Maverick House have published a new book by The Irish Times' Mary Minihan on the Green Party in Government entitled: A Deal with the Devil: The Green Party in Government.





Here's the obligatory publisher's blurb:


The Green Party struck its “deal with the devil” by entering coalition with Fianna Fáil in 2007.


The junior partner secured control of the Environment and Energy ministries, irritating some members of the larger party with its pursuit of a ban on stag hunting, the introduction of civil partnerships for same-sex couples and restrictions on planning.


An unprecedented crisis in the State's finances, set against the backdrop of a deeply flawed Irish banking system, shook the party's grassroots and its vote collapsed in the local and European elections in June 2009. The following October, party members threatened to pull out of Government over the controversial National Asset Management Agency (Nama), while senior figures were kept in the dark about the arrival of the IMF in 2010. The Greens eventually demanded an early general election, but stayed in Government in the hope of passing key Green legislation.

Controversy over revelations about then Taoiseach Brian Cowen's contact with Seán FitzPatrick, the former chairman of Anglo Irish Bank, strained relationships further.

A bungled reshuffle was aborted at the behest of the Greens, and the “momentous” decision to pull the plug on the Coalition was taken in January 2011. But their three-and-a-half year period in Government cost them dearly at the polls. A Deal with the Devil tells the inside story of what happened to the Greens.

Mary Minihan has very kindly offered us five copies of her book to give away as prizes, and she was set the question.

Which former Green TD was previously a Mills & Boon author?

The question is open to all Politics.ie Members, all you need to do is send the answer to me by clicking here. Please do not publish the answer yourself on the site!

If you're not yet a member you can join Politics.ie for free by clicking here, it takes less than half a minute to sign up and enter the competition.

You can read an extract from the book in a piece Mary Minhan wrote for The Irish Times here: The Greens' fall from grace - and power - The Irish Times - Sat, Nov 05, 2011

The competition is open until 6pm on Tuesday and winner will be notifed that evening, those that win will be asked to provide an address for the book to be delivered to.