TENSIONS are rising in the Green Party as councillors and many members have urged Catherine Martin to run for leadership.
Current leader Eamonn Ryan was part of a previous government with Fianna Fáil and supported the bail out of banks and cut-backs on public transport, People Before Profit Councillor Adrienne Wallace reminded.
Adrienne told The Kilkenny Observe that the Green Party also seemed split on whether entering a coalition government with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael was a right move.
Adrienne called on local Green TD for Malcolm Noonan to urge his party to avoid ‘another disastrous government formation’.
She said: “Following a historic shift in Irish politics and a massive swing to left wing politics across the country it will be a sad day if the Greens sell out their mandate of change.
“The anti-water charges campaign, repeal and the marriage referendum have shown us that progressive change can come from outside the Dáil.
”If the Greens want to deliver on their environmental mandate, they should put their energy into building strong grassroots movements alongside left wing parties and not to join a party of elites that are wed to the fossil fuel industry.”
Bolster capitalism
Cllr Wallace continued: “Both parties also support the beef and dairy barons. They think that an expansion of global exports will help bolster Irish capitalism.
“But unless, there is a radical re-orientation of Irish agriculture – which will include major support of small farmers – Ireland will continue to be an environmental laggard.”
She concluded by calling for a united approach to protect families in the eventuality of a recession.
“The possibility of a looming recession means that we must fight to protect workers, not repeat the mistakes of the past by heaping austerity onto ordinary people.
“Leo Varadkar has already started attacking families on the Covid-19 payment by saying there is no such thing as ‘free money’, it’s a pity he didn’t think that when he bailed out the banks to the tune of €64billion.
“If the Greens join this coalition they will once again be supporting austerity. I am asking the Green Party members and TDs to ensure their party stays out of coalition – and then choose whatever leader they want.”
