In order for pre 2007 Oireachtas members to qualify for the Oireachtas pension 8 years service is required. After 8 years a pension of 25% from age 55 is payable, with a reduced amount from age 45. Each year of service thereafter adds 2.5% to pensionable income until 50% is reached after 18 years. This arrangement was changed by Charlie McCreevy for those elected the for first time in 2007 are only entitled to the normal Civil Service arrangements.

No less than 4 of the 8 Green Oireachtas members need the current Dail to last another year to June 2010 to qualify for the pension in the event of not being re-elected (a virtual certainty for all of them if an election were held in the next 12 months). The 4 are Dan Boyle, Paul Gogarty, Eamonn Ryan and Ciaran Cuffe. All the 3 Green Ministers have just reached the 2 years of service to reach the 25% of Ministerial pay pension entitlement.

Also, Deirdre de Burca has allegedly borrowed up to €100k to run her Euro election campaign. Therefore, she also needs the salary and expenses from her Seanad stint to pay that loan off.

Therefore, in excess of half the Green Parliamentary Party have a very personal financial reason to prop up the government for at least a year, or longer if possible. Is this the real reason why the Greens are so wedded to government?

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Seabhcan on EU Enlargement and the Lisbon Treaty: "There is no shortage of cheap labour - Turkey isn't needed."

Yeah, Eamon Ryan needs the money.

It is so hard to believe that a Party which had its first TD elected in 1989, sees that being in government achieves more than being in opposition?

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If the banks are out for a bail,
and Lenny's efforts end up as a fail,
when the Somer does come,
to the Country they'll run,
And leave a Fine mess for the Gael.

Endinf the one Party (FF) state:

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You need three years to qualify for a Dail pension.

Each year equates to 1/40th of salary.

Check your facts in future.

For new entrants from 2007 Yes. Not for members prior to 2007. Check your facts!!

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Seabhcan on EU Enlargement and the Lisbon Treaty: "There is no shortage of cheap labour - Turkey isn't needed."

How much of your money are you willing to bet on that one?

I will bet you a reasonable amount, but not something that will break you, that the 1/40th rule also applies to TDs first elected in 2002.

The wager can be checked by looking at the members' information booklet available at the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Let's say €50. If I win, the money will go to the Marie Keating Foundation.

The REAL reason the Greens are committed to Government is because - get this - being in Government is the ONLY way to get your policies implemented.

It might have escaped your attention, but the Greens are the only Party that operates on the basis of long term, well thought out, policy. They are the only Party that predicted the Bubble, the only Party that railed against the idiotic "Build, Build, Build" (aka Borrow, Borrow, Borrow) economic policies of the three establishment Parties, and the only Party that consistently warned of the need to address our crazy energy situation.


If the Greens were to back out of Government now, or any time before their mandate is up (2012 under legistation, 2014 under the Constitution) they would be doing a massive disservice to our children because no other Party has the vision, or commitment, to address the fundamental problems that are coming down the track due to our excessive waste of imported energy.

Leave them where the are. They have a job to do.

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"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest." Mark Twain

“When a government is dependent upon bankers for money, they and not the leaders of the government control the situation, since the hand that gives is above the hand that takes. Money has no motherland; financiers are without patriotism and without decency; their sole object is gain.” Napoléon Bonaparte

What utter, utter nonsense !
The Greens went cap in hand to FF and delighted in taking Ahern's policies on board.
the Greens were part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Yawn!

Do you never get tired of spouting that factually incorrect balderdash?


The Greens have implemented huge swathes of Green policy in the last two years, and after the review they will implement even more.

You call it going cap in hand, I call it doing what they were elected to do: Implement Policy.

You don't think they are implementing enough: I see clearly that they are implementing orders of magnitude more than they would be if they were in opposition.

You guys who like to wallow in the land of theory are all very well, but yiz don't get anything done.

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"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest." Mark Twain

“When a government is dependent upon bankers for money, they and not the leaders of the government control the situation, since the hand that gives is above the hand that takes. Money has no motherland; financiers are without patriotism and without decency; their sole object is gain.” Napoléon Bonaparte

But the Greens aren't getting ANY of their policies implemented so the answer has to be YES - the very fact the Greens went in with FF shows they are as bad as the PDs. I can't wait for the next election to see that moron Gogarty lose his seat as well as the trust fund hypocrite Cuffe.

The Greens have implemented huge swathes of Green policy in the last two years, and after the review they will implement even more.

What grotesque exageration ! A few mickey mouse items on insulation and bits and pieces of this and that.