Despite losing 11 of its 12 Dáil seats in the general election, the Green Party is not going away and will return stronger than ever, according to departing Environment, Climate, and Communications Minister Eamon Ryan, reports RTE.
The results of the local, European, and general elections were difficult for his party, according to Minister Ryan, who led the Green Party for 13 years until June.
He did, however, claim that the fightback began on the Sunday night following the election, when Roderick O’Gorman, the leader of the Green Party at the time, managed to hold onto his seat, reports RTE.
He said that the circumstances he faced as party leader in 2011, when the Greens lost Dáil seats, were very different from the current state of his party.
He clarified that the party had to start over since it was left without funding and without representation in the Oireachtas.
“We’re not there now. We have 25 councillors. Really good people around the country. We have Oireachtas representation. We’re still really strong in Europe. So, we’re rebuilding with half the steps already taken. I think that’ll help us tremendously in the next five years”, he said, reports RTE.
Minister Ryan has been speaking with all of the Green Party senators, TDs who lost their seats, and council members who did not gain a Dáil seat.
“They all have the same sense,” he said, reports RTE.
“We delivered on what we promised for the Irish people. I think a lot of that delivery will continue. The issues we stand for are not going away. The experience we have, and the learnings we gained, will stay with us. I hope we can use that experience to serve people by preparing for the future that is ahead of us all and looking after ourselves by protecting nature,” reports RTE.
Mr. Ryan mentioned that opposition TDs, Fianna Fáil, and Fine Gael occasionally attacked the Greens, citing pressure from independent TDs in rural areas and other sources.
The party believes it was assaulted “from behind” by certain non-governmental environmental organisations, he added, reports RTE.
In particular, he cited a study released by Friends of the Earth just before the election, which found that the Social Democrats and the Labour Party were more concerned about climate change than the Green Party.
If that were the case, he added, those parties would be talking to create a government right now, but they aren’t, reports RTE.
Ireland’s transformation from a climate change laggard to a leader in Europe over the last four and a half years is perhaps what Minister Ryan is most proud of. He expressed his belief that this will benefit the Irish people in the long run.
“I think it will be really important to see what’s in the programme for government. Do they commit to the public transport spending that we’ve set in train? Do they agree with the European Union that we should go for more even ambitious targets. Do they deliver on what we’ve already committed to?,” reports RTE.
According to Minister Ryan, the changes in agriculture, transport, and energy that have begun in Ireland during the last five years are genuine.
He called the transport reforms he has started “fundamental,” but he acknowledged that they will take time since Ireland’s legal and planning system is delayed, which makes it difficult to reach consensus.
“But the change in public transport, towards making it safe to walk and cycle, is real and fundamental. I don’t think it’s going to stop. In energy, to switch to our own fuels, relying on our own energy, rather than importing fuel from abroad. That is good for climate, but also good for jobs, good for the economy,” reports RTE.
“And in agriculture, probably the area where we took some of the biggest hits politically – a lot of people were saying, oh, it is rural Ireland versus the Greens. I don’t think that is true. What gives me hope, even if we didn’t do well in the last election, is that the Irish people are committed to act on climate – from the farm, the factory, you name it,” reports RTE.
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