The Green Party has confirmed that it will support cut-backs in education announced as part of the Budget when the Dáil votes on the issue this week, despite strong internal opposition to any reductions.
A specially convened meeting of the party today agreed that it will support the Government in its counter-motion to a Labour Party motion calling for Budget-day cuts in education to be reversed.
Partly leader John Gormley stressed that over the longer-term it will push to have the impact of some of the decisions reversed.
However, Dublin City councillor Bronwen Maher said after the meeting that she will persist with tabling a motion at the party's national convention next spring on the issue of the party's continuation in Government.
Ms Maher said that she supported the outcome of today's meeting but also believed that such a motion was necessary in the interests of democracy.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr Gormley said the meeting was open, frank and very productive. Lasting a little over two hours, it was attended by a total of 30 senior members,including 18 councillors, its six TDs, its two senators, as well as members of the National Executive and senior strategists.
"Our elected representatives expressed real concern about the type of cutbacks in this year's Budget," he said. "We do need greater empathy and emphasis on social justice
"We are looking for changes in education on an ongoing basis particularly in the short term."
He went on to say that the meeting reaffirmed the party's commitment to very active participation in Government.
"What was very clear was that people are very committed to our ongoing participation in Government and it's fair to say that in the past 18 months participation has been very productive."
Mr Gormley said that the party would play a part in drafting tomorrow's counter-motion. Education spokesman Paul Gogarty said it would be very clear which parts of the motion belonged to the Greens and which belonged to Fianna Fáil.
Mr Gormley denied that there was any rift within the party. "We had a frank discussion. I don't know did any councillor leave with the feeling that Greens are anything other than committed to the principles we have abided by for 26 year," he said.
Any expectation that the party would demand changes from Fianna Fáil was dampened in the hours before the meeting when a succession of prominent party members signalled their support for the Government.
Party chairman Dan Boyle said that the party was centrally involved in drafting the Government counter-motion to the Labour Party private members' motion condemning the cuts in education that will result in over 200 job losses and also lead to increases in class size.
Senator Boyle hinted that the wording of the counter-motion would go some way to allay some of the concerns over the cuts expressed by Green Party members. He also echoed the sentiments of party leader John Gormley that the party was in Government for the long-haul.
And the party's education spokesman, Paul Gogarty, also conceded that now was not the appropriate time for the party to take a stand on the issue.
He said on RTÉ that he was prepared to take the flak in the short-term in order to achieve the Green's long-term goals on education. Mr Gogarty read into the Dáil record last week a long letter he sent to the Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe stating that he fundamentally disagreed with the cuts that were made.
The TD for Dublin Mid West said that he will be supporting the Government in the vote on Thursday.
"The vote on Thursday Is not the issue for the Green party. A Government amendment will be tabled and we will be supporting the amendment.
"Trying to find a solution to the education cuts, which we disagree with, is going to take longer than two days," he said.
The credibility of the Government had been damaged, he contended, but said that over the longer term that he was confident that "some form of solution" could be found.
The party's councillors also seemed to be backing that position ahead of the meeting. The convenor of the meeting, Bray councillor Caroline Burrell, said this morning that she expected the party to continue in Government.
"Yes I do. I think the Greens are in government. I think they have done a very good job over the last year. I think there have been changes that would not have happened if the Greens were not in government.
"I think the Greens will rise to the challenge and start leading the way. That's what the Green Party about it."
Also speaking on RTÉ, Ms Burrell said she would not be happy if the education cuts were to proceed without amendment but agreed that they would "grin and bear it".
Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe again ruled out a climbdown on education cuts today.
Speaking earlier today about class sizes, Mr O'Keeffe said "I want to take one step back to take two steps forward."
The Minister is due to meet the Green Party tomorrow to discuss the wording of a Government amendment to the Labour motion.
