Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Green Party entered talks with Fine Gael and the Independents who may or may not arrive here today. I am not breaking confidence, I am sure, when I recall that after those approximately two and a half days, when the Taoiseach asked us if we would be willing to support or take part in such a Government, we clearly said "No". We indicated that we did not share the ambition set out in the partnership Government draft programme document before us today, which has not changed that significantly in the interim.

We can consider some of the key elements in that. We need to build 25,000 houses and there is a consensus in this House around that. We argue that we must go further and think about where we will build them, the quality of the houses and their price. We need to get that right and not just the numbers. We must also ensure that we get transport right, that we plan the development of our State and that we do not get involved in the old numbers game. We have seen the risks or dangers it brought in the past and we must think in a more long-term and sustainable way in the context of planning. The document sets out that we need X numbers of jobs, which is a numbers approach, but we must be more strategic and ambitious so as to see the opportunities in digital and green industries. Ultimately, we need a strategic approach so we can be less reliant on foreign direct investment and more able to live by our own enterprise.

The Taoiseach may recall that I said we would not join the Government because we come from a left-of-centre perspective and we did not see that reflected in the document. The document still has an allocation to tax cuts at a time when we have funding requirements in health and education that should be given precedence. For that reason, we cannot support the proposed Government. In the intervening four or five weeks since that time, there have not been major changes here. What changes there have been have disheartened us immensely. The way the water issue was managed has let down the plain people of Ireland. There is widespread dissatisfaction with the way that was managed in subsequent weeks and we will seek a different approach in the next year if possible and if a Government is formed.

There is widespread dissatisfaction - to my mind - that we are debating the possible election of a Taoiseach. It seems, from online and social media, that certain people are engaged in a slightly different turf war. Is it possible this Parliament will not be able to elect a Government because we cannot accept European directives on how we manage our natural resources? I am reluctant to take a high-and-mighty position in this regard and the other day Deputy Danny Healy-Rae and I had different views about the climate change issue. If the Deputy does not believe it, in some ways one could accept that because he has a completely different world view to me. In fact, he sees a different world to the one I see. I am concerned that every other party or Deputy in this House accepts some of the scientific truth but none of the responsibility for action that comes with it. In some ways, that is worse. To be honest, I see nothing in the manifestos or talks to suggest that any other party or group on this side of the House has looked at that turf war and come out with anything but a short-term consideration that for certain sectional votes, they would not pursue what is the right path. There is no particular alternative which strikes us that we can vote for today. Where is the alternative Government? Is the alternative that we go to the people on the issues of protecting our natural resources and climate? It seems to be the question before us at this hour.

We will hold our vote, as we have done on previous occasions, to elect a Taoiseach. We will hold our vote as we hoped and still hope that there may be a possibility in this Parliament to do politics in a slightly different way, to be slightly less adversarial and to strengthen the role of the Opposition. We will take a strong role in criticising the Government at every turn and opposing as best we can but also proposing when the occasion arises. We will take up the offer contained in this document and that coming from the Dáil reform committee.

We are due to see our paper published on Monday and we have that opportunity before us. It is for that reason alone that we would hold our vote - to say it may be possible. We are not all going to turn into Swedes or Scandinavians overnight, but we know that is not just new politics, it is better politics. It is a type of politics that we all know. Everyone who is involved in a voluntary committee across this country knows how to make that politics work, where one works with people. Most of us here have worked on county councils over the years. Who would deny that politics works on councils across the country, where we have coalition arrangements right across the political spectrum? The Green Party works with Sinn Féin in Dublin City Council, with Fine Gael in Dún Laoghaire and with others in Louth. The Green Party works in that way. We all do. Why, if we know that politics can work there, can we not try to make it work here? It does on occasion. We know sometimes that is the flash of our better nature in this Chamber. Why not give it a go if we manage to survive until 1.30 p.m.?

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