Greens only have a €5,000 budget for Lisbon - Independent

[Marascal]

If the Greens *really* wanted to spend some cash, they could setup a seperate Yes campaign with SIPO.

"Greens for a Yes vote" for example.

Each of their TDs and Senators (6) could donate €6,348.69 each - that's €38,092.14

So why isn't that happening, do their Ministers, TDs and Senators not believe in a Yes vote?

This is a bit offside. The TD's and Senators have already donated this money - and do so every year in fact (its the maximum contribution allowable per year). That money has either been spent on the local elections or is being held onto in preparation for any forthcoming general election.

The greens do not have access to the money that the other parties have. Its all in the form of donations from private individuals (i.e. members) and mostly small fundraising efforts. The other parties have access to more lucrative revenue streams to fund their activities.

[scrawledincrayon]

Many others will choose to canvass with GenYes or Ireland For Europe.

A damning indictment if ever there was one.

[EoinMn]

A damning indictment if ever there was one.

For the craic really.. just the chance to canvass with people you haven't canvassed with before.

[scrawledincrayon]

The greens do not have access to the money that the other parties have. Its all in the form of donations from private individuals (i.e. members) and mostly small fundraising efforts. The other parties have access to more lucrative revenue streams to fund their activities.

The Socialist Party, People Before Profit and the People's Movement don't take money from corporate donors either, yet each will be spending a multiple of the Green Party's Lisbon budget. Those are the revealing comparisons.

It's not necessarily a surprise that they can't manage to raise as much as Labour or Sinn Fein. It is a surprise that they can't raise anything close to the amount that a single local election candidate for most parties would spend trying to win a town council seat.

[David Cochrane]

This is a bit offside. The TD's and Senators have already donated this money - and do so every year in fact (its the maximum contribution allowable per year). That money has either been spent on the local elections or is being held onto in preparation for any forthcoming general election.

The greens do not have access to the money that the other parties have. Its all in the form of donations from private individuals (i.e. members) and mostly small fundraising efforts. The other parties have access to more lucrative revenue streams to fund their activities.

I'm explaining how they could legally donate more if their party wanted a Yes vote.

That was my point, they're well paid, there's no excuse.

[constitutionus]

this certainly explains why i havent seen any green posters.

was up by the square in tallaght today and the socialists ones are up and running. very professional they look too.

i was wondering what the whole GUE/NGL bit in the corne was all about so thanks for this thread as its explained that.

i have to wonder on the OP do the green REALLY want to campaign on lisbon?

i know they got their two thirds support to do so but traditionally theyve always been against euro treaties and its abit mad to change now when you consider its probably going down. if your gonna chuck away your pronciples you should at least win.

on an aside does anyone know if theres a postering company thats anti lisbon?

i ask as theres a LOAD of YES posters, both we belong and FF, that are being put up upside down on the tallaght bypass

at first i thought it was someone trying to nobble them as theres a fair bit of graffitti and defacing of yes posters. my initial assumption was someone snipped the top clasp and pulled the poster around but on closer inspection they are indeed properly tied up.

just upside down.

anyone got any ideas, or other examples of the same thing elsewhere as ive never seen this before.

[OceanFrog]

It is down to the individual members whether they want to canvass or not. About a third are against Lisbon so won't be canvassing. Many others will choose to canvass with GenYes or Ireland For Europe.

A damning indictment if ever there was one.

For the craic really.. just the chance to canvass with people you haven't canvassed with before.

Yes. For the craic.

God forbid they would be ashamed to say they are from the Green Party.

[AndrewM]

The mutli-billion euro NAMA legislation is being negotiated and the Greens are currently preparing for PfG negotiations. The opposition parties aren't burdened down by this, and FF have their famous machine and corporate donations.

[EoinMn]

Yes. For the craic.

God forbid they would be ashamed to say they are from the Green Party.

Have I ever come across as being ashamed to say I'm a member of the Green Party?

[goosebump]

€5,000? Are these people serious? That would barely cover the cost of a business lunch for some of the astroturf "civil society" groups on the Yes side! Are the Greens actually trying to lose whatever little credibility they have left?

You know, there are lots of things you can have a go at the Greens about (Tara, Shannon, blah, blah, blah) but only the most evolutionary-challenged pond life would take them to task over spending too little on their political campaigns.

Was there some stage in the past when some GP TD stood outside the Dail with a placard reading "More Money in Politics Now!"?