'A Green seat is a difficult sell in rural Ireland': Laois candidate Rosie Palmer reflects on campaign

Laois Green Party candidate Rosie Palmer has reflected on her campaign, describing it as a 'difficult sell' to be a Green Party candidate in rural Ireland.

The candidate spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live at the count centre in Scoil Chríost Rí, Portlaoise.

Ms Palmer thanked those for their help throughout her campaign, and has asserted that she will 'remain positive'.

"The campaign has been brilliant, it has been very fun and exciting, all culminating into today," she said.

“There has been a lot of positivity which has been nice.

"I am delighted to have been able to give people in Laois the option to vote Green, and to vote liberal left. I am polling at around 2.1%, which to me is quite good," Ms Palmer explained.

“I am delighted with that. Being a green is a difficult sell in rural Ireland. It is important to me to give people the option to vote Green, and vote left when they can."

The candidate has said she is feeling 'very positive' at the minute, an attribute she alleges is important to maintain in a political campaign.

“The whole process in politics can really take the best out of you, I think the most important thing is to keep the head up and keep yourself positive,” she said.

“Keep pushing for change, that’s what’s most important,” Ms Palmer finished.

“Being a Green is a difficult sell in rural Ireland,” says Laois Green Party candidate Rosie Palmer.
The candidate has said that she is “keeping the head up” and “staying positive”.
Keep an eye on our live blog for updates.#GeneralElection2024 #laoiselection pic.twitter.com/SOcYCbIxww

— Leinster Express / Laois Live (@LaoisNews) November 30, 2024

Ms Palmer has successfully secured 2% of votes in Laois, while her party are currently fighting an uphill battle.

The latest tallies show that the Greens have done poorly, achieving only 6% of votes nationally.

The party currently has 12 TDs in Dáil Éireann, with most TDs now at risk of losing their seats.

Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman has called these results 'disappointing', and that his party have 'not had a good day'.

"Undoubtedly, it's a disappointing result for our party today," Mr O'Gorman said.

"We got a mandate in 2020 and that was a mandate to go into government, to act on climate, to support families and children all over the country, and we did that."