FOLLOWING THE GREEN PARTY’S poor performance in the recent general elections, party leader John Gormley is to step down from his position.

The Sunday Business Post reports that Gormley will inform party members that he will not contend the leadership at the party’s first post-election meeting next weekend.

No Green candidates were elected to the Dáil in last month’s vote.

Speaking to RTÉ Radio One this afternoon, Senator Dan Boyle said that the party had always operated on the margins of Irish political life and the difference between being elected and not being elected was always narrow.

He said the party will now discuss where it is going and that Gormley’s position is that it shouldn’t be about personality or positions, but should mark a return to first principles.

Boyle claimed that other parties are not as capable on implementing a green agenda as the Green Party and said parties going into government now were “talking about being fast and loose” on the treatment of heritage areas.

The senator said he understood there was an element of voter anger in the party’s election result, and added: ”History will judge the cirtsumctances of us being in office a bit differently, we hope.”

He said it was too early to say if he would put himself forward for the party leadership and said he would decide in the morning if he will run again for the Seanad.

Read Niamh Connolly’s report in full in today’s print edition of the Sunday Business Post >