Crunch Time for Politics

Let me start by saying that I’ve written this as a member of the Green Party who objected to the NAMA legislation. At the recent Green Party conference, I was one of a few speakers to offer contributions on both the NAMA legislation and the revised programme for government.

I wish to outline to your readers my personal views on both these important issues so that you may understand that not all within the Green Party accept that the Programme For Government (PFG) or the NAMA legislation represent the best outcome for the taxpayer in these difficult times.

First, let me begin with why the convention was called. The Green Party constitution allows for a special convention when at least five electoral groups submit a request to the National Executive Committee (NEC) on this occasion,  to decide the position of the party to the proposed NAMA legislation.

Media commentators and opposition political parties have made negative comments about the relative small number of Green Party members deciding government policy. I would be of the opinion that it highly desirable in a democracy that members of political parties can call a special convention to review how a political party is performing in government (or opposition), allowing members an open and frank opportunity to express their views and concerns regarding the performance of their elected politicians.

The weakness lies in the fact that no other political party allows for such openness and access to ministers and politicians and for this reason I would praise the Green Party for its willingness to engage with its members especially in such tumultuous times.

I took the convention very seriously, devoting many hours prior to the convention in attempting to understand the significance of the NAMA proposal and alternatives, while seeking council from professionals in the financial sector, businesses and members of the public on whether it was indeed in the best interest of our nation for this legislation to be introduced in its current format. I was not alone in this endeavor as many Green Party members did likewise.

As a political party, it has devoted more time than any other party and perhaps than all other parties combined, to debating the NAMA legislation. The Green Party have facilitated three party seminars and a party convention devoted entirely to NAMA. Many hundreds of members from across Ireland have attended these events at their own time and personal cost. It has been debated at branch meetings, at local and national level. Therefore it would seem that NAMA has been debated more within the  Green Party membership than any other party in the state. So I would say to detractors that while we may be a minority party, its members clearly take their responsibilities very seriously.

Notwithstanding the above I was disappointed with the Convention for many reasons. The convention was called primarily to debate the NAMA legislation and unfortunately the PFG re-negotiations overshadowed the occasion dealing a serious blow on the day to any attempt to properly debate the NAMA legislation.

I have presented my views on this to the Green Party and they are available for anyone to read openly on my blog website: www.westcorkgreens.blogspot.com

In summary, I stated that I found the manner in which the convention was organised to be worthy of political manipulation.

Despite the clear unease within the Green Party to supporting the NAMA legislation, there was no possibility that the motion to reject NAMA could be won given the procedures and events of the day.

I spoke against the NAMA legislation. I also clearly outlined why I believed the PFG was too aspirational whilst neither being radical enough nor clearly providing transparency on how or when it was going to delivery on many of the 200 items presented in the document. I voted reluctantly for the PFG and only as I noted on the day because I believe that the Green Party ministers are seriously attempting to change how our institutions govern this state from the houses of the Oireachtas to local Government. I voted for the PFG because I believe the Green Party can still make a difference in politics. You can only do this in Government.

In the debate on NAMA, I outlined why I could not morally or ethically accept the legislation in its current format. I stated that the safeguards for the taxpayer were not concrete enough and that if NAMA was the only possibility for safeguarding the taxpayer that it had to be changed.  I debated that neither Anglo Irish nor N.I.B. could be regarded as of systemic importance to the Irish state and that both institutions should be liquidated when the current bank guarantee ceases. I suggested that the bank guarantee should be extended when the current guarantee expires to all other banks so that we may attempt to save what we can and use public monies elsewhere where they are urgently needed. A considerable number of likeminded people voted the same as myself, against the NAMA legislation despite the Party’s insistence that it would result in dissolving the Government.

It is not to late for further significant changes to be made to the NAMA legislation. Let us hope that the multifaceted group of experts, people including teachers, farmers, solicitors, social workers, fish exporters, insurance brokers, economists, plant hire businessmen, auctioneers, accountants, publicans, general practitioners, funeral directors and those of no other occupation or professional skill, that make up the elected deputies and Dåil Eireann have the ability to attempt the salvation of our financial system. For many NAMA represents the level of control that the financial sector have not only over our economy but also our political system. Its not unrealistic to suggest that NAMA represents crunch time for politics in Ireland.

Declan Waugh