O’Gorman announces Green leadership bid as early support expressed for Pippa Hackett

Roderic O’Gorman said that the Green Party needs to focus on policy issues that impact on people’s daily lives

Senator Pippa Hackett, Roderic O Gorman TD and Catherine Martin TD. Picture: Gary Ashe/SHARPPIX

Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman has launched his campaign to succeed Eamon Ryan as leader of the Green Party.

In a video posted on X, Mr O’Gorman called for support, while saying he is up for the challenge.

“I am running for leader, after 24 years of Green Party membership, to build a party that can win across this country, and deliver on our ambitions,” the Integration Minister said.

“We must have a strong Green Party in Ireland to put the environment at the centre of public discussion and political decision-making.

“No other party prioritises attention on climate breakdown and nature loss like the Green Party. No other party has brought these issues to the heart of Government.” 

I’m announcing my candidacy for leadership of the Green Party/Comhaontas Glas.

I am running for leader, after 24 years of Green Party membership, to build a party that can win across this country, and deliver on our ambitions.

I'm asking for your support at:… pic.twitter.com/qSWcTxFGVB

— Roderic O’Gorman TD (@rodericogorman) June 19, 2024

Mr O’Gorman told RTÉ’s News at One that the Green Party needs to focus on policy issues that impact on people’s daily lives, following local and European elections where they lost more than half of their council seats.

“We’ve made major achievements in the area of climate, that’s banked. Those legislative achievements are there but I believe that particularly as we face the next general election, we need to broaden those areas, talk about issues: How we can impact on disadvantage, talk about how we can support families,” he said.

“I'm not just talking about that. I've delivered on those issues over the last four years.” 

The Integration Minister said that he would welcome a leadership contest and he expects Pippa Hackett to join the race.

“I think a contest is good. We don’t do coronations in the Green Party,” he said.

Asked what made him the right choice for the party, Mr O’Gorman said: “I think it is that combination of experience and vision for where we take our party now”.

Green Party minister Roderic O'Gorman has announced that he will run to replace Eamon Ryan as leader of the junior coalition party.

On the local election results, Mr O’Gorman acknowledged that his party’s campaign did not “chime” with the electorate and that there now needed to be some reflection.

Mr O’Gorman said that he did not believe where a party leader lives would be a “determining factor” in how votes are cast, but that it would instead be focused on policy.

However, he did say that the Green Party’s message was not “resonating” in rural Ireland and that needed to be addressed.

Junior Minister Joe O'Brien is now out of the running to replace Mr Ryan as the Green Party leader, following speculation yesterday that he could be in the mix.

While he will not figure in the leadership contest, Mr O'Brien is expected to endorse Mr O'Gorman in the coming hours.

Shortly after announcing his campaign, Mr O’Gorman received the backing of Waterford TD Marc Ó Cathasaigh, Dublin South-Central TD Patrick Costello and Carlow-Kilkenny TD Malcolm Noonan.

He is also receiving the backing of multiple Green Party councillors, including Michael Pidgeon, Janet Horner and Feljin Jose.

Mr Costello told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne that he would be backing Mr O’Gorman as he had the experience in terms of elections.

“He's previously been chair and in our party the chair has a special position in terms of managing elections and understanding elections. So I think we have a tough election ahead of us, and I think we need someone with that experience.” 

The party had strong representatives around the country “who can speak with honesty about the issues and needs of rural Ireland," he said.

“But I think at the end of the day, we need an experienced leader who understands the challenge we face and who understands us, that we are more than a single issue party.”

Early support for Hackett

While Pippa Hackett has received a number of endorsements in recent hours, the Green Party senator is yet to formally announce her campaign. 

Sources close to the prospective candidate have said it will likely be launched in the coming hours.

Both Senator Pauline Reilly and junior minister Ossian Smyth have this morning said that Ms Hackett should be the next leader of the party.

Mr Smyth said that he hopes Ms Hackett will run and he would join her as a candidate for deputy leader.

He told RTÈ's Morning Ireland that Ms Hackett's farming experience made her a good choice for the Green Party, being based outside of Dublin.

Limerick City TD Brian Leddin also gave his backing to Ms Hackett.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One, Mr Leddin said: “Pippa has vast experience in her own right at Cabinet. She's performed excellently in her role as super junior minister. She's at the cabinet table managing the affairs of the country brilliantly, I would say, in the last four years.

“But I think as a party, we have to dispel the narrative that we are Dublin centric. And if we go and elect another leader from Dublin, all of the leaders of the Green Party would have been Dublin based.”

Eamon Ryan yesterday announced he would step down after 13 years at the helm, with his deputy leader Catherine Martin saying that she doesn't want the job.

Ms Hackett has been a senator since 2019 and is a super junior minister, so sits at Cabinet.