Greens choose power over principles

GREEN Party leader John Gormley maintains “the reaction of the people to the Greens in Government has been very positive” and that his party has “displayed leadership and courage” and got themselves a good deal when going into Government.

Those of us who naively hoped the Greens’ presence in Government might signal some change for the better, and that some integrity and commitment to public service might be witnessed, soon found our hopes dashed.

When pressed on their policies now, one gets wishy-washy aspirations like “tackling climate change, energy supply security, improving quality of life and other important goals”, which have little hope of realisation and, at best, will be watered down significantly.

The principles they shouted about while in opposition, such as rendition flights through Shannon, incinerators, the facilitation of the exploitation of our natural resources — eg, Shell’s machinations in Co Mayo and the Tara/M3 disgrace — were dropped like a hot potato once they got within sniffing distance of Government ministries.

During the past few months, when the Taoiseach’s antics unfolded and when the people of Galway had to endure polluted drinking water and Blue Flags were removed from Dublin Bay due to sewage in the water, Mr Gormley’s response was notable only for its silence.

Let’s call a spade a spade. Any of the so-called principles which the Green Party sacrificed to enter Government were never strongly held to start with.

The Greens constantly trot out the line that the damage was done before their time in Government. If that were the case, then why would people of real “principle” take part in a situation where they knew from the outset their contribution could only be minimal? The obvious answer is power.

At least you knew where one stood with the PDs and, in the main, they stuck to their principles.

If you lie down with dogs you wake up with fleas. Mr Gormley must be pretty itchy by now.

David Marlborough

103 Kenilworth Park

Dublin 6W