A war of words has erupted between the Greens and Labour over their respective records in Government and their potential role as junior members of a post-election coalition.
There have been reports and speculation that, should Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael be in a position to form the next Government, they might seek to ditch their Green Coalition partners in favour of Labour.
At a press conference in Dublin, Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman was asked about this and why people should vote for his party rather than Labour.
He said: “We have the track record of delivery over the last four-and-a-half years and I’d argue that the Green Party, with 12 TDs, have been able to deliver more in that four-and-a-half years than the Labour Party did with 37 TDs.”
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This was a reference to Labour’s last stint in government with Fine Gael after the economic crash between 2011 and 2016.
It was a coalition that restored Ireland’s economic sovereignty after the Troika bailout, but also came in for criticism for austerity measures – which Labour has argued would have been worse had it not been in government.
Mr O’Gorman, the minister for children and integration, said his party has “got the experience”, with three of its candidates having been in Cabinet dealing with large departments and “complex issues”.
He said: “We’ve shown how we can deliver key pieces of legislation” and “we give a very clear policy offering in terms of investment in areas of public services and infrastructure that are much needed. We know how to make change happen in Government.”
Mr O’Gorman was speaking as he launched his party’s “Children’s Charter” aimed at supporting parents, improving public services for families and protecting vulnerable children.
The Green Party is pledging to bring down childcare costs to €200 per month. Mr O’Gorman said that the ability of other parties to promise the same cap is based on his work in the area of childcare.
He claimed credit for the last Government cutting childcare fees by 50 per cent, saying: “It wasn’t easy. No one else was rolling in behind me.”
Mr O’Gorman also said the Green Party had demonstrated its “strengths” in Government over the last four-and-a-half years and suggested this had “stirred up resentment in parts of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael”.
He added: “I do think there are some within both of those parties who would prefer to be propped up by a weaker Coalition partner, or indeed, many who would like just like the two of them in on their own.”
The Labour Party hit back with a statement, saying: “Unfortunately the Greens’ self-proclaimed record of delivery falls flat in a number of areas.”
Labour said Mr O’Gorman’s party “failed to pass the Occupied Territories Bill” and claimed it “rolled over on the Planning Act, allowing LNG [liquefied natural gas] imports”.
It accused the Greens of being “complicit in lifting the eviction ban, removing security for renters and putting more families at risk of homelessness” and said it “excluded thousands of Mother and Baby home survivors from redress”.
“Labour wants positive change and we have praised the Greens in the past for securing some limited wins, but today’s arrogant tone does not match the record of this Government or the Green Party’s role in it.
“For Labour this election is about the future and the potential to transform Ireland with a strong left platform driving Government policy.
“When the Greens recover from this temporary bout of self-congratulation they might remember that we share much more than divides us.”
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