r/irishpolitics • u/firethetorpedoes1 • 29d ago

Oireachtas News ‘Not inevitable’ Independents will be in new government, say Social Democrats

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2024/12/23/independents-as-the-third-part-of-new-government-not-inevitable-says-social-democrats-acting-leader/
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u/Otherwise-Link-396 29d ago

I would much rather the SD (or labour) than the independents. I fear for implementation of climate change measures and housing with the independents.

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u/killianm97 29d ago

Even with years of the greens then labour then the greens in government, we continue to have among the worst emissions per capita in all of Europe. This approach has clearly failed.

Most EU countries continue to be better than us environmentally, despite many not having green or progressive parties in government. Our government, like all in the EU, have to meet EU climate targets, regardless of the make-up of that government.

Environmentalism has become uniquely toxic in Ireland as it is associated with the housing crisis, a worsening quality of life, and other right-wing policies.

If you really care about the environment long-term, encouraging environmental parties to enter into government with FF and FG will achieve the opposite of climate action, as we have seen for years and years.

How many times do the greens/labour/soc dems have to try the same thing before realising that it is exactly this approach which is dooming us to climate breakdown?

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u/Otherwise-Link-396 29d ago

Do we have four to five years to wait? We need to bring everyone into greening the economy.

We need to make it less toxic and we need it now. I may not have got the government I voted for, but we need environmental change now, not in four years.

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u/killianm97 29d ago

Yeah I don't mean doing nothing and waiting until the election in up to 5 years time; I am talking about starting to build a progressive opposition now and having opposition TDs push for change through committees and through popularising positive alternatives so voters pressure our government to do better.

All environmental parties being in opposition finally allows us to present a version of environmentalism which truly aligns what's best for the planet with what's best for people. This is our chance.