Green TDs who are opposed to the government deal with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been urged to quit the party and join the left-wing alliance in the Dáil if it is approved. Three Green TDs abstained on the parliamentary party vote to approve the programme for government this week with Neasa Hourigan and Patrick Costello publicly expressing concern about the agreement - but they have not yet declared if they will vote against it. The third abstentionist, Francis Noel Duffy, has yet to comment on his position ahead of a postal ballot of nearly 3,000 Green Party members over the next ten days. “We have won change from outside the government, we won change in terms of Repeal, we won't change the terms of marriage equality, we won change in terms of the defeat of the water charges. “If Green activists join us in building those movements, we can win change and we can win victories in terms of climate action.

Source: Irish Independent June 17, 2020 12:11 UTC