Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said last night he believed the Green Party was in government “for the long haul” and would not withdraw from coalition with Fianna Fáil.
“They are very good colleagues,” he told reporters at the count-centre for the Ireland East constituency at Punchestown, Co Kildare.
“Above all the parties that I’ve worked with in coalition, they are very determined on the path that they have set themselves out, particularly in relation to environmental issues.
“They’re very good colleagues. They take a long look at these issues. They don’t go from crisis to crisis as perhaps some of our other coalition partners did over the years, making difficulties for themselves –and I say that with due respect to Mary Harney and her party because they were very good colleagues.
“But the Greens are very good in government and, I have to say, are very quick learners as to how difficult it is to cross from opposition benches to government benches. They had the luxury for 20 years, as opposition, to attack governments but they now see how difficult it is to be in government.”
He continued: “Having listened to them, having spoken to them, I believe they’re in for the long haul. They see it, as we do, that when the people voted for us in 2007, they gave us a mandate for five years and we’ll continue with that mandate as long as we have the majority in the Oireachtas.”
Asked if he was surprised at the results for Fianna Fáil, he replied: “Not really, no, because we knew it was going to be difficult.”
He continued: “In my view, the people will thank us for being, in effect, an influence in the recovery that is bound to take place over the next two or three years.”
Asked if he believed the public mood would change between now and the next general election, he said: “Who knows? The public mood changed in the space of ten days just before [the general election in] 2007.”