Green Party to reveal plan for future

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan says lessons learned from their time in government will help return the party to electoral success.

The Greens are announcing their new five-year Strategic Plan today aimed at growing the party after the devastation of the last election in which all six Green TDs lost their seats.

The roadmap - which includes a new Green front bench - aims to have five Green TDs in the Dáil by 2016.

Party leader Ryan said the Greens' experience in government has taught them valuable lessons about what the country needs.

"What we are doing today is appointing a new team of spokespeople to provide a critique of what's going on in Government," he said.

"We need strong opposition… we need politics to give different views and different perspectives.

"And what we want to do is add a green voice to the Irish political system again."

It comes on the same day that the party celebrates its 30th birthday.

A host of Irish musicians including Dónal Lunny, Nick Kelly and Heritage Centre will perform at a gig in Dublin's Vicar Street tonight celebrating the milestone.