Greens pull out of Irish government coalition

The Irish Times reported  that the Irish Green Party had decided to withdraw from the Government after “losing patience” with the lack of resolution to the ongoing saga of Fianna Fáil’s leadership. As a result, the date of the election is likely to be brought forward from March 11th.

It announced the decision in at a press conference in Dublin this afternoon in the same hotel where Brian Cowen stood down as leader of Fianna Fáil yesterday but opted to remain as Taoiseach.

Green leader Gormley said Fianna Fáil’s leadership issue was too much of a distraction for the Government and meant an immediate election was necessary.

The two Green ministers - Gormley, who held the environment portfolio, and Eamon Ryan, who had the communications, energy and natural resources brief -  tendered their resignations, meaning there are now just seven ministers remaining in the Cabinet, the Constitutional minimum.