Not easy being Green while holding reins of power
Green Party ministers will soon discover that tough decisions need to be made, and made immediately, says Daniel McConnell
the latest Exchequer returns and unemployment figures illustrate clearly how much trouble Ireland is in, and it puts the role of the Green Party in Government into sharp focus.
But the calibre of their ministers is one hopeful sign. Eamon Ryan, a very capable politician, has impressed greatly since coming into the Dail in 2002, and particularly since becoming a minister (especially his strong stance on the banks).
He is not your typical 'airy fairy' green politician. The son and the grandson of senior bankers, he lives with his wife, writer Victoria White, and their four children in Ranelagh and went to the nearby fee-paying Jesuit Gonzaga College before studying Commerce in UCD. He understands the figures, he understands the true gravity of the situation facing the country.
The country is on the verge of bankruptcy. The country is facing a major problem as to how to pay for its social welfare. Public spending is totally out of control and, as a result, tax increases and further savage cuts in health and education services are to come.
In less than three weeks, this floundering government, in its most profound admission of failure so far, will have to introduce the most devastating and cruel emergency budget this country has seen in over a generation.
In less than 10 weeks after that, Ireland goes to the polls in the local and European elections, at which the Government parties face a complete hammering.
However, given the likely severity of the pending cutbacks -- on top of the almost daily protests seen on the streets of Dublin already occurring -- and given the Greens' lack of experience in government, there are now serious questions about the coalition even lasting that long.
As the party faithful gathered this weekend in Wexford, the level of disquiet among the party was palpable.
It is clear that the party is suffering from the strains of being in power amid many suggestions that it "sold its soul" for power.
Many of the policies they have had to stand over since getting in bed with Fianna Fail have been unpalatable for many within the party, the resignations of councillors Bronwen Maher and Chris O'Leary in January a clear sign of this.
Many speaking this weekend are growing ever more tired of having to defend the FF agenda, with some saying the gains won in office have been minimal.
"There is a lot wrong with the direction of the party at the minute. Do we remember what it means to be Greens anymore?" one senior party member said on Friday.
Given the pain that is coming, will John Gormley or Eamon Ryan be able to stomach the kind of cuts that are coming down the tracks?
Could they honestly stand over the axing of Accident and Emergency services in the State's hospitals? Will they agree to bigger classrooms?
Even worse, will they sacrifice the entire Green agenda on cost grounds to remain in power?
Ryan is torn about what to do about the banks. He has been deeply angered by what he described as "inexcusable excesses" by those at the top and has repeatedly called for wholesale change at the echelons of the banks covered by the state guarantee.
The Greens are also clearly unhappy at the high levels of pay enjoyed by the Taoiseach and the Cabinet at a time when the country is in such peril.
The next few weeks are the most critical in Ireland's recent political history and we are now, given the banking and the economic crises, likely to be the most turbulent seen in a long time.
Many people, me included, doubted whether the Greens were up to lasting in government during normal times. The last year or so has clearly been anything other than normal.
However, in truth, Ryan's and Gormley's performance in Government has been quite impressive so far.
They wobbled but eventually survived the pressure of the first Lenihan budget disaster last October, despite intense pressure from grassroot members for them to withdraw from government.
They held firm, desperate not to make the same mistakes made by former Tanaiste Michael McDowell, who flip-flopped his way through the Bertie Ahern personal finances controversy, which cost him his seat and contributed to his party's electoral decimation in May 2007. However, in the coming weeks the resolve of Eamon Ryan, John Gormley and the other Green TDs will be fully tested.
- Daniel McConnell
