Greens poised to accept government role
More than 600 Green Party members from all over the country are tonight expected to vote to enter government for the first time.
More than two-thirds of delegates are poised to endorse a draft programme for government agreed in recent days with Fianna Fáil.
The 86-page document includes commitments on greenhouse gas reductions, a carbon levy and a Minister of State with responsibility for the elderly.
Party negotiator Dan Boyle said earlier that there was a lot of engagement and a good atmosphere at the Mansion House conference.
Uncertainty continued to surround the future of leader Trevor Sargent, who claimed he would not lead the party into power with Fianna Fáil.
Mr Boyle said of the conference: “There certainly haven’t been expressions of anger. I think people will make a rational decision on whether the gains outweigh whatever possible disappointments are contained in the document.”
The Greens are expected to win two senior Cabinet posts and a junior ministry job.
But former MEP Patricia McKenna said that she would be unable to vote for the government blueprint as it allowed US warplanes to continue refuelling stops at Shannon Airport.
“I have to vote with my conscience and my conscience says to vote no. But I think it has momentum behind it and will probably be carried.”
Delegates will be begin voting in a secret ballot around 8.30pm and the result should be known after 9pm.
Mr Boyle agreed that the M3 motorway, US flights refuelling at Shannon Airport and health issue were the biggest issues concentrating the minds of party members.
The Dublin conference was earlier picketed by anti-war campaigners and opponents of the M3 Motorway going through the Hill of Tara in Co Meath.
Fianna Fáil earlier unanimously backed the draft programme for government at a parliamentary party meeting.
Party deputy leader Brian Cowen also hinted that the Progressive Democrats had rubber-stamped the document.
Four Independents; Beverly Cooper Flynn, Jackie Healy-Rae, Finian McGrath and Michael Lowry, are also expected to support the three-party coalition and vote for Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach when the 30th Dail convenes tomorrow.
Mr Cowen said: “We have put forward a policy programme which will enable the Taoiseach to look forward to considerable support tomorrow.”
“I said today to our parliamentary party that this is a programme for government that we can all be proud of. If we have a positive response all around, we will have a good government.”
