Roderic O’Gorman re-elected as Green leader

Roderic O’Gorman has been re-elected as the leader of the Green Party.

He was returned as the party’s only TD following a near wipeout in the general election.

The former children’s minister had taken over the party leadership from Eamon Ryan towards the end of the lifetime of the last coalition government.

Malcolm Noonan was elected as the party’s only senator following the Seanad elections earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Janet Horner, a party councillor in Dublin, has been elected as the new chairwoman of the party, succeeding former senator Pauline O’Reilly.

Both candidates reached the required number of nominations to contest their respective positions – 50 for party leader and 30 for Cathaoirleach.

No other candidate reached that threshold during the nomination period so no vote of the wider membership was required.

Mr O’Gorman said: “I’m honoured that the Green Party membership have expressed this confidence in me to continue as leader.

“Our party had a difficult election last year, but we continue to be a strong voice for climate action, for supporting families and for equality.

“Since my re-election to Dail Eireann, I have focused on the appointment of a new team of spokespersons and the development of a strategic plan for the party.

“We are using the strategic plan process to listen, understand why we lost support in recent elections, and chart how we can rebuild our political strength, so we can continue to push for change.”

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr O’Gorman said he is about “halfway” through working on a new strategic plan for the party after a drop in support in the election.

He said: “The Green Party had a difficult election last year, there’s no question of that, and like many Green parties across Europe, our vote declined after a period in Government.

“Green policies are being attacked by the far right and many established parties of government are feeling more confident to retreat from the measures that need to be taken to address the climate crisis in the interests of all people, but we will not be deterred.

“At a time when we have an American administration that’s hostile not just to climate but to science itself, at a time where we’re seeing a retreat from the Green New Deal at a European level, that Green Party perspective is badly needed, more needed than ever, and we will continue to be an essential voice in Irish politics for climate action, for helping families and for fighting for equality across all parts of our society.”