A corrupting environment

national | politics / elections | feature Wednesday June 13, 2007 23:10 by IMC Editorial

Greens show their true colours yet again

He has in his hand a piece of paper
Photo Essay from the Mansion house
"Bailing out Bertie by the Greens"

Anyone wringing their hands over the current deal being wrought between the Green Party and Fianna Fail ought to examine the actual evidence of what the Green Party believes as opposed to what the voters wish they believe. A quick glance at the Indymedia Archives will adequately disillusion you.

May 20 2002 Greens get six seats in the Dail. Commentary on indymedia.ie draws attention to Trevor Sargent's attack on the SP's attempt to stop the bin tax. One cynic suggests that no one ought to be surprised at any Green "betrayal" because the history of the EU Greens was rife with it.

Mar 20 2003 80 People blockade the Dail. Protestors are beaten and dragged by the hair. Green Party TD Paul Gogarty is passed the mic by one of the protest organisers and uses the opportunity to plead that "we" are defeated and that he needs to drive his CO2 emitter home, so "shut up and listen"

April 2nd 2003. Blockade of 1000 at the Dail. Two people hospitalised. Joe Higgins dragged off.

June 10th 2003. Ciaran Cuffe steps down. Fianna Fail were horrified and disgusted at the revelation that the Green Party's Environmental spokesman Ciaran Cuffe had over $70,000 of investments in oil companies. The GP accepted his resignation but were satisfied that Mr.Cuffe's investments were not scandalous because they were part of a $1,300,000 inheritance.

November 3rd 2003 Deputy Mayor Attacks Anti-War Activists Deputy Mayor (Green Party) Brian Meaney attacks the attempt to shut down Shannon to US troops and torture planes as "outrageous threats".

June 16 2006 Green Party stokes Graffiti hysteria. Green Party TD John Gormley calls for strong measures to be taken against a blight that is sapping the vigour of our nation's youth.
Audio of the media scrum outside the Dáil from Séan Ryan: TrevorSargent runs from Shannon, 2.5MB mp3|EamonRyan 2.3MB mp3

Posted while the debate was taking place, the pictures by Paula Geraghty below show the greens choosing between the pickets and the media scrum

It's all action at the Mansion House as the Green Party delegates decide on how cheap they are. What price is it to get into Government? Many lobby groups huddled and handed out leaflets in unforgiving downpours, while one Green Party member wept as she pleaded with other members not to vote for the deal.

A short photo essay on the lunchtime lobby at the Mansion House.
Images (c) Paula Geraghty, msperaghty@yahoo.ie

https://indymedia.ie/article/82989