Eamon Ryan is a gigantic figure within the Green Party, and his announced departure raises big questions, if not concerns.
This is the man who became leader in 2011 after the Greens had been reduced to political ashes by the electorate.
His energy, belief, industriousness and adroitness led to the party winning big a decade later – 12 Dáil seats.
Even critics like Independent Ireland TD Michael Fitzmaurice acknowledge the Green Party’s success in government under Eamon Ryan.
The party drove a hard bargain and ensured that green policies were woven into the fabric of the Programme for Government.
More importantly, Eamon Ryan had learned from his time at Cabinet between 2007 and 2011 and ensured Green concerns were delivered – on this time out.
And now the big political beast is leaving. The future is uncertain.
It may have calmed the waters had deputy leader Catherine Martin decided to throw her hat in the ring for leader.
She’s been in the Dáil since 2016, was the chief negotiator on the Programme for Government and sits at Cabinet.
She is also liked by the party membership, coming a close second in the last party leadership contest in 2020 to Eamon Ryan.
However, the Dublin Rathdown deputy has counted herself out.
Attention has already shifted to Minister for Children and Integration Roderic O’Gorman.
That’s not just because he is a life-long Green and popular with the membership.
It is that some senior figures believe his experience as a senior minister at Cabinet would greatly assist him when it comes to dealing with Simon Harris and Micheál Martin.
Others possible candidates being mentioned include Senator and Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who also sits at Cabinet, and Minister of State Ossian Smyth.
Yesterday was all about Eamon Ryan, so candidate confirmation now may happen today.
Under the rules, a party member only needs to secure 50 signatures from other members to become a candidate in this election race.
So it is possible that multiple candidates could pop up before the expected nominations deadline of this Friday.
Whoever wins will have big decisions to take – and in short order.
First, do they want to have a Cabinet reshuffle of Green ministers?
Eamon Ryan says he wants to stay where he is – but is that in the best interests of the Green Party?
Second, the new leader has to solidify their relationship with the other Coalition leaders.
They will need to bond with them while, at the same time, prove that they are not a push-over.
Many in the party are still smarting at Fine Gael’s new MEP Regina Doherty taking pot-shots at the Greens during the European Parliament election campaign.
Third, they will have to look beyond the remaining government-term and towards the general election.
After something of a drubbing in the recent twin polls, in which they lost half their councillors and both of their MEPs, the party needs rebuilding. Fast.
Who is the best person to do that?
Another challenge is that the Green Party’s tenure in government has led to fissures within the party and wider environmental movement.
Green TD for Dublin Central Neasa Hourigan is still outside the parliamentary party.
Former members, like Lorna Bogue who is now leader of Rabharta, argue the Greens compromised too much in order to enter into government and deliver too little.
Can the new leader build bridges? Or should they?
Then there is the question as to how the party should position itself for the general election, given polling day could come as soon as October?
The big concern must be that this change in leadership could weaken, if not destabilise the Greens.
And that could have significant negative consequences on polling day.
Eamon Ryan said he was inspired after having spoken in recent days to the 132 candidates that ran for the Greens in the local and European elections.
He believes the Green Party has a bright future.
We will find out shortly if he is right.
