The Green Party offered itself to the electorate as part of an alternative government at a lively and self-confident annual conference in Galway at the weekend. Gone were the days of stand-alone righteousness and unstructured leadership.
Party officers had learned from their European Green counterparts and concluded that to bring about the changes they favoured in society, they would have to modify their organisation, along with their attitudes to participation in government. The first steps had already been taken. But, in order to consolidate and develop its position, the party must perform well in the coming local and European elections.
The party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, accused the Coalition parties of arrogance, corruption and broken promises and offered a clean, alternative government, with the Green Party at its heart. Proper planning, protection of the environment, caring for families and the provision of high quality health, education, housing and transport services were the core issues at the conference.
The Green Party's advocacy of 'sustainable development' has brought it into conflict with agricultural, industrial and construction interests over water and air pollution and once-off housing. It favours investment in public transport and argues that commuting by car is not a long-term option because oil stocks are running out. It opposes genetically modified crops and incineration. It proposes a Constitutional referendum that would prevent property developers hoarding housing land. And it promises public protests against the forthcoming visit of President George Bush because of the war in Iraq.
The caring, sometimes abrasive, alternative messages being offered by the Green Party could pay healthy dividends in a climate where the electorate is disturbed by the Mahon tribunal's investigations into planning corruption. Having performed badly in the local elections of 1999 and returned only eight councillors, the party hopes to double, or even treble that level of representation in June. It is a feasible objective, in light of the party's showing in the Dáil elections of 2002 when the number of its TDs increased from two to six. It may, however, have difficulty in retaining its two European Parliament seats.
Less than three years ago the Green Party embarked on a programme of internal reform and development. It elected a party leader for the first time, tightened up on internal disciplinary procedures, and introduced flexible structures to deal with policy and strategy. The reforms marked its evolution into a mainstream political organisation. The June elections will measure the extent of that development.