Minister for Children and Integration Roderic O'Gorman will run to become the next leader of Ireland's Green Party.

It comes after party leader Eamon Ryan announced on Tuesday that he is to step down from the position.

In a post on X, Mr O'Gorman said he wants "to build a party that can win across this country and deliver on our ambitions".

Green Party TD for Waterford Marc Ó Cathasaigh said he will support Mr O'Gorman, who he said has a "lifetime of experience" and can "tie together" two of the party's founding principles: facing the environmental crisis while respecting social justice.

Meanwhile, Green Party Minister of State Pippa Hackett has received two endorsements to replace Mr Ryan as leader - but she has yet to declare her candidacy.

Minister of State Ossian Smyth and Senator Pauline O'Reilly have said she would counter the view that the Green Party is anti-rural Ireland.

According to Irish broadcaster RTE, it is widely believed that Minister of State Joe O'Brien will also stand.

However, the party's deputy leader Catherine Martin said that she will not throw her hat in the ring and will step back from the deputy leader position.

Mr Ryan is the second leader of the Republic's coalition government to step down this year.

Former taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar stepped down as Fine Gael leader in April.

Mr Ryan's decision came after the local and European elections, which saw the Green Party lose both of its MEP seats.

The party's number of local councillors was also halved.

Who is Roderic O'Gorman?

Mr O'Gorman has been a member of the Green Party for 24 years.

He was elected as TD for Dublin West in February 2020 and appointed as Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the coalition government was formed.

Before this, he served on Fingal County Council representing the Castleknock LEA for six years, having been first elected in 2014 and re-elected in the 2019 local elections.

Locally, he led the Yes Equality campaign in Dublin West for the equal marriage referendum and was actively involved in the campaign to repeal the 8th Amendment.

He previously worked as a law lecturer.

Source:
courtesy of BBC NEWS

by BBC NEWS

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