The Greens in Government a year later

mike65

Okay its more than a year but as the time difference occures during the summer hols it makes no odds.

How have they done?

I didn't vote for them as I'm not a fan but I did reckon they'd be utterly useless, and certainly not a distinct voice within the government. The party appears to have been reduced to tossing out "bright" ideas as opposed to achieving anything of susbstance.

Even in an area which should be an open goal - floods and building on flood plains, Gormley managed nothing more solid than to talk rather vaguely about new laws while failing to talk once of enforcing existing planning laws.

"I hope building in flood plains will become a thing of the past"

Well John you need to do more than hope!

I could mention the BS of recent announcements regarding reduced speed limits and noise pollution measures both of which feel like silly season headline grabbers for the party and nothing more but won't, as I'll just get angry.

Maybe I'm being harsh and that in a few years we'll see a postive effect but I doubt it.

Mike

Villain

I was listening to Dan Boyle on the Sunday supplement and he was been torn to bits about some of their idea most recently been the speed reduction idea, the other guests as agreed that they should stick to some major projects rather floating these rather small and silly ideas.

The biggest problem I see is they sold their soul in many respects with the incinerators and the M3 motorway and the carbon tax is coming at a very time for our economy.

brianthebard

They'll definitely be the scapegoats for everything at the next election, and may even take a beating at the local and europeans next year. They've done feck all to show that their policies are worthwhile, or being treated seriously imo, and they have folded on countless issues where they would have been expected to show a bit of backbone.

irish_bob

i actually agree with john gormely on his new noise pollution laws , far too many inconsiderate noise neighbours be it with power tools , alarms or especially dogs who know that the law is impotent to do anything

Villain

Noise pollution is annoying no doubt but allowing Gardai to break in to stop an alarm is OTT imo

Húrin

I think the green's political influence has been proportionate to their number of seats. (six, as opposed to FF's 78)

If you think they should be doing more, you had better have voted for them!

18 Aug 2008: New planning guidelines to manage flood risk areas. John also announces fast tracking of the national climate change adaption strategy.
12 Aug: Additional organic milk quota announced. Trevor Sargent launches scheme to allow 750,000 extra litres of organic milk onto the Irish market.
8 Aug: New wastewater treatment plant for Fingal. The new facility announced by John will cover the areas of Rush, Lusk, Portrane and Donabate and ensure planning is not put on hold because of an over-capacity on system.
7 Aug: Eight white tailed eagles released into Kerry National Park. The release is the second part of the programme to reintroduce the native bird of prey to Ireland.
4 Aug: €5m home energy saving grant scheme. Eamon Ryan announces that Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) is now inviting applications for the ‘Cluster Housing’ phase of the Government’s Home Energy Saving Pilot Scheme.
31 July: Results of Digital Terrestrial Television trial announced. As a result of the trial, Ireland will follow countries like France, Sweden, Norway and Estonia in adopting the latest digital television technology.
25 July: New housing bill published. John announces draft legislation containing important measures on social and affordable housing, and anti-social behaviour.
24 July: Details of new battery recycling scheme announced. From 29 September final users of waste batteries will be entitled to leave them back free of charge to retail outlets selling equivalent batteries, or other authorised collection points.
23 July: Public consultation on election posters launched. John seeks submissions on poster usage during election and referendum campaigns.
18 July: New measures to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of local planning. The new bill will ensure greater coherence between the National Spatial Strategy, Regional Planning Guidelines, development plans and local area plans.
22 July: Eamon launches low carbon housing scheme. SEI will provide grants of up to 40 per cent of eligible expenditure to encourage large developments to improve their energy performance.
7 July: Study on electricity grid connection: Eamon announces that funding has been secured for a feasibility study on the development of an offshore wind power grid to connect Northern Ireland, Ireland and Western Scotland.
6 July: €1.25m announced to aid local authorities in tackling graffiti and litter.
30 June: Funding for 14 archaeological projects. The funding will be used to give a better understanding of Ireland's archaeological heritage.
24 June: Civil Partnership Bill announced. Published heads of the bill significant step forward for same sex couples.
17 June: Review of local election boundaries announced. Changes will be made to take account of population changes.
9 June: Blue Flags awarded to 80 beaches with excellent water quality.
28 May: New measures to enhance Dublin Bay. John extended wildlife protection areas and established a special taskforce to advise on the future of Dublin Bay. The taskforce will examine climate change, flooding, amenity areas, and the future of Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ports.
26 May: €20m for university energy research. Eamon allocated funding to UCD, QUB, UCC, UU, NUIG and UL that will create an additional 208 students and researchers in sustainable energy.
15 May: New Irish film channel. Eamon outlined details of a new free-to-air digital channel that will show Irish films and add a new dimension to public service channels. The channel will begin transmission by the end of 2009.
14 May: Broadcasting Bill contains junk food ad rules. Eamon published a new bill that will establish a single broadcasting regulator, introduce a ‘right of reply’ mechanism, and establish codes and rules relating to food advertising aimed at children.
12 May: Ireland's biodiversity a multi-billion euro asset. John published a study on the social and economic aspects of biodiversity which estimated the value of Ireland’s biodiversity at upwards of €2.6bn per annum.
6 May: Trevor secured €10m contribution to the world food programme.
5 May: Recommendations on Waterford Viking site accepted. John endorsed the final report on the future preservation of the Viking Age national monument at Woodstown, in Waterford.
30 Apr: New action plan to increase organic production. Trevor launched a plan aimed at achieving the Programme for Government target of 5% of land area in organic production by 2012.
29 Apr: €3.5m for protection of local heritage. John announced grant offers to 138 conservation projects nationwide.
28 Apr: Tighter controls on waste exported for recycling. John announced new regulations to tighten controls on the export of waste for recycling and recovery.
24 Apr: New pilot scheme to encourage domestic energy saving. Eamon announced a new home energy saving scheme that will encourage and incentivise homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
22 Apr: Green paper on local government reform launched. John published new draft plans to strengthen local democratic leadership and introduce a new elected mayor for Dublin.
16 Apr: New electricity microgeneration programme announced. Eamon announced a pilot grant scheme that will allow users to generate electricity for their own use.
14 Apr: Dublin Transportation Authority Bill published. The greens inputted into the legislation that will lead to the of the establishment of the Dublin Transport Authority.
8 Apr: Consultants appointed to undertake transmission network study. Eamon appointed international consultants to undertake the independent study on the comparative merits of overhead electricity transmission lines versus underground cables.
7 Apr: Wicklow County Council directed to progress Sugarloaf protection. John directed the Council to progress Special Amenity Area Orders for the Sugarloaf area in North Wicklow.
3 Apr: Early success for red squirrel project in Mayo. John visited successful translocation project for red squirrels in Ballina.
20 Mar: Substantial funding increases for conservation and protection of built heritage. John announced a funding package amounting to almost €25m to support built heritage projects in 2008
29 Mar: Greens in Government lead Earth Hour activities. Green ministries symbolically switched off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances during global Earth Hour to highlight the contribution people can make to tackling climate change through reduced energy use.
25 Mar: New bathing water regulations introduced. John announced new regulations which focus on the greater protection of bather’s health, a proactive approach to the management of bathing water quality and greater public involvement.
19 Mar: Boyle welcomes pension fund withdrawal from bomb firms. Dan welcomed the withdrawal of National Pension Reserve Fund investments in companies known to have an involvement in the making of cluster bombs – a long-held Green demand.
17 Mar: New Diaspora TV channel in time for St Patrick's Day 09. Eamon announced that a hybrid RTÉ One/RTÉ 2/TG4 channel would be available within a year on a free satellite service to cater for Irish communities abroad.
14 Mar: Agreement on EU climate change plan welcomed. The Green Party welcomed agreement by EU leaders on a timetable for finalising the Union's climate change package.
13 Mar: New measures for sustainable electricity sector. Eamon announced new plans to secure a green, secure and competitive electricity sector, including legislation to fast-track the delivery of the East-West inter-connector by 2012.
12 Mar: Independent study into transmission lines launched. Eamon announced a new a study into the merits of overhead electricity transmission lines versus underground cables that will deal with issues including: reliability, maintenance, environmental impact and possible health issues.
5 Mar: Details of green motor tax system launched. John outlined full details of the new CO2-based motor tax system, which will encourage drivers to choose lower-emitting forms of transport.
5 Mar: New oil and gas exploration licences to benefit Irish tax take. Eamon awarded licences for hydrocarbon exploration covering a 4,963 sq km area off Ireland's west coast which will, if profitable, have a significantly increased tax takes as a result of revised licensing terms.
3 Mar: Enforcement powers of local building authorities strengthened. John kick-started the new Building Control Act, which increases penalties for breaches of the national building regulations, expands prosecution options for authorities and better facilitates the recoupment of costs.
29 Feb: Alteration of Limerick City boundary ordered. John made an order extending the boundary of Limerick City which aim to improve local infrastructure and the economy.
27 Feb: New planning guidance on management of residential estates. John issued new policy guidance for local authorities that will help create sustainable communities and consign to the past the legacy of unfinished estates.
25 Feb: Overhaul of Dublin and Galway water systems. John approved tendering for the Dublin Region water-mains rehabilitation project and announced a €16.5m parcel of water service scheme approvals for Galway City and County.
14 Feb: Exports Bill passage through the Dáil welcomed. Mary worked on new trade legislation that will reduce Ireland’s role in the arms industry.
14 Feb: Tax Commission established. Dan welcomed the establishment of a Commission on Taxation, which will ensure that future taxes are fair and equitable and prepare the way for the introduction of a carbon levy.
10 Feb: New planning guidelines focused on creating sustainable communities. John published new draft sustainable planning guidelines aimed at improving design standards and co-ordinating the delivery of essential infrastructure and services.
8 Feb: Supports open way for €4bn investment in offshore wind. Eamon announced a major increase in financial supports for offshore wind-power, increasing subsidies from €57 to €140 per megawatt hour. The move will open the way for major additional investment in offshore wind.
31 Jan: Finance Bill includes green tax incentives for business. The Government included new schemes aimed at supporting business investment in energy-saving equipment in its Finance Bill. Companies adopting environmentally friendly practises are also permitted to consider carbon credits as financial assets.
30 Jan: Changes proposed to Limerick electoral boundaries. The Limerick City Boundary Committee, set up by John, has proposed to alter the electoral boundaries of Limerick City and County Councils to strengthen the region and enable Limerick to grow sustainably.
24 Jan: New support scheme for bioenergy. Farmers will be at the forefront of the fight against climate change as Eamon announces new grants for businesses, schools and hospitals who install biomass-fuelled and anaerobic digestion Combined Heat and Power Units.
23 Jan: Ireland on track to meet renewable targets. Eamon said Ireland was on track to have 16% of its energy coming from renewable sources by 2020, as proposed by the EU.
21 Jan: Greens to the rescue of the otter and slug. John announced new 'species action' conservation plans for the otter and the Kerry slug, which are under threat.
17 Jan: Reality check for property developers. Eamon told a property developers’ conference that the new building energy regulations were an opportunity not a threat.
15 Jan: €26m for wave power research. Eamon launched a major new ocean energy initiative that will see new facilities in Cork and Mayo, grants, and a new feed-in-tariff for wave energy.
10 Jan: Brussels supports minimum bulb standards. John visited the Commission and discovered that they were willing to follow Ireland's lead on energy efficient lighting and fast-track EU-wide regulations.
10 Jan: Study shows Ireland can surpass renewable targets. Eamon's department and its Northern counterpart published a joint study on renewable energy and the all-island electricity grid, which showed that Ireland could become a world leader in renewable energy.
9 Jan: €21m for sustainable agriculture and forestry research. Trevor announced new funding for research covering agri-energy and agri-environment issues.
9 Jan: New law to deal with junk-food advertising to kids. Eamon said that the Government's new Broadcasting Bill will adopt EU-wide broadcasting rules covering 'junk-food' marketing in children's programmes and accessibility for visually and hearing impaired individuals.
8 Jan: Local electoral area boundary committee established. John established two committees to review electoral boundaries in urban and rural areas. The committees will report to him by 20 June.
3 Jan 08: New rules include free return of used batteries. John published draft battery recyling regulations including measures allowing consumers to return waste batteries either to the place of purchase or other collection points free of charge.
31 Dec 07: €6m for local recycling. John announced €6m in extra funding to help offset the costs of running bring banks and other community recycling facilities.
31 Dec: Interest in oil and gas exploration welcomed. Eamon welcomed the application by four companies to explore oil and gas opportunities in the Porcupine Basin – especially as any licences granted would be subject to the revised licensing terms providing for a tax take of up to 40%.
21 Dec: Calls for Japan's slaughter of whales to cease. John called on the Japanese government to call off a major whale hunt in the Antarctic in which 1,000 were to be killed.
19 Dec: Ward Union gets hunt license – but with major restrictions. John issued a restricted licence stipulating that stag must be recaptured before hounds are released
17 Dec: New agricultural grants announced. Trevor welcomed Capital Investment Scheme grant aid for the marketing and processing of certain agricultural products, including horticulture.
15 Dec: Govt welcomes Bali deal. Representing Ireland at the UN climate change conference John said the 'roadmap agreement' was a major step towards an international deal.
11 Dec: €600,000 for environmental projects. John announced grants of €600,000 for 350 projects to encourage community participation in local decision-making. The projects focus on areas including: waste, biodiversity, climate change, and air and water quality.
6 Dec: Carbon budget delivers light bulb ban and motor tax reform. John delivered a 'carbon budget,' Highpoints included: a ban on incandescent light bulbs from 2009; green reform of motor tax; new annual reports on progress towards meeting emission reduction targets; and evidence that climate change considerations are now integrated into the Government's budgetary policy and decision-making processes.
5 Dec: Ministers welcome greenest budget yet. The Party welcomed many aspects of this year's budget, which delivered substantial results under difficult financial circumstances. There were major funding increases in budgets for energy research and infrastructure, and environmental and heritage protection.
29 Nov: New climate change campaign launched. John launched a major new stake-holder-focused climate change awareness campaign, calling on all sectors of Irish society to respond to the challenge of global warming.
28 Nov: Greens address Seanad reform. John spoke to the Seanad on the subject of reforming the house, stating that he intended to meet the Programme for Government commitments - and reform of the Seanad Higher Education Constituency especially - within the lifetime of the Government.
26 Nov: Free access to geotechnical database. Eamon said that making access to the National Geotechnical Borehole Database free would be welcomed by engineers and planners and help improve the siting of important development and infrastructural projects in key urban locations including Greater Dublin.
23 Nov: High-level group meets to discuss the sustainable energy. Eamon convened a meeting of senior members of the Irish finance community on the subject of financing for sustainable energy.
19 Nov: Repairs ordered for Mayo nature site damaged by Corrib gas works. John issued directions to Shell requiring it to restore a special area of conservation to its original condition following unauthorised works at Glengad Co. Mayo.
19 Nov: Action plan for endangered red squirrel. John announced that a draft species action plan for the red squirrel has been prepared by the National Parks and Wildlife Service outlining conservation actions needed to secure the future of the red squirrel.
18 Nov: EU funding for sustainable energy research. Eamon welcomed the European Commission's decision to allocate €2.17m to Irish researchers working on ocean, wind, geothermal and sustainable transport projects.
7 Nov: Extra protection for rare Hen Harriers. John announced proposals to designate Special Protection Areas for the protection of Hen Harriers, a medium-sized bird of prey, whose habitat is found on low hills, particularly in Kerry, Limerick, Cork, Clare and Galway.
5 Nov: New smart meters for every home. Eamon announced that a nation-wide programme to install 'smart' electricity meters in every home – allowing customers to manage electricity usage more efficiently and micro-generators to sell power back to the grid – would begin next year.
5 Nov: €4m extra for recycling. John allocated an extra €4 million in funding to local authorities across the country to offset costs associated with bring banks and other recycling facilities.
1 Nov: Single electricity market launched. Eamon met his Northern counterpart Nigel Dodds to mark the start of the single electricity market, which will help ensure the security, reliability and competitiveness of electricity supplies throughout the island.
31 Oct: Govt pledges new laws on same sex unions. The Greens secured an early Government commitment to publish legislation to give legal recognition to same sex unions.
30 Oct: Protection sought for unique Irish coral. John called on the EU to back his calls for a selective fishing ban off the west coast in order to protect unique coral reefs. The designated areas will be the first deep sea marine sites in Europe to be protected under the Habitats Directive.
25 Oct: 'Green' planning exemptions announced. John launched a consultation process on proposed exemptions from the planning process for micro-renewable technologies – including wind turbines, combined heat and power plants, solar panels and biomass boiler units – for industrial, commercial and public buildings and agricultural structures.
24 Oct: Archaeological review gets underway. John chaired the first review of archaeological policy and practice, which will examine whether national monuments legislation needs to be strengthened and how archaeological practices should be improved in Ireland.
22 Oct: EU closes nitrates case. Following John's introduction of increased penalties, the European Commission closed infringement proceedings against Ireland over its implementation of the Nitrates Directive. The directive is intended to protect waters from pollution from agricultural sources.
17 Oct: Greens make progressive contributions to pensions paper. Dan welcomed the publication of the green paper on pensions and said the Party’s contributions to the paper – especially the tapered SSIA scheme biased towards lower earners – were progressive.
12 Oct: New water pollution regulations. John signed new regulations which provide for the licensing and policing of sewage treatment facilities following an EPA report which said that our ground waters are being polluted unnecessarily.
3 Oct: Stronger controls for organic food and farming. Trevor announced new controls to deter 'rogue traders' from passing off conventional food as organic.
3 Oct: Energy efficiency action plan unveiled. Eamon launched the first ever national energy efficiency action plan which will help conserve energy across Government, business and home sectors and work towards reaching energy efficiency savings of 20 per cent by 2020.
3 Oct: Preservation order placed on national monument at Rath Lugh. John placed a temporary preservation order on a national monument at Rath Lugh in Lismullin, to ensure that the monument is not undermined or endangered in any way during the construction of the M3 motorway.
1 Oct: On-the-spot litter fines increased. John increased the on-the-spot litter fine from €125 to €150 to send out the clear message that litter pollution can simply not be tolerated.
21 Sep: Energy efficient building regulations for new homes. John published draft- regulations dealing with energy efficiency for homes, including a mandatory minimum level of renewable energy for the first time and provision for 40% improvement in energy efficiency and a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions.
20 Sep: Woodland SAC extended to include Cascade Wood. John proposed extending the existing designation of a woodland special area of conservation around Ballyvourney in Cork to include Cascade Wood, north of the village.
20 Sep: Boundary committee to examine Limerick borders. John announced he is to establish a boundary committee to examine an extension of Limerick City Council’s boundary to facilitate intensive development and regeneration.
19 Sep: €20m funding for marine researchers. Eamon announced the awarding of nearly €20m worth of grants to 141 researchers and students for new marine research projects.
17 Sep: New apartments to be bigger and better. John Gormley published guidelines for planning authorities aimed at promoting successful apartment living with better internal space standards and storage space.
17 Sep: €5.8bn investment in water services. John published a €5.8bn spending plan on new water supply and waste water infrastructure and announce a ranger of other measures including a special package to target supplies at risk from cryptosporidium and e.coli; measures to improve water conservation; enforcement powers to prosecute those who cause water pollution; and plans for enhanced protection of rivers, lakes and estuaries.
3 Sep: New phase for Greener Homes Scheme. Eamon announced a new phase for the Greener Homes scheme, which had fulfilled its initial objectives and surpassed its targets ahead of schedule. The new phase will include grants for lower-income housing, school and community schemes and the roll-out of other innovative heating technologies.
22 Aug: Increased penalties under Nitrates Directive. John increased the maximum penalties for offences under the Nitrates Regulations, which are aimed at protecting waters against pollution from farming
16 Aug: John releases White Tailed Eagles into the Wild in Kerry. The release was part of the programme to reintroduce the native bird of prey to Ireland.
1 Aug: Increased taxes on oil and gas finds. Eamon introduced new licensing terms which increase the State’s tax take on oil and gas finds off its shores.
30 Jul: New protection of Irish shellfish waters. Eamon announced that some waters will be designated as Shellfish Growing Waters, with minimum standards of water quality.
23 Jul: Major public awareness campaign on climate change announced. John invited tenders for the design and delivery of a major new climate change communications and public awareness campaign.
23 Jul: On-the-spot litter fines increased. John announced that he is to increase the on-the-spot litter fine from €125 to €150 in September 2007.
22 Jul: Monaghan County Council directed to vary its Development Plan. John directed Monaghan County Council to vary its Development Plan following the Council’s intention to zone land for a potential additional 102,000 people – an increase of 182% on the county’s current population over six years.
20 Jul: Social Inclusion Unit programme extended. John extended of the social inclusion unit programme to nine more local authorities.
19 Jul: Red Kites fly again in Wicklow after 200 years. John oversaw the introduction 30 young Red Kites to the wild in Co Wicklow to commence a programme to restore the native bird of prey to Ireland.
12 Jul: Submissions invited for local government green paper. John announced details of local government reform and requested for submissions from the public to feed into a Green Paper.
10 Jul: John signed new regulations to prevent illegal shipments of waste abroad.
9 Jul: Sargent becomes third Green minister with hybrid car. All three Green ministers adopt low-emissions Prius hybids.
27 Jun: Special committee on Lismullin established. John established a special committee to advise on ensuring that the archaeological excavation of the national monument at Lismullin was carried out to the highest and most transparent standard.
21 Jun 07: More stringent standards for building energy grants. Eamon increased the energy efficiency requirements of new homes eligible to claim grant aid under the ‘house of tomorrow’ scheme.

mike65

That a PPB?

Mike

Boggle

5 Nov: New smart meters for every home. Eamon announced that a nation-wide programme to install 'smart' electricity meters in every home – allowing customers to manage electricity usage more efficiently and micro-generators to sell power back to the grid – would begin next year.

Just the one that caught my eye but this was well underway before the greens and the only announcement here should have been that is was delayed.

The pilot scheme was due to kick off this sept FFS!!:rolleyes:

ejmaztec

Húrin wrote: »

7 Aug: Eight white tailed eagles released into Kerry National Park. The release is the second part of the programme to reintroduce the native bird of prey to Ireland.

This must have been the second attempt, not the seond part, the first try having taken place on 16th Aug 2007.

Some of the original birds have been the victims of "mysterious" fatal poisonings, allegedly by some locals who think that their livestock is going to be "lunch" for the rare birds. I don't think that the perpetrators are Green Party supporters.

The_Minister

Several of the proposals in the list have nothing to do with the Greens, and were on their way BEFORE the Greens were in government.


The thing that I hate about the Greens in government is how f*cking facist that are (yeah, I know its hyperbole, I mean authoritarian).

Look at toilets for instance. The Greens want to ban traditional toilets and replace them with environmental toilets. IMHO, they should take the liberal route and tax the ordinary toilets ntil they are the same price as the environmental ones (or subsidise the new ones - whatever - just achieve the same price). Then let people choose for themselves. All things being equal, people should choose the environmental ones, since generally people like being environmental. However, if people keep choosing the old toilets even when the prices are equal then there is obviously an issue to be addressed there, and that issue will never be addressed if the market is limited only to products that all contain that fault. The government should not force people to buy products that they consider to be of lesser quality/usefulness.

Make the prices (roughly) equal and then give people the freedom to choose.
/End PD rant

I feel the same on the lightbulb ban.

The_Minister

mike65 wrote: »

That a PPB?

Mike

I think its obvious that its a party document. No harm, as long as the facts are true and honest.

dresden8

In work we have "weaker" flush toilets. Usually have to flush three times to get the job done.

Waste of time, water and effort. Hanging around waiting for the cistern to refill twice makes you look like some kind of freakish stalker type.

How green is that?

is_that_so

Another feature of that list is the numbers of initiatives and plans organised. Some of them are not far off a Samuel Pepys diary entry "And so John/Eamon went to bed".

Some examples

21 Jan: Greens to the rescue of the otter and slug. John announced new 'species action' conservation plans for the otter and the Kerry slug, which are under threat.
17 Jan: Reality check for property developers. Eamon told a property developers’ conference that the new building energy regulations were an opportunity not a threat.
10 Jan: Brussels supports minimum bulb standards. John visited the Commission and discovered that they were willing to follow Ireland's lead on energy efficient lighting and fast-track EU-wide regulations.
19 Dec: Ward Union gets hunt license – but with major restrictions. John issued a restricted licence stipulating that stag must be recaptured before hounds are released

Hell I could put my own list together.
There are also a lot of things the respective Ministers should have been doing anyway. I also find the use of personal names and the shameless hijacking of previously extant proposals disturbing.

Had they really done anything of genuine consequence they'd have no real need for a list.

The Greens one year on are no surprise. Overall I find their performance underwhelming but they have learnt well the political art of appearing to be doing something. They've gone after their own policies a single-minded purpose and to their credit have developed a thick skin in the process. I see very little in that list to jump up and down about or to justify my misplaced vote for them. They did after all give us a government that was not looked-for.

But there's that "waiting in the long grass" they always talk about and as has been noted many times in the Lisbon debate "consequences to actions".

studiorat

Húrin wrote: »

3 Oct: Preservation order placed on national monument at Rath Lugh. John placed a temporary preservation order on a national monument at Rath Lugh in Lismullin, to ensure that the monument is not undermined or endangered in any way during the construction of the M3 motorway.


27 Jun: Special committee on Lismullin established. John established a special committee to advise on ensuring that the archaeological excavation of the national monument at Lismullin was carried out to the highest and most transparent standard.

Rath Lugh has the side cut out of it, govt believes the monument it the top of the hill. The sides are a free for all.

Lismullin is currently being washed away because of the heavy rain, it will be preserved by record only. Covering it with a motorway is not preservation imo. The transparency of the archaeological standards at the site and iothers has been called into question many times.

ninty9er

is_that_so wrote: »

They did after all give us a government that was not looked-for.

Indeed, The majority of people didn't want them there:D:D

Rabitte just didn't have the backbone to bring his party with him when approached by FF for the goverment the majority of people wanted.

brianthebard

ninty9er wrote: »

Indeed, The majority of people didn't want them there:D:D

Rabitte just didn't have the backbone to bring his party with him when approached by FF for the goverment the majority of people wanted.

When was he approached? The government that was formed was the government FF wanted, using Labour would've meant they would have had to make concessions. Not so when you bring in two small parties, and a bunch of independants, knowing you can drop any one of the three groups at any stage and still have a majority.

ninty9er

brianthebard wrote: »

When was he approached? The government that was formed was the government FF wanted, using Labour would've meant they would have had to make concessions. Not so when you bring in two small parties, and a bunch of independants, knowing you can drop any one of the three groups at any stage and still have a majority.

Labour was the preferred option, but because of the pact with FG it was seen by many in Labour as unpallatable.

Most doors I knocked on that intended to vote 1 Labour or FF, wanted both, though FG did well on transfers that didn't go the opposite direction.

The Greens were not FFs preferred option. The preferred option was Labour and PDs, but there weren't enough PDs to hold that if Labour got in a huff. To be honest, judging on the way things have played out so far, I reckon the Greens have pretty much guaranteed the rebirth of the PDs at the next general election.

Plus there were no concessions made to the Greens...they brought the same list to negotiations each day and were told that the FF manifesto was the programme for government, nothing could be removed and nothing could be added that was contradictory to the FF manifest; otherwise they could add what they liked within reason.

They said yes on day 3 to the exact same deal that was offered on day one and refused for 2 days.

eoinmadden

The_Minister wrote: »

I feel the same on the lightbulb ban.

This is going off topic but...
Energy saving lightbulbs already work out much cheaper than the old style bulbs. So in a way the incentives you ask for already exist.
But they are not having the desired effect. Best to stop beating around the bush and just ban the old ones.

eoinmadden

I notice Fianna Fail or the PDs have not produced a list to show their achievements in Government.
I also notice nobody has started such a thread on boards.ie asking what they have achieved after a year.

It seems to me, but perhaps I'm biased, that Eamon Ryan, Trevor Sargent and particularly John Gormley have been working hard. Indeed, I wonder if Minister Gormley took a summer holiday!

Their biggest achievement has probably been the raising of the minimum insulation requirements, and this was done within weeks of entering government. This is coupled with new grants for insulation.
These steps will help Ireland meet its Kyoto targets and will be good for the economy.

The_Minister

eoinmadden wrote: »

This is going off topic but...
Energy saving lightbulbs already work out much cheaper than the old style bulbs. So in a way the incentives you ask for already exist.
But they are not having the desired effect. Best to stop beating around the bush and just ban the old ones.

Except that that is, tbh, incredibly authoritarian.

When a government bans something, it is saying that mature, legally-competants adults are forbidden to have this product, because presumably, the product is so dangerous that for them to have it would cause untold harm.

We are talking about lightbulbs.

What right has the government to say that I, as a citizen of voting age, cannot have a particular brand of lightbulb? Are tungsten lightbulbs so dangerous, so deadly, that I as a logical, balanced individual must be denied them?


And, tbh, while intelligent, value-conscious adults like you and me may realise that the new bulbs are cheaper in the long run, most people only look at the price on the receipt. It's psycology.:)


OOT: Just curious, how will the insulation grants help our economy?

eoinmadden

The_Minister wrote: »

Except that that is, tbh, incredibly authoritarian.

When a government bans something, it is saying that mature, legally-competants adults are forbidden to have this product, because presumably, the product is so dangerous that for them to have it would cause untold harm.

True, it is a sad state of affairs.

The_Minister wrote: »

We are talking about lightbulbs.

What right has the government to say that I, as a citizen of voting age, cannot have a particular brand of lightbulb?

Ah.... democracy? The constitution & legal system..

The_Minister wrote: »

Are tungsten lightbulbs so dangerous, so deadly, that I as a logical, balanced individual must be denied them?

Wasteful more than deadly. Dangerous in the sense that they contribute to anthropogenic global warming.

The_Minister wrote: »

OOT: Just curious, how will the insulation grants help our economy?

Part of the process of weaning our economy off oil addiction. Home heating is a major component of our energy bill.

brianthebard

The_Minister wrote: »

OOT: Just curious, how will the insulation grants help our economy?

Decreased fines for not meeting carbon emissions levels.

Villain

TBH I think the Green's couldn't be in power at a worse time now, we need strong short term leadership to sort out our economy, we don't need Green initiatives to reduce our motorway speeds, or tell us what light bulbs to use or introduce a carbon tax.

We need to become less dependent on OIL we get it we all know it, but how about we let people deal with the economic problems at the moment that has 250k on the dole and build a sustainable economy (not one dependant on property sales) then look how we can make a very very small impact on the enviroment, all our green changes are like dropping a drop of clean water into a filthy ocean which China and the US are filling with dirt.

is_that_so

eoinmadden wrote: »

I notice Fianna Fail or the PDs have not produced a list to show their achievements in Government.
I also notice nobody has started such a thread on boards.ie asking what they have achieved after a year.

And they probably should too but how much would we believe them?

eoinmadden wrote: »

It seems to me, but perhaps I'm biased, that Eamon Ryan, Trevor Sargent and particularly John Gormley have been working hard. Indeed, I wonder if Minister Gormley took a summer holiday!

Their biggest achievement has probably been the raising of the minimum insulation requirements, and this was done within weeks of entering government. This is coupled with new grants for insulation.
These steps will help Ireland meet its Kyoto targets and will be good for the economy.

The primary difference between the Greens and FF and its PD, is that the Greens just want their policies implemented whereas the others campaigned to be the government, however badly they do it. If you are a member of the Greens or support them then it all looks fantastic for now.

If you're not and just have a passing occasional fondness for them, well, battery recycling, insulation, Kyoto and all the rest of that exciting list may do them no good.