Green shoots for local elections

Green Party Leader and Minister for the Environment and Transport, Eamon Ryan, says his party intends to run candidates “everywhere” in the June local elections.

Outside the verdant enclave of Carrickmacross - home of Minister Catherine Martin and her brother Senator Vincent P., Dublin councillor and Minister Ryan’s aide, Darcy Lonergan, not to mention current hopeful Tate Donnelly - the Green Party has had little success in ballot boxes locally.

Few names have emerged over the years - Mary McAdam (Cavan) and Alex Ivanov (Bailieborough) in 2009 and 2014 respectively - and a slew of other also-rans in neighbouring Monaghan. None stuck.

Mr Donnelly was the last to stand in 2020's General Election where he was eliminated in the eighth count having earned more than 2,500 first preference votes. He most recently announced his intention to stand in the upcoming locals and, on his visit to Cavan last week, Minister Ryan said the great challenge his party faces is in changing perceptions on the doorsteps.

“We're looking to run everywhere. It's not easy getting elected, but we're going to give it our best shot. I see no reason why we shouldn't be winning in Cavan as much as the centre of any town or city elsewhere in the country.”

Minister Ryan was ebullient too when it comes to the climate action message getting through to new and older generations of votes alike.

“Every place matters. Every person matters,” said Minister Ryan earnestly, having spent the previous hour and a half answering a barrage of questions from Cavan councillors on a whole host of pertinent local issues. On the need to implement change to protect the environment, speaking to the Celt, Minister Ryan stressed: If this is seen as a divisive issue, then it won't work. If it's divisive rural-urban, or young-old, or rich-poor, it will not work. The scale of change we need to make is so great that it has to involve everyone.”