Gormley preferred alternative coalition

GREEN PARTY leader John Gormley has raised the possibility of a future coalition with Fine Gael and Labour.

Speaking in advance of his party's national convention in Dundalk, Co Louth, Mr Gormley said that he had not expected to be in Government with Fianna Fáil.

"I was one of the people in the party who wanted more than most to be in government with an alternative arrangement, with Fine Gael and the Labour Party. At some stage, that may well happen," he said. "Our supporters are very happy with the progress that we have made and we have a list of achievements that were unimaginable and just could not have imagined at all if we remained in Opposition."

Meanwhile, Fine Gael yesterday called on the Greens to withdraw a letter it circulated seeking suggestions for suitable persons to sit on the State boards. The letter, signed by party chairman Senator Dan Boyle, states the people nominated can be affiliated to the Green Party or any other political party, but that their perspective or view "should be in keeping with green thinking". Mr Boyle qualifies this by stating he means "green" in the environmental, rather than the party, sense.

Fine Gael's enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar said he was astonished that such a letter was being sent out. "Appointments should not be in the gift of a political party. It raises very serious questions about the Greens' attitude to public appointments . . . We are used to jobs for the boys from Fianna Fáil, but I would not have expected that from the Green Party," he said.