Eamon Ryan wants Green Party to return with six TDs

Politicians have “an obligation” to keep the Dáil in place for at least another 18 months, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has said.

Mr Ryan also said he wants his party to return to Government with six TDs.

The Dublin Bay South TD said: “I think we have an obligation in this Parliament, all of us, to have an election sometime between the Autumn of 2018 and the summer of 2019. I think if we let it fall before then we are doing a disservice to the Irish people.”

He said his experience of coalition government was “extremely positive” and he would like to see his party return to power.

However, Mr Ryan said he would like to see his party rebuild and elect six TDs first.

The Green Party went into government formation negotiations with Fine Gael but pulled out as Mr Ryan said there was a lack of vision from Enda Kenny’s party.

He warned that, with property prices expected to rise by between 8% and 10% this year, the country could be headed for another property bubble.

“We need to build high quality housing close to our cities so that our cities work, so that people have a high quality of life, so the cost of living is cut down and you are not spending all your money on transport fees,” he told RTÉ’s This Week.