said the coronavirus crisis means a new, “fully accountable government” is required.

“My own view is that it needs to be expedited,” he said. “The economic consequences of this, the big decisions that simply have to be taken, need a full government, with all ministers accountable to the Dáil.

“In terms of large amounts of money that are going to be spent, and co-ordinating a national action plan in dealing with the virus, that is needed, because this is going to be with us for quite some time. We need a government that knows it will be there for some time, not just for three months, for six months, but a government which knows it will be there for four or five years. I am up for it. At moments such as this you have to step up to the plate and make sure a government with a majority is formed.”