Following the recent resignation of Trevor Sargent because of his pre-election mandate promise not to go into coalition with Fianna Fáil, the Green Party will hold a convention in early July to elect a new leader. Former Green MEP Patricia McKenna is planning to seek nomination for the leadership, hotpress can exclusively reveal.
While political pundits are speculating about which of the high-profile Greens will seek nomination, hotpress has learnt that the party’s deputy leader, Mary White, will not run because she wants to concentrate on her role as a TD. At the time of going to press, inside sources have no confirmation yet of John Gormley’s anticipated intention of running, despite a deadline of July 6. If Gormley does not run, it is possible that either Eamon Ryan or Ciaran Cuffe will contest the leadership against McKenna.
An overwhelming majority (86%) of Green Party members backed the contentious agreement, with many of those who had vowed to vote against coalition making a dramatic U-turn in favour at the last minute. Some party insiders are adamant that those who changed their minds were emotionally blackmailed by certain prominent party members. One party member described the convention as being like a meeting of the Moonies. There is talk now of incensed party members turning up outside the Dail to burn their membership cards (Very environmentally friendly!)
Patricia McKenna was among the dissenters. But the former MEP – who was the first ever Green to be elected to the European Parliament, and who failed in her bid to be elected to the Dail – maintains that the point of her decision to contest the leadership is not in order to throw the party into further turmoil, but rather to help heal the emotional wounds of those who can’t stomach power-sharing with Fianna Fáil.
“That decision is taken and we just have to try and make the most of it,” McKenna told Hot Press.
Jason O’Toole: Why have you decided to run for leadership of the Green Party?
Patricia McKenna: I was asked – just after the decision to go into government – if I would consider running for the leadership. At the time, I said ‘no’ and I genuinely meant it. But as the days moved on, other people talked to me and I was persuaded that it was a good idea to challenge the leadership. My decision is really about having an alternative voice there. I think it is good to have a contest.
You are one of the most experienced politicians in the Green Party.
I have a lot of pluses – the fact that I had been 10 years in the European Parliament; that I have been in the party a long time; the fact that I am a woman as well gives a gender balance to the whole thing. And also that I would probably have a lot more free time than the Ministers, in relation to looking after the overall organisation of the party and its future. When you are an elected TD – or a Minister particularly – your workload is huge. So it would be good for the party to have somebody outside of the elected representatives as leader. I see the PDs are suggesting that as well.
How realistic is your chance?
It is a major challenge. What generally happens is that the members will always favour the high-profile elected representative. Having said that, anything is possible in politics. The main thing that motivates me is that we have members of the party who are disgruntled. If I lose, I lose, but I still think it is worth doing because I think it gives other people the motivation that ‘if she can put up with a decision she is not happy with, and put herself forward for the leadership, and keep on going, then we can do something as well.’
If you do become leader of the Greens, surely conflicts would arise out of your stance against Shannon Airport?
We all have our own individual issues that we are still fighting on. Just because we have gone into government with Fianna Fáil – who have refused point blank to give us anything on Shannon – it doesn’t mean that the issue is dead. I think most of the Green members would agree with that. Most party members – even those who supported going into government – would still be very committed to campaigning against the use of Shannon. I think Bertie would be a bit worried if I ended up party leader.
What do you make of Trevor Sargent stepping down because of his pre-election commitment not to lead the party into a government with Fianna Fáil?
While I may have originally felt that Trevor had indeed led us into government with Fianna Fáil before he stepped down, I have to admit that in hindsight he hadn’t any other choice. He couldn’t have stepped down before the negotiations, as that would have given a signal of disapproval – and the talks would never have gotten off the ground. And once they had started, he had to see it through before he could step down. He was between a rock and a hard place. However, the fact that he forfeited the opportunity of taking a full ministerial position was, I believe, a huge sacrifice as he is the longest serving Green Party TD. He also gave up the opportunity of perhaps being Tanaiste, which again was a big sacrifice.
Why were you unhappy with the Greens going into coalition with Fianna Fáil?
For me, the big issue was the use of Shannon Airport. The negotiations had been going on for two weeks, so I had been holding my breath. I had psyched myself up to a situation where I accepted, ‘Look, I know I am going to have to compromise on Shannon. We are not going to get exactly what we want – we are not going to get the troops out tomorrow morning’. But at least, I felt, we were going to get something on it. I was devastated that we didn’t get anything on Shannon. It was for issues like this that I got involved in politics. So I found it very difficult.
What type of compromise were you looking for on Shannon Airport?
I was hoping that we would actually get something put in place to ensure that the US troops were not going to be able to use Shannon as a stopover on the way to Iraq. Or, indeed, any future military intervention that may take place. I have always believed that any government that participates in this, and facilitates the US – in what I believe is an illegal war – means that we are also complicit in that war. I now also feel, to a certain extent, complicit in it myself.
So you believe that the Irish government has blood on its hands by allowing the US military to use Shannon Airport?
That’s the slogan we’ve always used in the past in relation to the Irish government, by virtue of the fact that they allowed Shannon to be used. To be honest, I don’t think the situation has changed. It is a very difficult thing to have to swallow. Personally, I found it the most devastating aspect of the whole controversy over going into government.
The recent Green Party convention appeared to be very emotional.
It was really heartbreaking to go along to the Green Party convention and see all these people protesting outside. We’d never had protests outside our conventions ever before. So, it was a major culture shock to come along and see that. It was like going to a family wedding where the relatives protested and wouldn’t turn up (laughs). It was weird.
How upset did you get?
I was in tears – even the next day. It was actually worse for me than the time I lost my seat in the European Parliament. That was a shock, and very difficult to handle. But this was worse. It was a huge blow to my belief in the political system. It was just really, really hard to accept. I was in tears for days afterwards. In fact, I still get a little bit like that (emotional) when I think about it. I still find it very difficult, but having said that, the decision has been taken.
Do you feel hard done by?
The day after the vote in the Mansion House, I thought, ‘Oh My God, what is all this for?’ Because I had been in the party for twenty-something years, and I had sacrificed a huge amount of my family life for green issues and campaigning and lobbying, and all the various different things connected with the Green Party. I thought, ‘Have I sacrificed my family – for what?’ That was how I felt. As the days wear on you just have to think ‘that’s life’ and make the most of whatever is thrown at you.
Did you consider leaving the Greens in protest?
No. I am used to losing battles and campaigns. There are people in the party who are disillusioned and who want to leave. I don’t know how many have left, but I have talked to quite a few. I think the best thing is not to leave, but to stay and fight on because there is the whole issue of the future of the party. The Greens are going to have a major challenge ahead of them in government, and they are going to need all the support they can get. Particularly our two Ministers. I would be very wary of Fianna Fáil, and I think our TDs will need all the back-up they can get to ensure that they can really achieve something in government.
Is there a danger of the Greens not lasting the full term in government with Fianna Fáil?
People have said that it will never last, but I don’t see them pulling out unless something catastrophic happens. I think Bertie has got a very secure coalition of parties – and the numbers are much higher than he needs, so he has a fallback position. We need to support the TDs, and also try to keep them on the straight and narrow. They really need the support, because they are going to have enough problems in government watching their backs – I would be very cautious of Bertie and his tactics. Rather than looking over their backs at members of the party, they need to be watching the other parties - and indeed the opposition parties, because they will now come under extreme criticism from the opposition parties. There is a massive challenge for the party now, and I don’t think people realise how grave it is. The one thing that we want to ensure is that we do actually achieve something in government – that this isn’t all for nothing.
What do you make of Bertie managing to achieve a third term despite the serious allegations made against him in recent months?
The fact that he got back in there, despite all the controversies, is really incredible. The fact that he has managed to negotiate the Greens into government is incredible. I always think of Charlie Haughey’s comments about him: ‘The most devious and cunning of them all’. He definitely is that. It seems clear that he has questions to answer. Bertie’s approach to the whole issue of his so-called ‘personal finances’ has been one of very reluctantly drip-feeding the public and media on a need-to-know basis, every time another puzzling question comes up around this issue. Quite frankly if he was so bad at taking care of – and remembering – his own personal finances, then it beggars belief that he was once Minister for Finance for the whole country. Maybe Beverly (Cooper Flynn) will give him some financial advice now that they are buddies again.