Policy flip-flop by Greens in government

IRISH troops are now on standby as part of the EU Nordic Battlegroup.

It has been claimed by Defence Minister Willie O’Dea that such an involvement does not interfere with traditional Irish neutrality. Does the Green party in government agree? When in opposition, John Gormley, the party leader, is on the record as asking: “How can we be members of the European Rapid Reaction Force and still claim to be neutral?”

This could be described as another area where the Government is enacting a stance that the Green party does not “technically” support. It seems to me Mr Gormley now regards Ireland as no longer being a neutral country.

I would expect that members of the Green party should be concerned that its ideological position on this issue carries no weight within the cabinet.

The Green party opposed the Nice Treaty. As the Lisbon Treaty largely continues in the same vein, it would be unusual for the party to support it. Yet, Energy Minister Eamon Ryan has already said he will support a ‘yes’ vote. If the Green party chooses to do the same, it will represent, in reality, a convenient US-style flip-flop. How much of the Greens’ general election manifesto is still core party principle?

John Kennedy

19 Knocknashee

Goatstown

Dublin 14