Green Party members have called for the next leaders of the party to focus on “everyday life” while maintaining the push to tackle climate change.
Minister for Arts and Media Catherine Martin also said she was resigning from her position as deputy party leader. However, she ruled a bid for the leadership despite saying she will stand in the next General Election.
Cork City councillor Oliver Moran told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that he would like the next leader to transition the party towards being “a party of everyday life”.
He cited Green Party led policies to reduce public transport fees and childcare costs as two examples.
“I genuinely believe that green politics is the politics of everyday life,” he said.
However, he does not think that message has “resonated completely with everybody”.
“Making sure that people can see that message, and that message is felt is the key challenge for the Green Party leaders.”
Mr Moran said he supported Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman – who has since announced his candidacy – or Dublin Central TD Neasa Hourigan to become the new party leader.
“Both of them have shown resilience in their respective positions in different ways,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dublin City cllr Janet Horner said she wanted the next leader of the Green Party to connect to the grassroots and acknowledge the importance of the party membership in formulating policy.
“That we’re getting that social justice focus back to the core of the party, and social inclusion, and keeping that really strong focus on climate action which is obviously the major thing that people want to see from the Green Party,” she said.
Adam O’Ceallaigh, secretary of Óige Ghlas, believes the party needs a “green reset” despite saying Eamon Ryan did a “fantastic job” as party leader.
“There’s a lot of people out there, particularly in the region that I’m from, with regards to the farming community and even young people, feeling that the Green Party are in opposition to them.
“I don’t believe that’s the case, but the next leader of the Green Party [has to] engage with those groups,” he said.
Harriet Burgess, who was an unsuccessful candidate for the Green Party in Macroom in the recent local elections, said they are lucky to have “high calibre of people within the parliamentary party” to choose a new leader from.
“I guess I want someone who would continue that work and continue the legacy of really progressive policies on climate change,” she said.
Former Green Party chairperson, cllr Hazel Chu said the next party leader needs to “return seats for us”.
“At the end of the day, we’re coming into an election cycle so the next leader will have to have a good electoral strategy,” Ms Chu said.
She added: “They’ll have to understand where we can get our seats across the country and where we can build our votes.”
