76% of the original Green's PFG in 2007 came directly from the FF election manifesto

[OceanFrog]

Article from TimesOnline 2nd August 2009

Lots of interest in the article, but this bit caught my eye ...

"Last time round, John Gormley, leader of the Greens, and his colleagues had a starting position that included a carbon tax and an end to corporate donations. An academic study showed that 76% of the original programme came directly from the Fianna Fail election manifesto. With only six TDs to Fianna Fail’s 78, the Greens could reasonably have been happy to claim credit for one quarter of the programme. But much of the Green input was unspecific. The word “review” features in the document 49 times, while “examine” appears 23 times."

It has been mentioned before that the FF walked all over the Greens in 2007.

Looks like ye really were a cheap date lads.

[Digout]

Looks like ye really were a cheap date lads.

Buy em an organic burger on the first date and they will put out...

[flavirostris]

It was the weakest programme for government ever signed up to by a junior coalition partner. The Green Party manifesto was virtually gutted in the desperation to get into government. Sure they got 2 key ministries but virtually nothing was leveraged from FF in the way of policy. The ministries provided the illusion of power in the cabinet but it's crystal clear by now just how much influence they have in decision making.

[OceanFrog]

It was the weakest programme for government ever signed up to by a junior coalition partner. The Green Party manifesto was virtually gutted in the desperation to get into government.

It was totally, absolutely, and utterly gutted.

Sure they got 2 key ministries but virtually nothing was leveraged from FF in the way of policy.

I think you'll find that absolutely nothing was leveraged from FF ...

The ministries provided the illusion of power in the cabinet but it's crystal clear by now just how much influence they have in decision making.

None.

Thats how much power they have in decision making.*

* see NAMA for example

[Digout]

Thats how much power they have in decision making.*

* see NAMA for example

Its even worse on that, apparently we are going to take on the debts and use the land for Green stuff. I.E., they land will be football pitches for a while, and if FF ever get to reignite the property bubble as planned, then expect the land to be scammed towards FF friendly developers.

There Greens have to be the most stupid of the stupid.

[conservative green]

I am a GP member, and I honestly suspect that there are Green political candidates that are FF entryists.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entryism

Dan Boyle and Deidre de Burca are two of the most obvious candidates.

[Digout]

I am a GP member, and I honestly suspect that there are Green political candidates that are FF entryists.

Entryism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dan Boyle and Deidre de Burca are two of the most obvious candidates.

Mary White is another one.

[conservative green]

Mary White is another one.

Probably.

[OceanFrog]

Mary White is another one.

Mary White is more FF than FF.

[conservative green]

It's interesting to note that a letter was sent to party members well in advance of the election positing that the Green Party was likely to hold the balance of power and suggesting that members consider the possibilities entering into coalition with (unnamed) parties.

As it happened, of course, we didn't hold the balance of power, but still went into coalition - which suggests to me some kind of pre-agreed deal.

Of course, Patricia McKenna has previously speculated (in a Hotpress interview) about the possibility of dodgy dealings on the day of the GP vote to enter into coalition.