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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Greens to join Irish government | Greens to join Irish government |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| The Green Party has voted overwhelmingly to enter government in the Irish Republic for the first time. | |
| Members voted by an 86.81% majority to join a coalition led by Bertie Ahern's Fianna Fail party. | Members voted by an 86.81% majority to join a coalition led by Bertie Ahern's Fianna Fail party. |
| The party's six Dail TDs will join the coalition, which also includes Mary Harney's Progressive Democrats. | The party's six Dail TDs will join the coalition, which also includes Mary Harney's Progressive Democrats. |
| Trevor Sargent quit as party leader after the move. During campaigning, he promised to resign rather than lead the Greens into a coalition with Mr Ahern. | |
| He had been highly critical of the taoiseach's acceptance of money from friends and businessmen after his marriage break-up in the early 1990s. | |
| However, Mr Sargent said he was prepared to serve as a government minister. | |
| The endorsement of a programme for government, by 431 to 67 votes, came on Wednesday after several hours of discussion at a special convention in Dublin. | |
| Protesters | |
| Delegates at the Green party conference had to walk past anti-Iraq war activists and anti-motorways protesters on their way into the Mansion House. | |
| The anti-war campaigners were demanding that the Irish government stop the Shannon airport stopover for US troops on their way to Iraq. | The anti-war campaigners were demanding that the Irish government stop the Shannon airport stopover for US troops on their way to Iraq. |
| The anti-motorway activists want a halt called to the M3 section that by-passes the Hill of Tara in County Meath. | The anti-motorway activists want a halt called to the M3 section that by-passes the Hill of Tara in County Meath. |
| Both causes have been close to the hearts of the Green Party but there was nothing in the deal with Fianna Fail that would affect either Shannon or the motorway. | Both causes have been close to the hearts of the Green Party but there was nothing in the deal with Fianna Fail that would affect either Shannon or the motorway. |
| The Irish government is urged to stop Shannon stopoversEarlier, Roger Garland, a founder of the Greens - who was the party's first TD in 1989 - said he felt betrayed by a deal, he described as "unbelievably bad". | The Irish government is urged to stop Shannon stopoversEarlier, Roger Garland, a founder of the Greens - who was the party's first TD in 1989 - said he felt betrayed by a deal, he described as "unbelievably bad". |
| On the other hand Ciaran Cuffe, a current TD, said it was an unprecedented opportunity for the party to help shape cabinet policy for the benefit of the Irish people for five years. | On the other hand Ciaran Cuffe, a current TD, said it was an unprecedented opportunity for the party to help shape cabinet policy for the benefit of the Irish people for five years. |
| The deal includes a proposed carbon tax; measures dealing with climate change; directly-elected mayors; more money for education and a review of taxation. | The deal includes a proposed carbon tax; measures dealing with climate change; directly-elected mayors; more money for education and a review of taxation. |