Ireland: Green Party faces wipe out in any early General Election

Ireland's Green Party has been wiped out in the local elections. It lost all its seats in Dublin and has just three seats in the rest of the country. In the months prior to the local and Euro elections the party was damaged by the resignations of two councillors, Bronwen Maher (Dublin City Council) and Chris O'Leary (Cork City Council). They were strongly critical of the direction the leadership had taken the party since going into government with Fianna Fail in 2007. This was followed by the resignation of former MEP Patricia McKenna who contested the Euro elections-in Dublin- as an independent and outpolled the official Green candidate Deirdre De Burca.
Deirde De Burca demanded a recount and lost the party further credibility.
Chris O'Leary contested the local elections as an independent and was reelected. Last weeks ugly smear directed at Enda Kenny backfired.

Tonight on RTE defeated Green candidate Niall Ó Brolcháin -from-Galway-mentioned the possibility of crossing the floor and joining FG and Labour in a new government. This suggestion was promptly rubbished by Pat Rabbitte and Phil Hogan who stressed the necessity of a general election to ensure that a new government had a mandate. Quite simply the Greens are caught between a rock and a hard place. Continued participation in government is damaging the party. However if the Greens were to precipitate a general election the party would in all probability lose its full complement of TDs.The Greens would go the way of the PDs.
The Green Party has no option but to remain in government and hope that the tide turns in the next 2-3 years.
Surely Green turkeys will not vote for Christmas.

Dublin: Patricia McKenna ditches the Green Party to run as an Independent in Euro Elections -huge split opens up

Patricia McKenna has confirmed, in an interview with Hot Press, that she’s quitting the Green party to stand as an independent Euro candidate.

The decision of Patricia McKenna to leave the Green Party was inevitable. Since the vote to enter government with FF in 2007, there has been a sizeable rump- within the party- which has been uneasy as Green ministers jettison more and more core beliefs. In essence the realos within the party have outmaneuvered the fundis. It is an open secret that some in the leadership wished to push McKenna out of the party. This is borne out by today's reaction of Senator Deirdre De Burca party candidate for the Euro elections in Dublin. She said:

“The pity about Patricia McKenna’s move is that she did not do it at least a year ago and spare herself and her party colleagues a lot of time-wasting and strife,” the Senator said. “In my view she is addicted to the politics of opposition and appears reluctant to move beyond that comfort zone,” she said. “In my view she is addicted to the politics of opposition and appears reluctant to move beyond that comfort zone,” she said. “The Green Party is committed to the constructive politics of engagement and bringing about real change from within.”

McKenna is a conviction politician who believes that core principles must be preserved at all costs. Whilst many of her policy positions are too extreme she is a politician of the highest integrity. A series of party u-turns have become too much for her. The party has u-turned on incineration, the use of Shannon Airport by the US military, GM feed, social housing and the Shell to Sea dispute.

I feel embarrassed about being a member of the Green Party," McKenna told Hot Press, "because of what we said in the past and the promises we made, which we failed to deliver on. I just knew that I couldn’t run under a Green Party ticket and pretend that everything was alright because I’d be lying."
Asked by Hot Press if she believes the Greens have sold out, she answers unequivocally: "I do”.

The Green Party has already lost Dublin City councillor Bronwen Maher and Cllr Chris O'Leary in Cork-both of whom have resigned.Increasingly its organization has begun to crumble.

McKenna is a formidable candidate with a strong record. She made political history in the 1994 European Elections when she topped the poll in Dublin and became Irelands first Green MEP. She spent ten years as an MEP.
She narrowly lost her seat in the Euro 2004 election. She is a strong media performer and will certainly damage the very slight prospects of Senator Deirdre De Burca. Indeed she may outpoll De Burca. This would be the ultimate humiliation for the Green Party. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that she may yet lead a new party.

Ireland- Euro Elections: Can Burke,Crowley and Sinnott hold Munster seats?

The Euro election campaign in Munster is now in full swing. FG candidates - outgoing MEP Colm Burke and Sean Kelly former president of the GAA have put together two strong campaign teams. Colm Burke has been subjected to some unfair criticism in relation to his profile. It is well to remember that he has been MEP for only two years. He is articulate and hard working. He has been active on the issue of EU aid for Dell workers and secured concessions which benefited the Hasbro toy factory in Waterford. Colm Burke has been vocal on agriculture and fishing issues also.
Both Colm Burke and Independent MEP Kathy Sinnott were interviewed on Waterford Local Radio today. The two candidates were impressive. Colm Burke came across as quite a strong candidate.

Sean Kelly has a very high profile based on his time as president of the GAA where he was instrumental in the opening up of Croke Park to rugby and soccer internationals. He is generally regarded as one of the best presidents of the GAA. He has strong positions on major issues such as agriculture, health, unemployment and fishing. 500 people attended the launch of his impressive website. He should poll very well.

Independent Kathy Sinnott has been quite active since her election as an MEP. She is strong on such issues as health, disability and life. She has a high profile.

FF has two candidates running. Sitting MEP Brian Crowley has been an MEP for 15 years. He should hold his seat. He is joined by Ned O'Keeffe. It is rumoured that Brian Crowley is interested in the presidency of Ireland. If Crowley were elected president Ned O'Keeffe could take his seat as first substitute. Ned O'Keeffe is no sacrificial lamb and sparks may fly.

Alan Kelly from Tipperary is the Labour Party candidate. Over the last year he has been active on radio and television and has been gradually building a profile. He will hope to take the third seat.

Toireasa Ferris from Kerry is the Sinn Fein candidate. She will hold the republican vote but lacks sufficient profile to win a seat. She will also be damaged by the fact that there is another female candidate in the race and by the fact that the Labour Party is resurgent.

The Green Party candidate is Senator Dan Boyle . He is unlikely to win a seat.

It is too early to call the outcome as campaigns are in their initial stages. FF will win one seat, FG will win one. The third seat could be a dogfight between the second FG candidate, Kathy Sinnott and Alan Kelly.