FG say no to All Party approach to Energy Policy (again)

[qtman]

While in Opposition, the GP proposed that the State pursue an All Party approach to Energy Policy.

Being in Government, FF were open to this idea. Labour weren't so sure and FG were openly hostile to the approach.

In the last week, Minister Ryan has again approached the Opposition parties with this proposal, and has met with a similar response from Labour and FG.

The GP were prepared to take this approach in Opposition, and are now prepared to take the same approach in Government.

So what is FG's problem?

[KingKane]

You mean "all party" as in just agreeing with the Green Party policy?

[locke]

Why should energy policy be subject to an all-party approach?

I don't really agree with the shutdown of debate on issues such as terrorism and national security, so I don't see what's so important about energy policy that no opposition criticism can be allowed.

[Insider2007]

An "all-party approach" actually means shutting down debate and looking for a consensus behind closed doors. FG were 100% right to say no. The Greens are in government. The buck stops with them. Instead of trying to spread responsibility to others who aren't in government they should be taking on responsibility.

If the Greens think they are going to get cosy deals with FG, Labour and SF they are living in cloud cuckooland. The buck stops with them, and the blame if things go wrong. Live with it.

All that pisses off the Greens is the fact that other parties won't allow them to create a consensus behind their agenda. Tough. Get over it.

[White Horse]

So what is FG's problem?

Fine Gael to not do business with corrupt governments. The objective of the party must be to end this government as soon as possible.

[Macy]

Don't see why the opposition parties should give a dig out to FF on energy. It was under FF that urban sprawl was allowed without necessary public transport infrastructure to support it, and with p*ss poor building regulations. Now the hard decisions have to be made, the Government want everyone to carry the can for the tough decisions that will have to be made? Let the Government lie in the bed they made themselves.

[qtman]

An "all-party approach" actually means shutting down debate and looking for a consensus behind closed doors.

No it doesn't. It involves allowing all parties have input into policy so that when tough decisions have to be made, as they inevitably will, those decisions will not become bogged down in party politics and point scoring.

FG were 100% right to say no. The Greens are in government. The buck stops with them. Instead of trying to spread responsibility to others who aren't in government they should be taking on responsibility.

Its not about trying to spread responsibility. Energy policy will be an issue for the next 100 years. The GP could be out of Government next week.

Energy is a crucial issue in that it involves making very unpopular decisions that are vital for our economic future.

FG want to ignore this reality because they realise their existence depends on remaining at arms length from FF, and as far as they are concerned, their existence if more important that the economic future of the country.

[White Horse]

FG want to ignore this reality because they realise their existence depends on remaining at arms length from FF, and as far as they are concerned, their existence if more important that the economic future of the country.

In a few years you will realise that propping up Fianna Fail in government is the single biggest impediment to the economic future of the country,

[meriwether]

Energy is a crucial issue in that it involves making very unpopular decisions that are vital for our economic future.

Then make the difficult decisions. You are in Govt, aren't you?

[locke]

FG want to ignore this reality because they realise their existence depends on remaining at arms length from FF, and as far as they are concerned, their existence if more important that the economic future of the country.

Or maybe they want to be able to criticise when Fianna Fail decide they're going to sell the state's power stations to the likes of Tony O'Reilly and Owen O'Callaghan...