Fine Gael TDs raise possible autumn election in teleconference
The possibility of a snap autumn election has been raised by junior Fine Gael ministers who have raised opposition to Green Party demands to cut emissions by 7% as part of any coalition deal.
A tele-conference of ministers of state on Friday morning heard major concerns about Green pressures for government talks with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.
Junior justice minister Denis Stanton raised the prospect of an autumn election and told fellow junior ministers to be ready for a snap vote if coalition efforts collapsed or failed.
“Stanton spoke about being prepared for another election in the autumn. And nobody expressed a different view,” said one minister who was on the call.
A dozen junior ministers took part in the group two-hour long phone call, which was chaired by European Affairs Minister Helen McEntee.
A key issue which ministers expressed concern and in many cases opposition to is the Green Party's insistence that any programme for government should include an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7% annually.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said on Friday that he and Fine Gael were "keen" to meet the Greens' emissions demand. But the Irish Examiner understands several ministers agreed on the Friday tele-conference call that this core demand was a “red line” for them and an unrealistic demand.
“You can't beat the fever of a zealot,” confided one junior minister.
“There are a new breed of Greens. And even half of Eamon Ryan's TDs weren't councillors 12 months ago. We are not doing 7%,” added the rural minister.
"You can get to it [that emissions cut] if you wreck the place,” the minister said.
During the group call, junior health minister Catherine Byrne outlined her own experience of how Green councillors at a local level were “very difficult” to work with, telling colleagues they were “not interested in solutions”.
Local government minister John Paul Phelan and junior public expenditure minister Patrick O'Donovan both spoke about how Fine Gael should still strive to be in government-but not at any cost.
“We must have red lines,” Mr Phelan told colleagues.
Meanwhile, the Green Party's decision to enter government formation talks is expected to see leader Eamon Ryan meet Fianna Fail and Fine Gael leaders Micheal Martin and Leo Varadkar this week. The Green Party are also expected to appoint a negotiating team.
A concern, some parliamentary party members said, was trying to get younger members to approve any final deal, one TD said:
"“The 17 questions were about establishing a decent baseline. There was so much we care about not in there that will need to be in any document good enough for the members to accept."
It was also confirmed the 16 parliamentary members held a vote to enter the talks. A source added:
“The important thing is this is now happening. And that we get enough good things for young members, in particular."
