Green Party TD Trevor Sargent said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision was based on "outdated policies".
What EPA decision is this you may ask.
Well, it's the EPA decision to grant a waste licence to the 300,000 tonne capacity regional landfill near Lusk in north Dublin, in which one-sixth of the county’s waste will be dumped.
This begs the following question; if the EPA policies are outdated Trevor, why have you and your Green Party done nothing to update them?
Trevor Sargent - delivered a 300,000 tonne capacity regional landfill to his constituency.
John Gormley - delivered an incinerator to his constituency.
Well done lads ...
Monday, May 31, 2010
Another reason to be proud ... Ireland the only country in Europe not to have implemented the Aarhus convention
The Green Party promised.
But surprise, surprise we have another Green Party promise as yet unfulfilled.
And Ireland remains the only country in Europe not to have fully implemented the Aarhus convention on access to environmental information.
Sr Majella McCarron of the Table human rights monitoring group has claimed that our failure to fully implement the Aarhus convention is hindering its handling of the Corrib gas dispute. Sr McCarron has also claimed that the right to fair trial has been breached in recent court proceedings relating to the dispute. She was commenting on the publication of her group’s new report on the situation in north Mayo – the second such report it has compiled on Corrib.
Sr McCarron said if the convention was fully implemented, people would not have to protest and risk arrest to highlight a lack of information on authorisations for various works.
Link to this story in the Irish Times, May 31st, 2010.
But surprise, surprise we have another Green Party promise as yet unfulfilled.
And Ireland remains the only country in Europe not to have fully implemented the Aarhus convention on access to environmental information.
Sr Majella McCarron of the Table human rights monitoring group has claimed that our failure to fully implement the Aarhus convention is hindering its handling of the Corrib gas dispute. Sr McCarron has also claimed that the right to fair trial has been breached in recent court proceedings relating to the dispute. She was commenting on the publication of her group’s new report on the situation in north Mayo – the second such report it has compiled on Corrib.
Sr McCarron said if the convention was fully implemented, people would not have to protest and risk arrest to highlight a lack of information on authorisations for various works.
Link to this story in the Irish Times, May 31st, 2010.
Mary White put in her place by Dermot Ahern
Mary White, Minister of State for Integration and deputy leader of the Green Party, recently called for changes to the immigration system, including the right to work while seeking asylum. She said earlier this month she would like to see asylum seekers given the right to work while they await a decision on their case and more flexible rules in the hostels where they live.
However the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern seems to have different ideas. Minister Ahern has categorically rejected appeals to give asylum seekers the right to work, saying that this would not be appropriate in the current economic climate. Ruling out allowing asylum seekers to work, he said: “I don’t think the Irish people would thank us, given the fact we have 280,000 unemployed people across the country and 430,000 on the Live Register.”
Despite the calls for change by Ms White, Minister Ahern said that this was “not on our radar”. Minister Ahern continued, “If Mary White wants to provide the money from her new department – then away she can go,” he added.
Ouch!
I think thats what FF call "senior hurling" Mary.
Link to this story.
However the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern seems to have different ideas. Minister Ahern has categorically rejected appeals to give asylum seekers the right to work, saying that this would not be appropriate in the current economic climate. Ruling out allowing asylum seekers to work, he said: “I don’t think the Irish people would thank us, given the fact we have 280,000 unemployed people across the country and 430,000 on the Live Register.”
Despite the calls for change by Ms White, Minister Ahern said that this was “not on our radar”. Minister Ahern continued, “If Mary White wants to provide the money from her new department – then away she can go,” he added.
Ouch!
I think thats what FF call "senior hurling" Mary.
Link to this story.
Minister Ryan is looking after the pennies ...
Seemingly no amount is too small for some ministers to claim. Eamon Ryan recouped €17.60 on August 27, 2007 and €18.28 on April 28, last year because he’d spent more than five hours away from his Dublin office link.
Although Minister Ryan is fully entitled to claim this money, there seems to me to be something deeply wrong with this. Something petty. Something that seems rotten from a Minister in the Green Party who promised "clean politics" and to reform the rotten expenses system.
But maybe I'm being too hard on the Minister. Perhaps he's saving up his pennies for his Sky TV subscription. God knows, he can hardly afford to live on his massive expenses and €190,000 annual salary ...
Although Minister Ryan is fully entitled to claim this money, there seems to me to be something deeply wrong with this. Something petty. Something that seems rotten from a Minister in the Green Party who promised "clean politics" and to reform the rotten expenses system.
But maybe I'm being too hard on the Minister. Perhaps he's saving up his pennies for his Sky TV subscription. God knows, he can hardly afford to live on his massive expenses and €190,000 annual salary ...
Licences to shoot deer increase by 47% under John Gormley's watch
The Irish Independent May 26th 2010 reports that Minister John Gormley has increased the number of licences to shoot deer by 47pc in the past three years. Mr Gormley has allowed the number of licences for 'deer stalking' to increase to more than 4,000 today from about 2,700 three years ago.
Interesting behavior from a Minister who is so vigorous in his views that Stag hunting should be banned ...
Interesting behavior from a Minister who is so vigorous in his views that Stag hunting should be banned ...
Friday, May 28, 2010
Dublin to have mayoral election this year - Gormley
From the Irish Times May 28th 2010 ... Minister for the Environment John Gormley said it was still his intention that Dublin would have a directly elected mayor this year. Minister Gormley said "The Bill is currently being drafted by the parliamentary counsel as a matter of priority."
However, Fine Gael spokesman Phil Hogan said it would be October before the legislation was published and brought through the Dáil and Seanad. There would be no mayoral election before the end of that month. It would hardly be held in December, so that left November. Minister Gormley responded by saying that it was up to the political parties to decide when they wanted to campaign, he added. "They can select their candidates and start campaigning now if they wish."
The Irish Independent May 28th 2010 are also reporting that Mr Gormley said last weekend he believed the three issues (the Dublin Mayorial election, the childrens rights referendum, and the 3 by-elections) could be voted on in one day. The minister's spokesman said it was Mr Gormley's "personal preference" to hold all the votes on the same day and that there was "a logic in terms of cost and the work the Department of the Environment would have to undertake."
Dan Boyle as usual was twittering about this. He said that the timing of the by-elections "depends on the children's rights referendum and the Dublin mayor election. They could be held on different dates. Autumn/spring?" Mr Boyle also said the Greens did not support Fine Gael's proposed law to ensure the holding of by-elections within six months of a TD's resignation or death because the "opposition bill was about political advantage, not improving democracy".
"Improving democracy"! Good one Dan!!! Tell that to the people being denied representation in Dublin, Donegal, and Waterford.
So what does all this mean? Will we have the by-elections this year? Will we have the referendum on childrens rights this year? Surely they will have to be held at the same time as the Mayorial elections. Although, I wouldn't put anything past Green/FF ... they don't seem to care how much they flout demacracy at this stage. Survival of this rotten and incompetent government at any cost, and saving their own skins seems to be the only priority these days.
However, Fine Gael spokesman Phil Hogan said it would be October before the legislation was published and brought through the Dáil and Seanad. There would be no mayoral election before the end of that month. It would hardly be held in December, so that left November. Minister Gormley responded by saying that it was up to the political parties to decide when they wanted to campaign, he added. "They can select their candidates and start campaigning now if they wish."
The Irish Independent May 28th 2010 are also reporting that Mr Gormley said last weekend he believed the three issues (the Dublin Mayorial election, the childrens rights referendum, and the 3 by-elections) could be voted on in one day. The minister's spokesman said it was Mr Gormley's "personal preference" to hold all the votes on the same day and that there was "a logic in terms of cost and the work the Department of the Environment would have to undertake."
Dan Boyle as usual was twittering about this. He said that the timing of the by-elections "depends on the children's rights referendum and the Dublin mayor election. They could be held on different dates. Autumn/spring?" Mr Boyle also said the Greens did not support Fine Gael's proposed law to ensure the holding of by-elections within six months of a TD's resignation or death because the "opposition bill was about political advantage, not improving democracy".
"Improving democracy"! Good one Dan!!! Tell that to the people being denied representation in Dublin, Donegal, and Waterford.
So what does all this mean? Will we have the by-elections this year? Will we have the referendum on childrens rights this year? Surely they will have to be held at the same time as the Mayorial elections. Although, I wouldn't put anything past Green/FF ... they don't seem to care how much they flout demacracy at this stage. Survival of this rotten and incompetent government at any cost, and saving their own skins seems to be the only priority these days.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
The Cabinet Subcommittee on Climate Change has held no meetings in 2010
It has emerged that the Cabinet Subcommittee on Climate Change has held no meetings to date this year and held only two meetings during the whole of 2009 (The Irish Times May 27th 2010). The figures represent a significant decrease from 2008 when the committee, chaired by Taoiseach Brian Cowen, met a total of six times.
The chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Climate Change also made scathing criticism of the Government’s engagement with the issue. Fine Gael TD Seán Barrett said yesterday that the committee which the Greens had insisted upon when entering coalition with Fianna Fáil was now “forgotten about”. He also stated “We have been led to believe that we are literally wasting our time sitting in this room."
The information was included in a parliamentary reply to the Labour Party spokeswoman on energy Liz McManus, who contended it has strong evidence that the Government’s commitment to climate change has dwindled and that the Green Party had abandoned its core issue. Ms McManus said “The setting up of this Cabinet Committee on Climate Change was heralded by the Greens as an ‘indication of the priority this Government is attaching to addressing climate change’ ... (link to where John Gormley said this in 2007).
I remember the setting up of this committee. It is in the Programme for Government and was indeed heralded by the Greens as an 'indication of the priority this Government is attaching to addressing climate change'.
Why the hell has this committee not met this year? Why did the Green Party insist this committee was set up if they are now happy that it never meets? Does the fact this committee has not met yet in 2010 give us an indication of the real commitment of the Green Party in Govt to address climate change?
The chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Climate Change also made scathing criticism of the Government’s engagement with the issue. Fine Gael TD Seán Barrett said yesterday that the committee which the Greens had insisted upon when entering coalition with Fianna Fáil was now “forgotten about”. He also stated “We have been led to believe that we are literally wasting our time sitting in this room."
The information was included in a parliamentary reply to the Labour Party spokeswoman on energy Liz McManus, who contended it has strong evidence that the Government’s commitment to climate change has dwindled and that the Green Party had abandoned its core issue. Ms McManus said “The setting up of this Cabinet Committee on Climate Change was heralded by the Greens as an ‘indication of the priority this Government is attaching to addressing climate change’ ... (link to where John Gormley said this in 2007).
I remember the setting up of this committee. It is in the Programme for Government and was indeed heralded by the Greens as an 'indication of the priority this Government is attaching to addressing climate change'.
Why the hell has this committee not met this year? Why did the Green Party insist this committee was set up if they are now happy that it never meets? Does the fact this committee has not met yet in 2010 give us an indication of the real commitment of the Green Party in Govt to address climate change?
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
John Gormley, Grandmaster Quisling and Hypocrite
Excellent post by Malbekh over on politics.ie. The full thread is here. This is also on Malbekh's excellent blog "Not on my Watch".
"Minister Gormley is in the process of putting the finishing touches to banning Stag Hunting in Ireland, a 'vital' component for the current program for government. Of course, this ban will not stop stag hunting in Ireland, because deer will still be shot and killed both legally in terms of culling numbers, and illegally for those hunting trophies.
The ban in stag hunting will affect the only stag hunting club in the Republic, the Ward Union Hunt. The WUH maintains a 150 strong Red Deer herd in Co Meath. The hunt, of which there are several a year, takes place by segregating a healthy adult deer from the herd, transporting it to a set location, and then chasing it down using hounds with the intention of capturing it again. Is this cruel? Absolutely. And as we have seen, there have been incidents of stags having to be put down or entering into public or private lands and giving rise to potential injury or death.
However, isn't it astonishing that the minister is taking such an enthusiastic zeal in dealing with what is after all, an anachronistic event involving a bunch of would-be-toffs that has absolutely no abiding consequence on the deer population in Ireland? Mr Gormley has spent well over a €1,000,000 of taxpayers money in an attempt to shut down this hunt, including losing €300,000 alone in one failed court case. Would this money not be better spent in doing something constructive about the deer population in Ireland?
Nobody is in a position to give a definitive answer on what the deer population in Ireland is. One hunter of national prominence has indicated that the deer population in Ireland may well be between 30 and 40 times its sustainable level. The difficulty in verifying this is because the minister, who is now three years in office, has failed to do the one basic action everyone has been asking for - a national deer census. He's perfectly happy to count frogs thanks to EU directives, but when it comes to compiling basic facts that you can draw conclusions from, he's happier spending money off on wild legal goose chases.
Let's be clear on this, even the most ardent deer lover is prepared to admit that the deer population is out of control over large portions of Ireland, a particularly bad spot being the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains. The NPWS organises hunting (culls) sanctioned and increased by the minister since he has been in office to try and control the population, but with no census, we have no way of establishing if this is having the desired effect. Even worse, the illegal hunting of deer is on a scale equivalent and even surpassing the legal activity. It's quite lucrative in that hunters both in Ireland and abroad will pay substantial sums of money to be given the opportunity to hunt deer. Of course, the problem with this is that they are mostly interested in hunting stags because they are trophy hunting, and this has little lasting effect on controlling deer numbers.
In the meantime, our rampaging deer population (one assumes as we have no census) are doing millions of Euros worth of damage to crops and indigenous flora, which has a knock on effect on native fauna. You may wonder why there is little native hardwood forestry in Ireland? Well the reason is that the little blighters will chew and strip every sapling they can get their teeth and tongues into by preference to anything else, and ring-fencing the trees is too commercially expensive in spite of the grants made available. So the deer quite happily reside in their Sitka Spruce mono-cultural night residences only to forage down from the mountains where and when they want.
This is the sheer hypocrisy of John Gormley, he wastes hundreds of thousands of Euros tackling the irrelevancy of the WUH to appease the anti-hunting element in the Green Party, thus making it a Green central plank on the PfG, but completely fails to deal with the bigger, more overriding issue of deer control. A competent minister would start the ball rolling with a deer census, then get all the stakeholders together and drum up a steering group, with the express aim of coordinating the conservation, maintenance and control of the national deer herd for betterment of one and all. The minister's hypocrisy is helpful to no-one, save his own ego and stupidity.
In the meantime, I note Mr. Gormley in his best quisling role taking on a photo shoot of the first Red Kites born in this country for over 200 years. The minister has been in charge for three years, and yet he has done nothing to protect the attempts to reintroduce Red Kites, Golden and Sea Eagles in this country from rampant poisoning. Indeed, this is the worst year on record, happening directly on his watch. No new legislation, no random searches of farms, no random searches of suspect areas identified from tracking tags, no arrests, no prosecutions. NO. NOTHING.
This is a minister of self-serving drivel, a man of inaction, worse, a man whose few actions are counter-productive and inconsequential, because his limitations in ability and aptitude blinker him from realising simple, basic, tasks and legislation. He is a failure in common sense, a failure as a representative of the Green Party, and the sooner the country is rid of this hypocritical quisling, the better."
"Minister Gormley is in the process of putting the finishing touches to banning Stag Hunting in Ireland, a 'vital' component for the current program for government. Of course, this ban will not stop stag hunting in Ireland, because deer will still be shot and killed both legally in terms of culling numbers, and illegally for those hunting trophies.
The ban in stag hunting will affect the only stag hunting club in the Republic, the Ward Union Hunt. The WUH maintains a 150 strong Red Deer herd in Co Meath. The hunt, of which there are several a year, takes place by segregating a healthy adult deer from the herd, transporting it to a set location, and then chasing it down using hounds with the intention of capturing it again. Is this cruel? Absolutely. And as we have seen, there have been incidents of stags having to be put down or entering into public or private lands and giving rise to potential injury or death.
However, isn't it astonishing that the minister is taking such an enthusiastic zeal in dealing with what is after all, an anachronistic event involving a bunch of would-be-toffs that has absolutely no abiding consequence on the deer population in Ireland? Mr Gormley has spent well over a €1,000,000 of taxpayers money in an attempt to shut down this hunt, including losing €300,000 alone in one failed court case. Would this money not be better spent in doing something constructive about the deer population in Ireland?
Nobody is in a position to give a definitive answer on what the deer population in Ireland is. One hunter of national prominence has indicated that the deer population in Ireland may well be between 30 and 40 times its sustainable level. The difficulty in verifying this is because the minister, who is now three years in office, has failed to do the one basic action everyone has been asking for - a national deer census. He's perfectly happy to count frogs thanks to EU directives, but when it comes to compiling basic facts that you can draw conclusions from, he's happier spending money off on wild legal goose chases.
Let's be clear on this, even the most ardent deer lover is prepared to admit that the deer population is out of control over large portions of Ireland, a particularly bad spot being the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains. The NPWS organises hunting (culls) sanctioned and increased by the minister since he has been in office to try and control the population, but with no census, we have no way of establishing if this is having the desired effect. Even worse, the illegal hunting of deer is on a scale equivalent and even surpassing the legal activity. It's quite lucrative in that hunters both in Ireland and abroad will pay substantial sums of money to be given the opportunity to hunt deer. Of course, the problem with this is that they are mostly interested in hunting stags because they are trophy hunting, and this has little lasting effect on controlling deer numbers.
In the meantime, our rampaging deer population (one assumes as we have no census) are doing millions of Euros worth of damage to crops and indigenous flora, which has a knock on effect on native fauna. You may wonder why there is little native hardwood forestry in Ireland? Well the reason is that the little blighters will chew and strip every sapling they can get their teeth and tongues into by preference to anything else, and ring-fencing the trees is too commercially expensive in spite of the grants made available. So the deer quite happily reside in their Sitka Spruce mono-cultural night residences only to forage down from the mountains where and when they want.
This is the sheer hypocrisy of John Gormley, he wastes hundreds of thousands of Euros tackling the irrelevancy of the WUH to appease the anti-hunting element in the Green Party, thus making it a Green central plank on the PfG, but completely fails to deal with the bigger, more overriding issue of deer control. A competent minister would start the ball rolling with a deer census, then get all the stakeholders together and drum up a steering group, with the express aim of coordinating the conservation, maintenance and control of the national deer herd for betterment of one and all. The minister's hypocrisy is helpful to no-one, save his own ego and stupidity.
In the meantime, I note Mr. Gormley in his best quisling role taking on a photo shoot of the first Red Kites born in this country for over 200 years. The minister has been in charge for three years, and yet he has done nothing to protect the attempts to reintroduce Red Kites, Golden and Sea Eagles in this country from rampant poisoning. Indeed, this is the worst year on record, happening directly on his watch. No new legislation, no random searches of farms, no random searches of suspect areas identified from tracking tags, no arrests, no prosecutions. NO. NOTHING.
This is a minister of self-serving drivel, a man of inaction, worse, a man whose few actions are counter-productive and inconsequential, because his limitations in ability and aptitude blinker him from realising simple, basic, tasks and legislation. He is a failure in common sense, a failure as a representative of the Green Party, and the sooner the country is rid of this hypocritical quisling, the better."
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The need for a revenue-neutral carbon tax
I believe the rationale for a carbon tax is simple and obvious. The levels of CO2 already in the Earth’s atmosphere and being added daily are destabilizing established climate patterns and threatening the ecosystems on which we and other living beings depend. The debates are all very well known at this stage, and I wont bore any of you by repeating them here. Suffice it to say that I firmly believe a carbon tax is a good thing and any reduction in carbon emissions are essential to avoid runaway climate change and avert resulting severe weather events, inundation of coastal areas, spread of diseases, failure of agriculture and water supply, infrastructure destruction, forced migrations, political upheavals and international conflict.
A carbon tax must be the central mechanism for reducing carbon emissions. A tax on carbon should hopefully provide additional incentives to develop and deploy carbon-reducing measures such as energy efficiency, renewable energy , low-carbon fuels, and conservation-based behavior such as bicycling, recycling and overall mindfulness toward energy consumption. Taxing fuels according to their carbon content will infuse these incentives at every link in the chain of decision and action — from individuals’ choices and uses of vehicles, appliances, and housing, to businesses’ choices of new product design, capital investment and facilities location, and governments’ choices in regulatory policy, land use and taxation.
However a carbon tax should also be revenue neutral. In effect this means that little if any of the tax revenues raised by taxing carbon emissions would be retained by government. The vast majority of the revenues would be returned to the public, with, perhaps, a very small amount utilised to mitigate the otherwise negative impacts of carbon taxes on low-income energy users.
A carbon tax must be the central mechanism for reducing carbon emissions. A tax on carbon should hopefully provide additional incentives to develop and deploy carbon-reducing measures such as energy efficiency, renewable energy , low-carbon fuels, and conservation-based behavior such as bicycling, recycling and overall mindfulness toward energy consumption. Taxing fuels according to their carbon content will infuse these incentives at every link in the chain of decision and action — from individuals’ choices and uses of vehicles, appliances, and housing, to businesses’ choices of new product design, capital investment and facilities location, and governments’ choices in regulatory policy, land use and taxation.
However a carbon tax should also be revenue neutral. In effect this means that little if any of the tax revenues raised by taxing carbon emissions would be retained by government. The vast majority of the revenues would be returned to the public, with, perhaps, a very small amount utilised to mitigate the otherwise negative impacts of carbon taxes on low-income energy users.
Is our carbon tax revenue-neutral or just a revenue-grab?
The Irish Times reported last October on a claim made by Minister John Gormley that the carbon levy to be announced in the budget of December 2009 would not be used as a tax to raise revenue for the exchequer. The Irish Times claimed that Mr Gormley said the carbon levy would go ahead on a revenue-neutral basis, along the lines recommended by the Commission on Taxation.
Minister Gormley's comments were in response to a claim by Ibec director general Danny McCoy that the carbon levy would in fact be an energy tax, primarily designed to raise revenue for the exchequer. In a statement issued last night Ibec said: “It seems to us that the carbon tax now being proposed as part of budget 2010 will simply be a means to collect revenue and will not be ring-fenced to reduce other costs to business or improve energy-efficiency". Mr McCoy said: “It’s beginning to sound like a revenue-grab. You then need to call it what it is, an energy tax. It should not be called a carbon tax.”
So, is our carbon tax revenue-neutral or a revenue-grab?
The FF/Green carbon tax is on target to raise €250m this year. Tax figures relating to the carbon tax show that it has raised €53.1m in the year to April and, with home heating oil about to be levied, the tax is set to yield €250m in total this year. Very good, and what was expected, but Fine Gael has claimed that just €130m of this €250m is set to be spent on energy-efficiency measures, which it says means that the Government’s assertion the tax would be revenue-neutral is false.
“Funds from the tax are supposed to address energy-efficiency, fuel poverty and competitiveness issues. However, the Government is taking in at least €120m more than it is spending in 2010 alone and €200m in a full year,” said FG TD Simon Coveney. “Minister Gormley claimed that €36m from the carbon tax was to be set aside for use as a PRSI exemption for employers who take unemployed people off the dole. This measure has not been implemented. Even if it is implemented before the end of the year, there is still €90m going straight into Government coffers,” he added.
Looks more like a revenue-grab than revenue-neutral to me. Why did Minister Gormley promise this tax would be revenue neutral when it clearly isn't?
Minister Gormley's comments were in response to a claim by Ibec director general Danny McCoy that the carbon levy would in fact be an energy tax, primarily designed to raise revenue for the exchequer. In a statement issued last night Ibec said: “It seems to us that the carbon tax now being proposed as part of budget 2010 will simply be a means to collect revenue and will not be ring-fenced to reduce other costs to business or improve energy-efficiency". Mr McCoy said: “It’s beginning to sound like a revenue-grab. You then need to call it what it is, an energy tax. It should not be called a carbon tax.”
So, is our carbon tax revenue-neutral or a revenue-grab?
The FF/Green carbon tax is on target to raise €250m this year. Tax figures relating to the carbon tax show that it has raised €53.1m in the year to April and, with home heating oil about to be levied, the tax is set to yield €250m in total this year. Very good, and what was expected, but Fine Gael has claimed that just €130m of this €250m is set to be spent on energy-efficiency measures, which it says means that the Government’s assertion the tax would be revenue-neutral is false.
“Funds from the tax are supposed to address energy-efficiency, fuel poverty and competitiveness issues. However, the Government is taking in at least €120m more than it is spending in 2010 alone and €200m in a full year,” said FG TD Simon Coveney. “Minister Gormley claimed that €36m from the carbon tax was to be set aside for use as a PRSI exemption for employers who take unemployed people off the dole. This measure has not been implemented. Even if it is implemented before the end of the year, there is still €90m going straight into Government coffers,” he added.
Looks more like a revenue-grab than revenue-neutral to me. Why did Minister Gormley promise this tax would be revenue neutral when it clearly isn't?
Friday, May 21, 2010
The real situation is very, very different from the spin ...
I meant to post this a while ago but because I've been traveling a lot lately it fell through the cracks. Its comment from Murra on PoliticalWorld.org on the thread "What Has Become of All the Green Party Members Who Have Resigned?"
This is worth reading. To listen to official Green spin one might be tempted to think all is well in the Green Party. The reality is very, very different, and this comment shows what is really happening.
The full comment ... "I was at the GP convention in Waterford. It looked to me like there was only half the number there that would normally be at convention. We had to be rounded up to the front seats to make it look full. I only recognised about 10% of the people there - I don't know where the rest came from. Loads of Young Greens, and what I call 'careerist' greens - those involved in green tech and energy who have a vested interest in their own 'green' careers.
In answer to the OP, I think you will find a lot of the GP members who have left the party involved in the Transition Town movement and probably Climate Camp, and other such 'Green' organisations.
I went to the convention to assess the mood and feelings of the members. If you were there you will have to agree that the numbers were very low - maybe 250 people? As I said, I only recognised 10% of those present. The only 'jubilance' and increase I saw was amongst the Young Greens, bless their naivety. The mood was very sombre and tetchy - the security around the place was suffocating - barriers outside the hotel to keep the protesters far away, symbolic of the disconnect between the GP and the public.
Where were the dissenting voices amongst the members in any of the debates? Gone. All gone. All have left the party to stew in its own faecal matter. Who was elected to the NEC who will speak for the dissenters? Nobody. Who's on the NEC this year? Gormleys Yes men and women.
The GP/CG are no longer recognisable as a Green Party either amongst the electorate or within the International Green Movement. They should give up the title 'Green Party', its misleading and deceptive."
These are powerful words and not spoken lightly. People should be aware of what is really happening in Green Party circles these days ... Murra's words provide a necessary dose of reality.
This is worth reading. To listen to official Green spin one might be tempted to think all is well in the Green Party. The reality is very, very different, and this comment shows what is really happening.
The full comment ... "I was at the GP convention in Waterford. It looked to me like there was only half the number there that would normally be at convention. We had to be rounded up to the front seats to make it look full. I only recognised about 10% of the people there - I don't know where the rest came from. Loads of Young Greens, and what I call 'careerist' greens - those involved in green tech and energy who have a vested interest in their own 'green' careers.
In answer to the OP, I think you will find a lot of the GP members who have left the party involved in the Transition Town movement and probably Climate Camp, and other such 'Green' organisations.
I went to the convention to assess the mood and feelings of the members. If you were there you will have to agree that the numbers were very low - maybe 250 people? As I said, I only recognised 10% of those present. The only 'jubilance' and increase I saw was amongst the Young Greens, bless their naivety. The mood was very sombre and tetchy - the security around the place was suffocating - barriers outside the hotel to keep the protesters far away, symbolic of the disconnect between the GP and the public.
Where were the dissenting voices amongst the members in any of the debates? Gone. All gone. All have left the party to stew in its own faecal matter. Who was elected to the NEC who will speak for the dissenters? Nobody. Who's on the NEC this year? Gormleys Yes men and women.
The GP/CG are no longer recognisable as a Green Party either amongst the electorate or within the International Green Movement. They should give up the title 'Green Party', its misleading and deceptive."
These are powerful words and not spoken lightly. People should be aware of what is really happening in Green Party circles these days ... Murra's words provide a necessary dose of reality.
Ten Questions for the Green Party
The Green Party has always espoused openness and transparency, and Green politics are based on debate and discussion.
With that in mind, I have ten questions for the Green Party. Let's see if any of the readers of my humble blog have any answers ...
1. Why are the Green Party denying the the peoples of Donegal, Waterford and Dublin South their right to a by-election? It has been many months since these people have been without their allowed level of representation ... why do the Green Party keep voting against holding these 3 by-elections? Why are the Green Party delaying on the referendum on children's rights? Why has John Gormley refused to meet Fregus Finlay to discuss the proposed referendum?
2. Where is the ban on corporate donations promised by John Gormley?
3. Why have the Green Party appointed unqualified Green Party members to State jobs after promising that all such appointments would be openly advertised and transparent. Elizabeth Davidson was appointed to the board of IFCO (Irish Film Classification) ... was this position openly advertised, and is Elizabeth Davidson qualified for this job in any way? Elizabeth is just one example of this ... there are many others. How is this different to the gombeenism of FF on "Planet Bertie".
4. Shannon - Has there been even ONE inspection of US military flights passing through Sahnnon? Who knows what is coming through Shannon?
5. Tara - The argument was made by John Gormley and co. that it would cost €200m to buy us out of the contract with Eurolink, and that if we spent that money, it would be €200m less for our public service? How come we can now hand over multiples in billions to zombie banks and its ok?
6. The Banking Inquiry - Why does the inquiry not include the night of the guarantee in Sept 2008? Why is the inquiry not open and transparent? (Private not secret, right Minister Gormley???).
7. Secret Ministerial rotation deals - Why was a secret deal put in place to rotate Green Ministers after 2.5 years in Govt? Why was Eamon Ryan excluded from this secret deal, and why did he not know about the deal (he has claimed ignorance many times).
8. If secret deals like the above exist, how can we be sure that other secret deals don't exist? Were secret deals done on Tara and Shannon? Why did Eamon Ryan not know about these secret deals between John Gormley and Bertie Ahern? What else don't we know? How can the Green Party still claim to be open and transparent whilst doing deals that GP members and GP Ministers don't even know about?
9. Why has the Irish EPI index dropped 10 places since Minister Gormley has been in charge. We were 10 places higher when we had Dick Roche in Minister Gormley's seat!
10. Where are the Electoral, Tax and Dail reforms? Where's the GMO Legislation? Where is the ratification of Aahrus? Where's the National Transport Strategy?
With that in mind, I have ten questions for the Green Party. Let's see if any of the readers of my humble blog have any answers ...
1. Why are the Green Party denying the the peoples of Donegal, Waterford and Dublin South their right to a by-election? It has been many months since these people have been without their allowed level of representation ... why do the Green Party keep voting against holding these 3 by-elections? Why are the Green Party delaying on the referendum on children's rights? Why has John Gormley refused to meet Fregus Finlay to discuss the proposed referendum?
2. Where is the ban on corporate donations promised by John Gormley?
3. Why have the Green Party appointed unqualified Green Party members to State jobs after promising that all such appointments would be openly advertised and transparent. Elizabeth Davidson was appointed to the board of IFCO (Irish Film Classification) ... was this position openly advertised, and is Elizabeth Davidson qualified for this job in any way? Elizabeth is just one example of this ... there are many others. How is this different to the gombeenism of FF on "Planet Bertie".
4. Shannon - Has there been even ONE inspection of US military flights passing through Sahnnon? Who knows what is coming through Shannon?
5. Tara - The argument was made by John Gormley and co. that it would cost €200m to buy us out of the contract with Eurolink, and that if we spent that money, it would be €200m less for our public service? How come we can now hand over multiples in billions to zombie banks and its ok?
6. The Banking Inquiry - Why does the inquiry not include the night of the guarantee in Sept 2008? Why is the inquiry not open and transparent? (Private not secret, right Minister Gormley???).
7. Secret Ministerial rotation deals - Why was a secret deal put in place to rotate Green Ministers after 2.5 years in Govt? Why was Eamon Ryan excluded from this secret deal, and why did he not know about the deal (he has claimed ignorance many times).
8. If secret deals like the above exist, how can we be sure that other secret deals don't exist? Were secret deals done on Tara and Shannon? Why did Eamon Ryan not know about these secret deals between John Gormley and Bertie Ahern? What else don't we know? How can the Green Party still claim to be open and transparent whilst doing deals that GP members and GP Ministers don't even know about?
9. Why has the Irish EPI index dropped 10 places since Minister Gormley has been in charge. We were 10 places higher when we had Dick Roche in Minister Gormley's seat!
10. Where are the Electoral, Tax and Dail reforms? Where's the GMO Legislation? Where is the ratification of Aahrus? Where's the National Transport Strategy?
Pat Kavanaghs comment on John Reardon's blog
Pat Kanvanagh's comment on John Reardon's blog post "Coalition lessons from Ireland" is worth highlighting. Pat is a woman I have a lot of respect for, and I believe she has got it 100% correct again here.
The comment in full is ... "I think we need to separate this argument into two halves. On the one side the Greens in Govt HAVE achieved some good things in Govt for their numbers, so Pidge is correct to highlight these.
However, on the other side, and in my opinion and in the opinion of the electorate (as evidenced by the disasterous local election results) they have supported policies in Govt which are an anathema not only to Greens, but to anybody with any sense of social justice and morality.
We now have a Junior Minister for Sustainability - but this in itself is another deception. How can you have a Minister for Sustainability who will stand over economic and fiscal policies where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and where crooks and criminals get away scot free? How can Minister Sustainability stand over the asset-stripping of the country's natural resources and our children's future, ie Corrib and Coillte?
You see, it's not just about the Greens getting a few crumbs from the table and being glad of it. By virtue of supporting a rotten, corrupt political party in Govt, they have taken up that very mantle. At this crucial time for our country we need people with the REAL courage of their convictions, and hopefully that's what we'll get when the next election comes round."
Well said Pat, and I hope your new movement is successful enough that come the next election we may indeed get people with the REAL courage of their conviction.
The comment in full is ... "I think we need to separate this argument into two halves. On the one side the Greens in Govt HAVE achieved some good things in Govt for their numbers, so Pidge is correct to highlight these.
However, on the other side, and in my opinion and in the opinion of the electorate (as evidenced by the disasterous local election results) they have supported policies in Govt which are an anathema not only to Greens, but to anybody with any sense of social justice and morality.
We now have a Junior Minister for Sustainability - but this in itself is another deception. How can you have a Minister for Sustainability who will stand over economic and fiscal policies where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and where crooks and criminals get away scot free? How can Minister Sustainability stand over the asset-stripping of the country's natural resources and our children's future, ie Corrib and Coillte?
You see, it's not just about the Greens getting a few crumbs from the table and being glad of it. By virtue of supporting a rotten, corrupt political party in Govt, they have taken up that very mantle. At this crucial time for our country we need people with the REAL courage of their convictions, and hopefully that's what we'll get when the next election comes round."
Well said Pat, and I hope your new movement is successful enough that come the next election we may indeed get people with the REAL courage of their conviction.
Delay in Children's Rights Referendum ... Cowen and Gormley putting their own interests before the interests of vulnerable children
According to the Irish Independent of May 21st, 2010 the Government is facing growing criticism for its slow response in protecting children in the wake of a sickening report into the cover-up of clerical abuse. Yesterday marked the first anniversary of the Ryan Report, and eight charities and children's organizations demanded politicians focus on children's rights and set a date for a referendum. The Saving Childhood Ryan campaign stressed vulnerable youngsters all over the country are still without social workers while the Government had failed to implement most of its own 99-point action plan.
Fergus Finlay, of Barnardos, said several requests to meet Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Environment Minister John Gormley - as leaders of Fianna Fail and the Green Party - have been refused.
This is a true disgrace. Hang your head in shame Minister Gormley for not even having the courtesy to meet Mr. Finlay. This is just another example of you putting your own personal interests and the interests of your rotten Green Party first. We know you are willing to sacrifice almost anything to stay in power ... you have already sacrificed the poorest in our society to protect the richest friends of Fianna Fail ... but surely this a new low even for you.
Hold the referendum on childrens rights now.
Fergus Finlay, of Barnardos, said several requests to meet Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Environment Minister John Gormley - as leaders of Fianna Fail and the Green Party - have been refused.
This is a true disgrace. Hang your head in shame Minister Gormley for not even having the courtesy to meet Mr. Finlay. This is just another example of you putting your own personal interests and the interests of your rotten Green Party first. We know you are willing to sacrifice almost anything to stay in power ... you have already sacrificed the poorest in our society to protect the richest friends of Fianna Fail ... but surely this a new low even for you.
Hold the referendum on childrens rights now.
Eamon Ryan and free-to -air Rugby
There has been a lot of debate over the last week on Minister Eamon Ryan's proposal that key rugby matches should be designated as free-to-air on television.
I think people would rather have jobs than watch rugby.
Perhaps that is where Minister Ryan should focus his efforts.
I think people would rather have jobs than watch rugby.
Perhaps that is where Minister Ryan should focus his efforts.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Red paint thrown at Niall O'Brollichain's constituency office
As reported by the Galway Independent.
"A Galway Senator has hit out at vandals who covered his new constituency office in red paint on Tuesday morning. The Salthill constituency office of Green Party Senator Niall O Brolchain, which was officially opened just a fortnight ago by Green Party leader John Gormley, is understood to have been subjected to the attack early yesterday morning.
Image
Vandals left the Lower Salthill office, along with the pavement and a neighbouring apartment, daubed with 'blood red' paint.
Speaking to the Galway Independent in the aftermath of the attack Senator O Brolchain said the gardai have been informed, and that footage from a nearby CCTV camera is currently being examined in an attempt to establish the identity of the culprits."
This incident shows low the Green's have sunk in the eyes of the public. This would never have happened 3 years ago ... now no one is really surprised by this. In fact, I've heard a few people saying they are surprised it doesn't happen to more FF/Green TD's constituency offices.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this story is the reaction it's likely to give rise to. There is already a comment from "Patsy" in the Galyay Indo article saying "Maybe this is justice for being granted an undeserved and unelected 100k per year job? "
The politics.ie thread on this here.
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Irish Greens, pariahs of Green parties everywhere
Excellent blog post from John Reardon here.
"In 2007, after saying they wouldn't, the Irish Greens went into coalition with Fianna Fail. Their leader, Trevor Sargent, resigned the leadership and was replaced as leader by the highly ambitious John Gormley, who ended up as Environment Minister. Cue being played like a fiddle by Fianna Fail, massive social spending cuts, financial meltdown and public anger.
The Irish Greens have no one to blame but themselves and they've been in freefall since early 2008 with many leading lights in the party, like ex Dublin MEP Patricia McKenna, disowning them as the disgrace they are. They'll almost certainly be wiped out at the next general election."
Well said John ... I agree with every word.
Politics.ie thread on this here.
"In 2007, after saying they wouldn't, the Irish Greens went into coalition with Fianna Fail. Their leader, Trevor Sargent, resigned the leadership and was replaced as leader by the highly ambitious John Gormley, who ended up as Environment Minister. Cue being played like a fiddle by Fianna Fail, massive social spending cuts, financial meltdown and public anger.
The Irish Greens have no one to blame but themselves and they've been in freefall since early 2008 with many leading lights in the party, like ex Dublin MEP Patricia McKenna, disowning them as the disgrace they are. They'll almost certainly be wiped out at the next general election."
Well said John ... I agree with every word.
Politics.ie thread on this here.
Friday, May 07, 2010
"It's Time to Change the Government"
This is an election 2007 leaflet from Ciaran Cuffe.
"It's Time to Change the Government" eh Ciaran?
Well, no. Not really. Another in a voluminous list of things the Greens say, and then do the exact opposite.
Ciaran supports this FF Government with more vigor, commitment, and passion (dare I say the word "love"?) than even the FF backbenchers do.
"It's Time to Change the Government" eh Ciaran?
Well, no. Not really. Another in a voluminous list of things the Greens say, and then do the exact opposite.
Ciaran supports this FF Government with more vigor, commitment, and passion (dare I say the word "love"?) than even the FF backbenchers do.
Attempt to move by-election writ defeated on casting vote of Ceann Comhairle
A Sinn Fein motion seeking to have the writ moved for the Donegal South West by-election was defeated on May 5th 2010 on the casting vote of Ceann Comhairle Seamus Kirk. The vote was 76 for and 76 against, and as is traditional, the chair went with the government.
The debate was opened by Sinn Fein Deputy Caomhain O’Caolain, followed by Fine Gael Deputy Dinny Mc Ginley, who said that Donegal South West is seriously underrepresented at the moment, doubly so because Tanaiste Mary Coughlan has to spend so much time on national duties.
However, confirming that the government would be blocking the move, Minister of State John Curran said the governments focus at present is on taking steps to address the economic crisis. He said the government has no wish to distract from that work, and argued that the county is being well represented.
Needless to say all Green TD's and Ministers voted with the Government.
Dan Boyle has tweeted that all three pending by-elections will be held at the same time as the Dublin Mayoral election. We'll see what happens ...
The debate was opened by Sinn Fein Deputy Caomhain O’Caolain, followed by Fine Gael Deputy Dinny Mc Ginley, who said that Donegal South West is seriously underrepresented at the moment, doubly so because Tanaiste Mary Coughlan has to spend so much time on national duties.
However, confirming that the government would be blocking the move, Minister of State John Curran said the governments focus at present is on taking steps to address the economic crisis. He said the government has no wish to distract from that work, and argued that the county is being well represented.
Needless to say all Green TD's and Ministers voted with the Government.
Dan Boyle has tweeted that all three pending by-elections will be held at the same time as the Dublin Mayoral election. We'll see what happens ...
Political corruption and Green Inaction
Excellent comment piece in the Irish Times of May 5th, 2010.
There has been much talk, but little follow-through, concerning the nasty reality of political corruption in this State. Early last year, Minister for the Environment John Gormley undertook to break the link between big business and politics and promised radical legislation to restrict political donations and spending. A year on: the legislation hasn’t appeared and Mr Gormley complains at the Green Party annual conference of unacceptable rezoning decisions and of councillors from other parties being in thrall to developers. What is going on?
Where is the promised legislation Minister Gormley?
Where is the promised ban on corporate donations Minister Gormley?
Makes these election leaflets from 2007 look kind of ironic. "Green politics ... Clean politics" indeed.
There has been much talk, but little follow-through, concerning the nasty reality of political corruption in this State. Early last year, Minister for the Environment John Gormley undertook to break the link between big business and politics and promised radical legislation to restrict political donations and spending. A year on: the legislation hasn’t appeared and Mr Gormley complains at the Green Party annual conference of unacceptable rezoning decisions and of councillors from other parties being in thrall to developers. What is going on?
Where is the promised legislation Minister Gormley?
Where is the promised ban on corporate donations Minister Gormley?
Makes these election leaflets from 2007 look kind of ironic. "Green politics ... Clean politics" indeed.
Greens take first Commons seat
Well done to Caroline Lucas leader of the UK Green Party who won the party's first seat in the House of Commons yesterday. She defeated the Labour incumbent in Brighton Pavilion. Ms Lucas won 16,238 votes as compared with 14,986 for Labour and 12,275 for the Conservatives. The 1,252-vote majority overturned a Labour majority of 5,030 at the 2005 election.
Typical Green Party ... say you support something and then vote against it!
The Green Party has been calling loudly for pensions for all sitting members of the Dail to be scrapped. Green Minister of State Mary White said the Green Party had always objected to the dual payments system which she described as a “travesty”.
But then Ms. White and the rest of the Green's vote against a motion by Fine Gael that would have banned such payments.
This one single incident typifies everything the Green Party have now become.
Link and link.
But then Ms. White and the rest of the Green's vote against a motion by Fine Gael that would have banned such payments.
This one single incident typifies everything the Green Party have now become.
Link and link.
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