The party wants to move from being Green protesters to decision-makers, reports Mark Brennock, Chief Political Correspondent
They want to be in Government. They said it at their convention in Galway all weekend. Trevor Sargent devoted the opening passage of his party leader's speech to it. Party chairman John Gormley titled his speech: "Preparing for Government."
The co-leader of the German Green Party came over to talk about what it's like, to tell delegates frankly about the compromises that must be made and the achievements that can be gained through becoming a government party rather than simply an external pressure group. For a party whose members are used to the luxury of taking clear principled positions, the compromises involved in being in Government can come as a shock.
The party leadership clearly needs no convincing. "Most of us got into politics to make a difference, to effect real change," said Mr Gormley. "It's not simply a case anymore of greening the political agenda, it's a case of implementing the Green political agenda, and that has to happen sooner rather than later."
Mr Sargent pointed to Germany, New Zealand and Sweden as countries where the Greens were in government. The first ever Green prime minister was elected last week, he said - in Latvia.
Coupled with the stated desire to be in government comes a significant move to redefine the party's position on key issues, most notably on Europe. The Green Party became very uncomfortable during the second Nice referendum campaign when its opposition to the Nice Treaty associated in the public mind with other opponents such as Justin Barrett's No To Nice campaign and Sinn Féin. A substantial part of the party's current support base consists of urban middle class younger liberals - many of whom feel little hostility to the EU but considerable hostility to many of those who lined up on the anti-EU side.
So, since last year the party has been conducting an internal debate on Europe, which may lead to a recasting of their position. The impression the leadership wants to give is clear. For the first time the EU flag hung beside the Irish flag on the speakers' podium throughout the weekend.
Several key speakers sought to position the party's traditional criticisms of aspects of the EU within a position of overall support for the Union.
"Our task as Greens is not to isolate ourselves in Europe," said deputy leader Mary White, the party's European Parliament candidate in the East constituency. While criticising the Union's "inflexibility and remoteness", she said these were things they should campaign to change, rather than reasons simply to oppose the EU.
Outgoing Leinster MEP Ms Nuala Ahern was the most direct, challenging her party to be more positive towards the EU.
"It is unrealistic to demand that the European Commission takes action on the nitrate directive, for example, while denying that it needs to act effectively through a new constitution," she said.
Ms Patricia McKenna MEP raised her concerns about the militarisation of the EU. But she too portrayed the Greens role as campaigning within the EU "to try to limit this mad drive towards militarisation".
The Green Party may end up opposing the next EU treaty should it be agreed. But first it is to have a special party convention on the matter. Some senior party sources suggested at the weekend that the leadership would stand back from the debate allowing members to make the decision.
The party's broad ideological message outlined at the weekend marries elements of traditional Green thinking with left thinking.
Throughout the weekend, speakers criticised the Government's overt focus on promoting the needs of business.
Trevor Sargent returned to the theme in his keynote speech on Saturday night: "For this Government the promotion of the interests of big business is sacred," he said.
"Markets and market-led language are creeping into every facet of our lives and into our debates on key public services, including education.
"It is the language - not of citizens - but of consumers and clients. It is the language of the internal market, choice, customers, and privatisation. The sad new world envisaged by the Fianna Fáil/PD Government is a hostile world of solitary individuals competing endlessly to outdo their neighbour in every field from higher education to the shopping centre.
"Economic growth at any cost and the survival of the fittest replaces our traditional culture of watching out for each other."
It was the passage of his speech that received the most spontaneous applause. He spoke of the rise in Ireland of "the anxious class".
Even those who have done relatively well economically are still faced with a host of challenges and threats to true quality of life, he said. It was a message that will appeal to many who are relatively well off.
Most interestingly, his remarks would appeal to a substantial section of those who vote for Fine Gael. Three of the four new seats won by the Greens in the last General Election came from Fine Gael.
The fourth had been a Fine Gael target. The Green Party has joined the PDs in targeting Fine Gael supporters and hopes to reap dividends in local and European elections in June.Yet they face the contradiction of needing Fine Gael to do well in order to realise their ambitions.
In denouncing Fianna Fáil and the PDs and insisting they must be removed from Government, Trevor Sargent appeared to tie his party's prospects of going into Government to the prospects of a Fine Gael/Labour/Green coalition being able to gain an overall Dáil majority.
It is the same position Labour has taken under Pat Rabbitte. If Fine Gael is not significantly strengthened but further weakened, this will be impossible.
Such calculations are on hold, at least until after June's elections. They are hoping that a good performance, with potential Dáil candidates winning local authority seats will bring them closer to the day when, as Nuala Ahern said, the party will be "not simply Green protesters but also the movers and shakers, the decision makers".