Green Party to organise on all-Ireland basis

THE Green Party is set to become the only party after Sinn Féin to give the go-ahead to organise on an all-Ireland basis.

At a special convention in Dublin at the weekend the party decided to remove any obstacles to all-island participation.

The move clears the way for the Green Party of Northern Ireland to become a regional council of the AllIreland Green Party provided a pending meeting of the Green Party in Northern Ireland confirms the agreement.

After a motion proposing new organisational structures was passed on Saturday, Green Party leader Trevor Sargent said the decision was in keeping with the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement.

"I welcome this move, particularly at a time when the Good Friday Agreement is under such enormous strain. The Green Parties across this island are determined to send the strongest signal of support for the Good Friday Agreement and for peace among all traditions," he said.

Green Party of Northern Ireland Leader, Dr John Barry, called the move a historic and exciting development.

Although the Green Party in the Republic has six sitting TDs and 29 councillors, the Northern Greens have never won any parliamentary or assembly seats, and polled only 0.9% of first preference votes in Northern Ireland at the European elections last year.

The party has one public representative Cllr Raymond Blayney on Down District Council but will run several candidates in the local elections in May.

Once the new organisational structure is formalised all members of the Green Party of Northern Ireland will become members the Irish Green Party as well as members of the other Green Parties in Britain.