General Election 24th May (1 Viewer)

[magicbastarder]

didn't he say he didn't want that issue to 'get in the way' of tonight's vote? or something similar?

 

[Goff]

He has to fall on his sword and go. But then, he knows the writing's on the wall for the Greens. They've sold out bigger than I expected. McKenna ain't too pleasd either. I'd be very surprised if the rank and file accept it.

 

[Space]

So the capitalist system is fucked and all politicians are corrupt money grabbing cunts. Glad that's been cleared up, for me at least. I can't believe I actually held out some hope for the greens.

 

[magicbastarder]

i'm still holding out hope. hopefully roger garland's sentiments reflect the sentiments of the party members.

 

[Space]

i'm still holding out hope. hopefully roger garland's sentiments reflect the sentiments of the party members.

Hopefully, but that says nothing for the leadership.

 

[magicbastarder]

breakingnews are suggesting it'll be carried:
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhkfeysncwkf/

 

[Goff]

breakingnews are suggesting it'll be carried:
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhkfeysncwkf/

I wonder what they really offered them.

A thirty speed Ministerial bike?

 

[pete]

well, they voted for it

86.something% in favour

 

[Space]

I wonder what they really offered them.

A thirty speed Ministerial bike?

On the radio one of them was asked would they forego the ministerial merc for walking and cycling. The reply was that walking and cycling was still very important to them. Presumably that means they'll be taking the merc(s).

Green me arse.

 

[pete]

sargent is still going to resign as party leader, but is prepared to take a ministerial position

eh, what?

 

[Goff]

You'll need someone who has a bit of a clue to reign Gormley in.

Ah, the mercs. They'll not use them but then they will. Thing is, if they have an armed driver, you won't see one of those 50+ year old fuckers sitting on a bike. Personal Security will be the get out excuse.

 

[Goff]

Green me arse.

Green. The colour of (old) money.

Or is that thirty pieces of silver.

Did they not realise that the people who voted for them did so as an anti Fianna Fáil thing or do they just not give a fuck?

Power corrupts....

 

[Space]

Green. The colour of (old) money.

Or is that thirty pieces of silver.

Did they not realise that the people who voted for them did so as an anti Fianna Fáil thing or do they just not give a fuck?

Power corrupts....

The Yankee dollar is still green.

You've answered your own question.

I'm off to join the wsm.

 

[Anthony]

Interesting Vincent O'Brien radio show tonight. They don't sound too enthusiastic about their deal themselves. Especially about Tara, something along the lines of "we've found out that things aren't that easy to stop once the job has been started, what with contracts and legalities".


Why don't we just vote for Judges instead of TDs?

 

[carbide]

Green. The colour of (old) money.

Or is that thirty pieces of silver.

Did they not realise that the people who voted for them did so as an anti Fianna Fáil thing or do they just not give a fuck?

Power corrupts....

you've no idea why people voted for them, beyond anecdotal evidence.

they're politicians - i don't really get why everyone expects them to be completely different to the rest, and why their expression of ideals is then taken to mean they will live up to some gold standard. i know that shannon, rossport, hospital co-location etc are determined by a series of small decisions by a group of people, but i imagine there's a choice between accepting that the massive FF majority means that nothing will change, or agitating for change at the cost of being able to implement ANY of your policies.

i'm not sure the deal is so great and it's still a government where fianna fail set the agenda from the start, but i'm curious to see how it goes. at least it's not another FF/PD government, assuming the greens speak up.

 

[cookiemonster]

Green. The colour of (old) money.

Or is that thirty pieces of silver.

Did they not realise that the people who voted for them did so as an anti Fianna Fáil thing or do they just not give a fuck?

Power corrupts....

how do you know why people voted for them?

yeah from what i've read the deal worked out with FF isn't amazing, but it's better than another five years of FF/PDs.
Anyway, with FF/FG/PDs and arseholes like healy-rae making up about 80% of the Dáil it's not like we've a whole lot of better alternatives...

 

[magnetize]

Green draft programme for Government Wednesday, 13 June 2007 15:18

*Environment*

** * Set a target for reduction of 3% per year on average in Irish
greenhouse gas emissions.

*** Mandate the Dept of Environment to publish an annual report setting out
progress on meeting climate change targets.

*** Review and renew the role of the EPA

*** Establish Climate Change commission

*** Introduce Noise Bill

** * Require carbon offsetting of all official air travel in support of
urban forests.

*Energy*

*** Dramatically accelerate the growth of renewable energy sources in the
electricity, heat and transport sectors of the economy. One third of all
electricity consumed will come from renewable energy by 2020.

*** Devise a price support scheme to support and encourage investment in
the development of wave and tidal power.

*** Introduce new national building standards in 2007 to ensure that new
housing has 40% lower heat energy demand than existing building standards
and revise them again in 2010 to achieve a 60% target in further years.

*** Introduce new National Attic and Wall Insulation Grant Scheme worth
€100m.

*** Ensure that the ESB installs a new smart electronic meter in every home
in the country which will allow people to reduce their bills by cutting back
on unnecessary use of electricity.

*** Work with the European Commission and other national grid operators to
develop an offshore wind farm grid connection system to power the rest of
Europe.

** * Provide substantial financial support to improve the energy efficiency
of existing public housing and assist those on low incomes to avoid fuel
poverty.

*Transport*

*** Multi-criteria analysis of all transport projects to take into account
environmental factors on a whole project basis.

** * Bring into being a National Transport Regulator after bringing into
being a Dublin Transport Authority.

** * Substantially improve and expand the Luas service in Dublin.

*** Establish and support the work of the Dublin Transport Authority to
oversee strategic planning, infrastructure, services, fares, routes and
traffic management.

** * Reopen Western rail Corridor from Ennis to Claremorris.

*** Opening the Navan rail line.

*** Opening Cork-Midleton rail service, provide a commuter rail service
between Galway and Athenry.

* Conduct feasibility studies, to be completed within two years, into the
Luas-style light rail systems in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.

*Education*

*** Commit to an additional €350m per year on new service developments in
education.

*** Provide each child with special needs with the right to an individual
Education Plan. In case of autism the Plan will enable them to benefit from
a range of teaching approaches.

*** Ensure education in road safety is provided at different stages of the
school system.

Expand the number of adult literacy training places by 4000.

**

*Taxation Policy*

** * Setting up a Commission on Taxation to examine the balance of how taxes
are collected, the value of taxes reliefs and the introduction of
environmental taxes.

*** Changes in VAT in relation to environmental goods and services.

** * A carbon levy to be introduced during the lifetime of this Government.

*Social Partnership*

*** Environmental organisations to become social partners.

*** Comhar - The National Sustainability Council - to become part of the
National Economic and Social Development Office, and given an enhanced
research role.

*Extraordinary Rendition*

*** The Irish Government is completely opposed to the practice of
extraordinary rendition. To that end, the Government will encourage and
support An Garda Síochána in the investigation an enforcement of these
Statues. It will do this by making resources available for specialised
training in the provisions of those Statutes to members of An Garda Síochána
and by other means as may be required by An Garda Síochána in order to
ensure effective protection for the dignity of all persons within or passing
through the State. We will ensure that all relevant legal instruments are
used so that the practice of extraordinary rendition does not occur in this
State in any form.

*Electoral Reform*

*** Establish an independent Electoral Commission to take responsibility
for electoral administration and oversight. It will also take charge of the
compilation of a new national rolling electoral register. It will take over
the functions of the Standards in Public Office Commission in relation to
electoral expenditure and examine the issue of financing of the political
system.

*Local Government Reform*

** * We will reform local government making it more transparent and more
responsible to its customers. A Green Paper on Local Government Reform will
be published with in six months of coming into office. This Green Paper will
examine proper balance of power at local levis between the Manager and the
elected representatives, the issue of directly elected Mayors/Chairs, the
establishment of town councils in those towns that have shown significant
population growth in recent years and the provision of quality customer
service to the public.

*** Directly elected Mayor for Dublin by 2011.

*** We will review the operation of local government legislation to ensure
that the decision making processes in local authorities are rebalanced in
favour of the democratically elected representatives of the people.

*** Ensure that there is an acceptable 'buffer period' before civil
servants or local government officials can take up employment in related
areas of the private sector.

 

[egg_]

Did they not realise that the people who voted for them did so as an anti Fianna Fáil thing

Not the reason I voted for them. A few vox pops that conform to the biases of the media establishment doesn't mean something is true. There's been an awful lot of talk about climate change in the last year, probably enough to make people aware of green issues

Introduce new national building standards in 2007 to ensure that new
housing has 40% lower heat energy demand than existing building standards
and revise them again in 2010 to achieve a 60% target in further years.

This is dumb. Building standards are pretty good as they stand, but, as far as insulation goes, almost never adhered to