Greens welcome election of colleague in the North

The Green Party here has welcomed the election of the first Green Assembly member in the North.

The election of Brian Wilson in North Down makes the Green Party the second all-Ireland political party, after Sinn Féin.

The party attributes its success to a global awareness of green issues.

Dublin Central Dáil candidate and former MEP Patricia McKenna said issues like climate change are now being recognised internationally:

"I think it is amazing that we have had such a success in Northern Ireland considering the way Northern politics is thought of as being tribalistic type of politics," she said.

"For the Green's to make a breakthrough in such a situation is a huge achievement in itself. It goes to show that there's a massive swing towards the Greens at an international level. Issues like climate change are something that people can no longer deny."