Over the last week political analysts have been straining themselves to stress the massive gamble that the Green Party has taken in entering government alongside Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats. The decision to take up the position of the junior partners in coalition is a massive gamble but one that had to be taken at this juncture.

The somewhat surprising result of last week's general election has left Fianna Fail with two possible coalition combinations: FF/PD's/Independents and FF/Greens.

What is progress? What are the criterion by which we measure the advancement of our country, the yardstick by which we measure improvement on all that has gone before? The materialistic character which is considered progress within the new Ireland has been much maligned in recent years but I think it incorrect to suggest this. Ireland as a nation has improved in real terms, not just economically and the citizens of the state are rightly entitled to reap the rewards of this progress.