The party is aiming for significant gains in the local elections, writes Arthur Beesley, Political Reporter.
Mr Trevor Sargent will make the first live television address from an annual convention of the Green party tomorrow night. Even if only the most addicted of political junkies tend to tune in to such speeches, the event will mark another stage on the route to the political mainstream for the Greens.
A year ago the High Court rejected their demand for live television coverage of their annual gathering after RTE had refused. The station has relented this year, due to the local and European elections in June.
These polls are the immediate priority for the Greens as they gather this weekend in Salthill, Galway. So while a Green-friendly topic such as organic farming in Cuba is up for discussion at a fringe meeting, the Realpolitik of the election campaign will dominate the agenda.
The Greens are maturing fast. Not so long ago the party resisted the very concept of having a leader. Now its TDs see themselves as potential partners in a future rainbow coalition.
A notable guest speaker tomorrow is Mr Reinhard Bütikofer, co-leader of the powerful German Greens, who are long accustomed to government.
"It's important for people to see that there is a credible alternative government and that the Greens are part of that alternative," said the party chairman, Mr John Gormley.
With eight local councillors and two MEPs, the Greens are hoping for a significant increase in their representation in local government while aiming to consolidate their presence in the European Parliament.
The party acknowledges that the Dublin MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, will face a considerable competition. "It's a challenge for Patricia to keep her seat, but I think she will," said the Dublin TD, Mr Ciaran Cuffe.
However, there is a measure of confidence about the prospects of the party's deputy leader, Ms Mary White, taking the seat previously held by Ms Nuala Ahern, who is retiring.
The party is aiming for major gains in the local election. Depending on who one asks, senior party figures speak of increasing its presence on the local authorities to at least 16, 24 or even 35 seats. But whatever the realistic target, the party is hoping to introduce several potential TDs in areas where it currently does not have any elected representatives.
Among more than 130 candidates, figures such as Mr Niall O Brolchain in Galway and Ms Patricia Forde-Brennan in Limerick are seen by senior party sources as having an opportunity to be elected to the Dáil. Others such as Ms Patricia Gardiner in south-west Dublin are seen to have potential.
After failing to make anticipated gains in 1999, the strategy this time has been to select candidates early in the campaign to help them develop a profile.
According to Mr Gormley, the Greens believe their internal organisation has never been as strong. "We have become much more professional, much better at communicating our message nationally and locally, and our candidates are working hard on the ground," he said.
If this is important when facing the might of an increasingly confident Fianna Fáil-PD machine, the Greens will also be competing for anti-Government votes against the other opposition parties.
Ridiculed at the Fianna Fáil ardfheis last weekend as a party of suave urbanites seeking to lecture rural dwellers on how to live their lives, the opening session tonight is titled "a vision for the west".