Sargent attacks Government's record
Friday, 24 March 2006 22:05
The Green Party leader, Trevor Sargent, has opened his party's annual conference in Kilkenny with an attack on the Government's record.
He accused the coalition of being an agency for the promotion of vested interests, rather than a Government.
He told delegates that Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats were in a state of panic.
The Green Party leader singled out the Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche, accusing him of looking after the interests of wealthy cronies rather than the environment.
Delegates at the conference are due to discuss a range of motions on political issues and party reform.
Last year, the overwhelmingly-carried decision not to enter any pre-election pacts was the centrepiece of the Greens' annual conference.
There is no similar focus this time but the motions reflect the party's desire to be seen as politically mature, businesslike, and in all responsible potential coalition partners.
Mr Sargent set the tone this afternoon when he said the conference would show the Greens had the energy to do things better.
Hospital overcrowding, class sizes, and road safety - where Cork Greens want a mandatory lifetime ban for drunken drivers- take their place alongside the environment and neutrality on the order paper.
Another motion would commit the party not to alter tax rates if controversial reliefs are tackled.
Other proposals would give more power to party headquarters, and extend the term of the Green Party chairman, John Gormley.
Mr Sargent is to deliver his keynote speech tomorrow afternoon.
