Gormley not backing down on extra minister

[Newsy]

John Gormley, the leader of the Green Party, has told Taoiseach Brian Cowen that the Greens must be given a second junior ministry in the forthcoming cabinet reshuffle.

A meeting of the party leaders last week, ahead of Cowen’s official trip to the US for St Patrick’s Day, centred on the changed cabinet profile, with the departure of Willie O’Dea and Martin Cullen opening up more prospects for junior promotions.

Gormley told Cowen that his party expected to secure the second junior post promised by the former taoiseach Bertie Ahern in 2007.The two leaders will have further talks when the Taoiseach returns from the US on Thursday.

Gormley has already expressed the view to Cowen that the changed cabinet position means that both Fianna Fáil and Green demands can be satisfied in the reshuffle.

Senior sources said that the reshuffle would take place just weeks before Green Party support would be needed for difficult government decisions,

such as the recapitalisation of the banks. Sections of Fianna Fáil want Cowen to resist giving the Greens the second junior ministry, which was not included in the renewed Programme for Government. They argue that two senior and two junior posts would be disproportionate for a party of six TDs.

However, others believe that Cullen’s resignation may provide the cover needed for Cowen to offer Gormley the concession. The smaller party is still troubled by the resignation of Trevor Sargent, the departure of Déirdre de Búrca and the disclosure of a plan to rotate ministries.

Signs of a growing rift between Gormley and Dun Laoghaire TD Ciarán Cuffe are being played down by the party, but sources said the matter was ‘‘weighing heavily’’ on Gormley.

| The Post

Is this just more of the same from the greens, that we have become so accustomed to, unfortunately??

Playing tough but giving in, as usual???

[DCon]

More on this in the Tribune.

Bickering Greens will ask Cowen for help on rotation of ministers

There is an acceptance within the Green Party that their bargaining position is not as strong as it was when negotiating a revised programme for government last autumn.

"We can hardly walk on this issue," one figure said.

Despite signals coming from the party that the rotation issue has been resolved, if Cowen refuses to budge on an extra junior ministry, the original 2007 rotation deal could come back into play.

[charley]

[kerrynorth]

This is possibly an issue for FF to break government and have an election. The interpretation of the article is that either the lettuce munchers get an extra ministerial post or they will walk in a couple of months on the issue of the further recapitalisation of Anglo. That appears to be the game the Greens are playing.

Cowen cannot not go into an election where the trigger was the Anglo recapitialisation, full stop. So Cowen's choices are to either a) take his chances with the electorate now or b) just roll over on the extra Junior Minister but realise that the Greens could walk at anytime on an issue that they feel they could fight an election on.

[darkhorse]

Is it possible that John Gormley could be Minister on Monday, Wednesdays and Friday? and that Ciaran Cuffe could be Minister on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays?

[DCon]

Is it possible that John Gormley could be Minister on Monday, Wednesdays and Friday? and that Ciaran Cuffe could be Minister on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays?

Or Gormley Minister for Enviro and Cuffe Minister for nment?

[Sierra]

Is it possible that John Gormley could be Minister on Monday, Wednesdays and Friday? and that Ciaran Cuffe could be Minister on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays?

Let the greens be ministers on Saturdays and Sundays.

[jmcc]

Or Gormley for Health?

Regards...jmcc

[Passer-by]

Maybe it is time to revive Labour's idea for a rotating (office of) Taoiseach?

"You have two choices, Brian - we rotate the Taoiseach-ship or you can have an election". It'd be an interesting dilemma.

[Newsy]

Is it possible that John Gormley could be Minister on Monday, Wednesdays and Friday? and that Ciaran Cuffe could be Minister on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays?