Party Positions?

During the election campaign 2016, we wrote formally to a number of political parties asking them to explicitly state their support — or not — for the establishment of a Citizens' Convention for a Post-Carbon Ireland. All responses received are presented here, ranking according to their strength and clarity of support.

Unconditional Support

People Before Profit

• 13 February 2016: Letter requesting statement
• 15 February 2016: Response from Kieran Allen on behalf of PBP Verdict: Unconditional support.

Green Party

• 12 February 2016: Letter requesting statement
• 18 February 2016: Response on behalf of Eamon Ryan Verdict: Unconditional support.

Partial or Equivocal Support

Sinn Féin

• 12 February 2016: Letter requesting statement
• 19 February 2016: Response from Sinéad Ní Bhroin. Points to Sinn Féin manifesto. Expresses generic (but clear) commitment to climate action. “[E]xtremely interested in exploring how best to engage and include people across the island ... We look forward to discussing the proposal for Citizens’ Convention for a Post-Carbon Ireland with you and your colleagues over the coming months.” Verdict: supportive, but lacks clear commitment to implementation.

Fianna Fáil

• 12 February 2016: Letter requesting statement
• 18 February 2016: Response from Micheál Martin. Critical of government performance. Strong aspirations. States that Citizens' Port-Carbon Covention proposal has “merit” and commits to “exploring” it. Verdict: supportive, but lacks clear commitment to implementation.

Labour

• 12 February 2016: Letter requesting statement
• 14 February 2016: Response from Cllr Dermot Lacey on behalf of Joan Burton, TD Points to record in government, energy white paper, possible reactivation of the Constitutional Convention and the proposed National Energy Forum. Verdict: support, but heavily qualified?

Fine Gael

• 12 February 2016: Letter requesting statement
• 18 February 2016: Response from Mark Carpenter on behalf of Fine Gael. Points to Fine Gael manifesto. Attempts to map Citizens' PostCarbon Convention onto a proposed new "Citizens' Assembly". Verdict: support, but heavily qualified?

Obscure/Indeterminate Response

Social Democrats

• 12 February 2016: Letter requesting statement
• 16 February 2016: Response Generic pointer to Social Democrats manifesto. Verdict: Based on manifesto, no clear statement either in favour or against.

No Response

RENUA Ireland

• 12 February 2016: Letter requesting statement