Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy has criticised Eamon Ryan and the Green Party as having been “failures in Government” following Eamon Ryan’s announcement earlier today that he is stepping down.
Speaking after Mr Ryan’s announcement earlier today, Mr Carthy described him as a “very pleasant person” who is “very passionate about the issues he believes in”.
“But politically I think it is fair to say that Eamon Ryan and the Green Party have been failures in Government.
“They have been obviously part of the overall Government failures in terms of housing, health, disability services, asylum policy, undermining of Irish neutrality,” Mr Carthy said.
Speaking on RTÉ News at One, Mr Carthy added that the Green Party had been part of a Government that set ambitious targets for climate action but failed to deliver on them.
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“The position of the Green Party, in particular, is to blame everyone else for those Government failures,” he added.
Speaking on the same programme, Green Party Minister of State Malcolm Noonan described Eamon Ryan as a “true visionary”.
Mr Noonan said it was “sad day” for the Green Party but added “I think he is doing the right thing for him and for his family”.
In his announcement earlier, Mr Ryan said he has “parenting commitments at home” and a son with special needs who also requires his attention.
Mr Noonan, who ran against Mr Ryan for leadership in 2011, said: “Obviously, it is an emotional day for the party for me as well. I was with him that day back in 2011 because I contested the leadership against him back then and, thankfully, I lost.”
Mr Noonan said when Mr Ryan took over, the party was “at its lowest possible ebb”.
“I know the work he did, I know, the work he put in over that time from literally nothing to rebuild that party, our party from the grassroots back up again.
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“To go back into Government, a transformative Programme for Government and culminating in the work we did yesterday, and over the past two-and-a-half years, in leading in Europe on the Nature Restoration Law and Eamon’s leadership on that and on so many issues has been steadfast,” Mr Noonan said.
Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik also paid tribute to Mr Ryan’s “contribution to public service” during Leaders’ Questions.
“I want to wish Eamon and his family well on this momentous personal decision and wish Eamon’s colleagues in the Green Party well.
“I do also want to acknowledge his immense contribution to public service and to environmentalism,” she said.
Also speaking at Leader’s Questions, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns described Mr Ryan as “sincere and helpful” and added that he “can be proud of his contribution to Irish life”.
Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae also wished Mr Ryan well.
In a post on X, Mr Healy-Rae said while he differs “massively on policies and ideology, I wish him and his family nothing but the best of good luck, health and happiness in his retirement”.
“Public life isn’t always easy but he always stuck to his guns and I respect that in a person,” he added.
Mr Ryan will continue as party leader and in his role as Minister for Communications, Climate and Environment until a replacement is appointed.
