Rossport, Oil Wars & Entering Power, a discussion with Trevor Sargent;

national | environment | news report

Tuesday July 17, 2007 01:31

by Kbranno - Attack Media

attackdublin at gmail dot com

Former Green Party Leader Speaks

In this exlusive interview with the attack.ie media blog former leader of the Green Party Trevor Sargent faces tough questions over Shannon, Rossport and entering government with Fianna Fail.

Following the wealth of criticism the Green's received from the left in the wake of their pact with Fianna Fail, Trevor Sargent here tries to explain the reasoning behind entering government and what the future might hold for his party.

Trevor attempts to reassert his support for ShellToSea explaining his hands are now tied by constitutional power and also suggests that the US military will ultimately leave Shannon.

When asked about criticism from the left, most of which came from Indymedia, Trevor said it was fair comment but challenged his detractors to match the Green's electoral success.

A full 45minute streamed version of the interview will be made available at http://www.attack.ie

Interview Highlights

Interview Highlights 5.84 Mb

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Comments (7 of 7)

personal comment to a border-line interesting piece

by Winston the waffling dissenter

Tue Jul 17, 2007 04:42

...it sounds like the waffle has definitely been well appropriated, but from my non-green perspective and having only heard some of the earlier waffle, it sounds like this (new?) waffle is sitting uncomfortabley with Clever Trevor. Or maybe that is comfortable, a cynical side of me thinks, given that it is severely contained within a traditional "Green" discourse of problems that they can't resolve alone but can pass blame on to others - when the traditional problems inevitably are not addressed due to the fact that the problems discussed are global in scope and conseqnently global in solution - and detract attention from much of the Irish-context Green discourse over the past few years, problems they potentially could do something about.

It sounds like they've employed Terry Prone for PR advice, and are listening to it - constrained, contained, non-problematic, non-commited, and importantly not against FF.

But I am willing to give this some time - this party is involved in electoral politics (consider who the electorate voted for) and so have to play that game. Personally speaking, I'll start to consider things more substantially in the next few months once the party's behaviour and their comprimises can be properly assessed - comprimises that are inevitable in a democratic context given that there are voters (and their elected officials) whose opinions are to the right and left of indymedia participants and the Greens on this plot of land. Anyway, no one knows the 'right' way, bar the little Hitler's of course.

The article in the recent Phoneix is an interesting interpretation of the game the Greens are involved in. Some serious political losses ahead if the game is not played well. And my own lay political thinking inclines to believe that the Greens are well alert to these risks, and much more than many of us can imagine at this early stage of negotiations.

Procrastination

by The eskimo - s2s

Tue Jul 17, 2007 09:45

I think if it looks like a dog, barks like a dog, and smells like a dog, then it is a dog. there is not a lot of point waiting until next week to declare that its a dog. And if it looks like a u-turn, talks like a u-turn . . . . . . . . . . .

Just a small point..

by accuracycounts

Tue Jul 17, 2007 13:40

"When asked about criticism from the left, most of which came from Indymedia"

Perhaps you should have phrased that differently. The criticism did not come "from Indymedia". It came from people who read and contribute articles and comments TO (or via) Indymedia.

yep

by w. - attack media

Tue Jul 17, 2007 13:52

I'll accept the above point, it should have read 'most of which came from our mates via indymedia'

;-)

What use?

by Jack

Tue Jul 17, 2007 20:11

When addressing the Rossport saga Sargent speaks of 'constitutional responsibilities'.
What a pity he doesn't regard the 'constitutional rights' of the Shell protesters in the same vein.

For the duration of this govt. we are going to have to listen to TS et al. moaning about 'biting bullets' and
'tied hands' . What he really means is that the Greens, in govt. will be f*** all good to anybody except their own pampered arses.

Why TS, did you enter government? What will you achieve? Tell us please!!!

sounds like Sargent has quickly mastered the sliveen art of Bertie-Speak

by x

Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:22

Rossport - "we eh I would ah um share many of de ehm concerns of dee campaign" (WTF des dis mean?)
.............- "but me bleedin heart goes out to de poor provoked and frustrated gardai, maybe electric batons would help dem do de job?" (suddenly stutter-free, a clear message to the porks - 'Nail these hippies, quickly FFS - just get me my gas!')

Shannon - "Oh yes, we have been severely tortured wit dees flights, but at least we managed to steer de focus away from de gigantic warcrimes we fully support, and hope de Iraqis can learn to live in peace under de liberating yankee jackboot, until de year 2525, when de stampede of Master Race shocktroops through here will probably stop, since by den a battery of orbiting laser cannons will be available to instantaneously vaporise any malcontents still on this planet - let's keep our fingers crossed. But until den, dere's plenty of boots and helmets to be polishing - we recommend spit and elbow grease, 100% Green!"

Green Party - the political equivalent of insisting on proper grammar in a lunatic asylum

Therefore: Forget these spineless Green toads

sellout

by depressed

Tue Sep 25, 2007 15:06

That really was depressing listening to a man I once admiried. Trevor "sellout" Sergant!

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Rossport, Oil Wars & Entering Power, a discussion with Trevor Sargent;

Comments (7 of 7)