Sharp differences on whether the Green Party should enter coalition after the next election emerged at its annual convention in Carlow on Saturday. The party will hold a post-election conference to decide on the issue.
The Dublin South East TD, Mr John Gormley, who opened the debate, said he wanted to ask delegates if the party's role as questioners was compatible with participation in government.
"We need to answer that question quickly and comprehensively, because, my friends, we could easily be faced with the reality of government following the next election."
Mr Gormley said it was up to the party to ensure that it had the necessary structures in place to carry out negotiations for the next government.
It would have to be a government with "a philosophy radically different from the Thatcherite approach of Fianna Fail and the PDs, a government that must be based on the ideas of sustainability, social justice and equality, committed to improving people's quality of life and not just the standard of living."
That was the party's bottom line, and it would not deviate from it, he added.
The Dublin MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, said she had been working with the Greens in the European Parliament for the past six years, "and I would be extremely wary about the Greens entering government".
Even in countries such as Germany, where the Greens were strong, they had to make major compromises, she added.
"I do not think the time is right for the Greens to join a government at the moment. We have far too much still to achieve. The reality of the situation is that if the Greens go into government, they have to compromise."
Criticising the other political parties, she said: "As far as I am concerned, they are all tainted. And none of them really understand the Green agenda fully.
"They just make a lot of pious statements. What we should be doing is pushing ahead, forcing change, before we start to compromise."
Ms Bronwen Maher (Dublin North Central) urged delegates to consider seriously any plans for participation in coalition. The party had a pacifist stance, which would be totally surrendered, irrespective of who it entered government with.
"But I think we should target seats, get our act together, and get a much stronger team in the Dail next time and really put the pressure on the rest of them."
Mr Vincent McDowell (Dun Laoghaire) said if the party had four or five Green TDs after the next election it could influence the make-up of the next government.
"But it is not necessary for us to join that government, to take ministerial Mercedes, to be involved in it.
"The present set of circumstances, where four Independents are consulted and cosseted every week by the Government, is clear evidence that you are much stronger when you are outside of government holding the sword over their heads."
He added that after taking office and experiencing "the lure of the Mercedes", the party would be committed to supporting that government, irrespective of what happened.
Mr Dan Boyle (Cork) said it might well be that the party's policies were not compatible with those of other parties. "But we are also there to make sure that as many of our policies as possible can get implemented.
"The question we need to address is how effectively we can do that. Is it a question of ruling out options this far in advance of an election, which would tie our hands in doing that.
"There are examples in smaller countries, such as Finland and Belgium, where Green Party participation in government has worked. These are the examples we should be looking at."
He warned that if the party went into the next election saying its candidates would probably not participate in government in any circumstances, it would pull the rug from under many standing on behalf of the party.
Mr Ciaran Cuffe (Dublin) suggested that a bit of ambiguity could be a good thing in politics, particularly looking towards the next election. "And I think that the one thing that will keep the other parties on their toes is knowing that the Greens might just be up to negotiating to be in government."
He noted that co-operation with other parties had worked in Dublin City Council, leading to policy achievements and the election of Mr Gormley as Lord Mayor. No doors should be closed in advance of the next general election.
Mr Gormley said: "Politics is the art of the possible. Let us take first things first. Let us get people elected. Let us look at all the possibilities that are available to us after the election.
"We do not have to go to anyone; they are going to come to us, and that makes us strong."
