The Green Party

A disappointing year so far from greens

Trevor Sargent TD	John Gormley TD	Eamon Ryan TD	Paul Gogarty TD

I have been disappointed with the Greens performance so far this year. With so much ammunition (furnished by the current Fianna Fail government) concerning waste, water, power, the marine and overall poor investment in Ireland’s infrastructure one would have thought they would have been one of the most vocal parties in the Dail. The Irish Times, Ireland’s paper of record has predicted big things for 2007.

Five years ago, the Greens won six Dáil seats with slightly less than four per cent of the vote and if opinion poll figures carry though to the current election, they could end up with 10 or more TDs this time around. At this stage of the proceedings, the Greens look like an essential component of any secure Rainbow coalition and will very likely find themselves being wooed by Fianna Fáil at the same time.

Sargent has said he will step down if the Greens go in with Fianna Fáil, it seems like this habit is catching, but that he is willing to serve as a minister in such a coalition. It’s an intriguing, some would say jesuitical, proposition from Sargent who is generally seen as a choir-boy innocent in the cynical hurly-burly of Irish politics.

The Green leader showed up at Dunlaoghire to the farmers’ market to comment on ‘organic sellers’

Fianna Fail

Bertie Ahern Boss	Dermot Ahern	Michael Ahern	Noel Ahern	Liam Aylward	Seamus Brennan

The Usual Suspects

Notice the first four pictures are all Ahern’s. So, granted, they’re not all related, but it does suggest to me that Fianna Fail is a big family.

They have also governed Ireland through the country’s economic boom (although many attribute this to EU subsidies kickstarting this growth). The money factor will be a big BIG factor in the upcoming election in Ireland and I am confident that they will make much of this in their election manifesto.

However, FF have been dogged by controvercies (Haugheygate, Laylorgate etc.) and much is made of the entrenched attitude of government to transparency of its institutions. Tribunals have been numerous and damaging for the ruling party. But when it comes to track record, as Clinton said, “It’s all about the economy stupid.”

Sinn Fein

Gerry Adams	Martin McGuinness	Mary Lou McDonal	Pat Doherty	Gerry Kelly

The republican party Sinn Fein is tipped to collect several seats in the upcoming election this year. It is also a watershed moment in Irish politics North and South as the party will be in government on both sides of the border.

The party has however no track record to speak of, as they have never ‘cut their teeth’ in government (with the exception of the ill-fated assembly in the North)