The Labour Party and Green Party in Louth & East Meath have agreed a voting pact for the forthcoming Local Elections.



With no candidate from either party in a direct contest with the other, senior figures from the Greens and Labour in Louth & East Meath are asking Labour voters in Ardee and the two Dundalk electoral areas to vote Green No. 1 and for Green voters to vote Labour No.1 in the two Drogheda electoral areas and in the Laytown-Bettystown electoral area for Meath County Council.



Explaining the strategy Senator Ged Nash said: “Day-in and day-out Labour and Green Party representatives in Leinster House work co-operatively on our common objectives of tackling climate change, delivering decent work, ethical business and on sustainable transport, planning and development issues.



“For example Labour co-sponsored (with the Greens) the Waste Reduction Bill designed to introduce a new deposit scheme for plastic and glass bottles and a complete ban on single-use coffee cups and plastic cutlery.



“This is just one practical example of the work we continue to do together to make a real difference to society and our environment.”



Senator Nash added: “In this time of great uncertainty it has never been more important to elect as many genuinely progressive representatives to local office.



“On this basis I am asking Labour supporters in areas where we do not have candidates to support their local Green candidate.”



Cllr Mark Dearey outlined how Labour and the Greens had battled hard together in Council over the past five years on issues such as public housing, town centre regeneration, biodiversity, and in particular in holding the Council Executive to account on many budgetary matters, and on the take over of Drogheda Port.



"It’s been a very difficult five years to be on the Council,” commented Cllr. Dearey, “but our shared values and deep democratic principals has meant that Labour and the Green Party have been a strong force for progress and democracy."