Green/FF rift at last weeks Cabinet meeting over carbon plan

[kerrynorth]

According to the SBP there was an open rift between Green and FF Minister's at last week's Cabinet meeting over the EU carbon cuts plan. The Greens are all in favour of Ireland's proposed carbon reduction requirement of 20% over 12 years, whereas the FF Minister's are opposed to this because of the impact this would have on the economy. The Greens also clashed with Brian Cowen on carbon taxes and the Commission on Taxation as part of the Programme for Government. A
Green source is quoted as saying that this rift is far more significant than anything going on at Dublin Castle! Are the Greens preparing the ground to walk?

[Ard-Taoiseach]

More ads! How much are Messrs Crosbie paying you, kerrynorth?

[ibis]

According to the SBP there was an open rift between Green and FF Minister's at last week's Cabinet meeting over the EU carbon cuts plan. The Greens are all in favour of Ireland's proposed carbon reduction requirement of 20% over 12 years, whereas the FF Minister's are opposed to this because of the impact this would have on the economy. The Greens also clashed with Brian Cowen on carbon taxes and the Commission on Taxation as part of the Programme for Government. A
Green source is quoted as saying that this rift is far more significant than anything going on at Dublin Castle! Are the Greens preparing the ground to walk?

If so, it would be (finally!) something worth walking over.

[johnfás]

I like hearing tomorrow's news today. Keep it up kerrynorth.

[Ard-Taoiseach]

I like hearing tomorrow's news today. Keep it up kerrynorth.

If he isn't in the pay of Messrs Crosbie, methinks he has a TARDIS!

[NotDevsSon]

Sounds like it. If they weren't they would keep the division quiet. Suddenly, as the pressure mounts on Ahern the Greens are revealing that they have full support in the tribunal (using the words of the FG motion, making it difficult if not impossible now for FF to water it down) and revealing a cabinet split that is "more significant than anything going on at Dublin Castle". They are really talking up the crisis rather than calming it down.

Meanwhile in the PDs people are beginning to talk about leaving government.

There is something afoot. Relationships seem to be increasingly strained.

[kerrynorth]

[quote=Ard-Taoiseach]

I like hearing tomorrow's news today. Keep it up kerrynorth.

If he isn't in the pay of Messrs Crosbie, methinks he has a TARDIS![/quote:311bdvzl] A what?

[Rebel CNC]

The Greens will stay where they are.
Now they are in government, they will soon see that 20% over 12 years is rather a lot! All well making airy-fairy statements from the back benches but now they have to apply cold, hard costings to their dreams, reality will soon kick in, even if it takes a few slaps around the head from the likes of Cowen and Lenihan first.

[Mariella Froster]

There's been a rash of small stories on p.ie over the last week or so, implying that the Greens have re-discovered their virilty. Call me paranoid but I wonder if they have finally copped on to the fact that abject servility and compliance to all things FF is not actually going down well. Are we seeing some carefully orchestrated but nothing-too-serious disagreement being spun to persuade us all that these boys are not swinging to miss after all???

[ibis]

There's been a rash of small stories on p.ie over the last week or so, implying that the Greens have re-discovered their virilty. Call me paranoid but I wonder if they have finally copped on to the fact that abject servility and compliance to all things FF is not actually going down well. Are we seeing some carefully orchestrated but nothing-too-serious disagreement being spun to persuade us all that these boys are not swinging to miss after all???

Or could we say that the Greens have settled in to government, have realised that simply being in government isn't overwhelming them, and have started asserting themselves from what they feel is now solid footing.