TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen’s decision to agree to a formal review of the programme for government with the Green Party after the June 5th elections has been welcomed by Green Party Minister Eamon Ryan.
Speaking in Co Clare yesterday, Mr Cowen adopted a noticeably more welcoming attitude to the proposal, first put forward by Green Senator Dan Boyle on Friday, than he did when he was interviewed on Sunday.
Then, Mr Cowen said that it was a matter of prioritising the commitments made in the programme for government two years ago and getting on with the implementation of those commitments.
Mr Cowen yesterday said that the Government would “obviously” review the programme after the forthcoming elections. “There is no problem with that. We are looking at a review of the programme after the election.”
Mr Ryan said last night he welcomed the position that the Taoiseach had taken. “It was unclear to me what he was saying , but it is certainly clear today.”
So far, the Greens have refused to list their key requirements, though Mr Ryan did make it clear that they would insist on the metro line in Dublin going ahead – despite significant objections to it.
“Fine Gael is saying that we should not build the metro. I would like to see a clear commitment ,” Mr Ryan said, adding that the Greens have discussed among themselves the need for a review for some time.
The Greens’ decision to focus on the programme for government has more to do with its belief that its hand will be strengthened by the elections, rather than with it exhibiting any desire to quit office.
Speaking in advance of Mr Cowen’s comments yesterday, Mr Boyle said Mr Cowen’s comments up to then were insufficient.
“What I am hearing is about tweaking. I do not think that that is enough. I think is trying to be accommodating and emollient,” he said.
His speech in Tralee last Friday – which had been cleared with colleagues in advance – was about emphasising that the Greens “are quite distinct” from Fianna Fáil, said Mr Boyle.
Speaking in Tralee last evening, however, Mr Cowen was at pains to emphasise the Government’s own smart economy document which was produced last year: “I led that process in Government,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan intensified the Government’s attacks on the Labour Party, saying it had “demonstrated its incapacity to be a party of government”.
“Its policy on banking matters has been characterised by a mixture of low political abuse and opportunism,” Mr Lenihan said, saying that banking stability “rates low on Labour’s order of priorities”.
There was “no immediate reason” for Ireland to adopt “a policy of wholesale bank nationalisation”, though the State would take further equity in the main banks if that was necessary.
