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EAMON RYAN IS stepping down as leader of the Green Party.
Ryan, who is also the Climate, Environment, Communications and Transport Minister, made the announcement after informing his government colleagues at a Cabinet meeting earlier today.
He won’t be running in the next general election, he confirmed.
Ryan, who has been “either running for or holding public office” for the last 30 years, said his career has been “an absolute privilege”.
The Green Party lost half their council seats (going from 44 to 23) and both of their MEPs – Grace O’Sullivan and Ciarán Cuffe – in the recent local and European elections.
Ryan said he decided to step down “a good few months ago”, rather than after the recent election losses.
He said he will hand over to a “new generation” and that he believes the coalition government can go full term.
Updates from Órla Ryan and Muiris O’Cearbhaill
Hi, it’s Órla Ryan here.
Some breaking news this morning: Eamon Ryan is expected to step down as leader of the Green Party.
Ryan, who is also the Climate, Environment, Communications and Transport Minister, is due to make an announcement at 12.30pm after today’s Cabinet meeting.
We’ll keep you up to date with all the latest developments.
It is understood that Ryan has spoken to the Government leaders about his decision and has also informed members of his parliamentary party.
The Green Party lost half their council seats (going from 44 to 23) and both of their MEPs – Grace O’Sullivan and Ciarán Cuffe – in the recent local and European elections.
The Greens did have one recent victory with the passing of the Nature Restoration Law in Europe.
European environment ministers signed off on the law yesterday, finally green-lighting the hard-fought for legislation to protect and restore degraded ecosystems.
The law seeks to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030 and all ecosystems by 2050, with measures to restore urban, forest, agricultural and marine ecosystems.
Eamon Ryan says that the approval of the Nature Restoration Law at an EU Environment Council meeting this morning marks an important, future-looking day
— Lauren Boland (@laurenanna_1) June 17, 2024
He also says the vote result received "one of the longest applauses" he's seen at these meetings
(Vid by @EUCouncilPress) https://t.co/8s25dAuwTD pic.twitter.com/E6kgc8cKrA
Ryan, who represented Ireland at the meeting in Luxembourg, yesterday welcomed the “historic decision”.
He told other ministers there is “no food security in a world where nature is destroyed”.
“The compromise that has been reached more than anything else was attentive to the concerns of our farming community, which are valid. This is a voluntary law in the sense of the measures we may have to take will not be forced or imposed on any farmer or forester,” Ryan said.
You can read more about the Nature Restoration Law in this explainer from our climate change reporter Lauren Boland.
Habitats and ecosystems will be revitalised and protected under the law, which was originally proposed two years ago.
Most of the legislation that passes through the EU rarely becomes a topic of public conversation, but this law proved controversial and emerged as a topic of debate in many member states including Ireland.
My colleague Cormac Fitzgerald has summarised the last Green Party leadership race:
It’s just over four years since Eamon Ryan was challenged for the leadership by deputy leader Catherine Martin.
Back in June 2020, despite a strong showing for the party in that general election, Martin decided to challenge Ryan for the top spot, after a faction of TDs and Green Party councillors encouraged her to do so.
All Green Party members are entitled to vote, and their vote is given equal weight, no matter if they are a member of the parliamentary party, a councillor or a regular paid up member.
Ryan won by just 48 votes, receiving 994 votes against Martin’s 946. There was a 66.7% turnout among party members for the vote.
Here is what happens when a leader steps down, according to the Green Party’s constitution:
“In the case of the Party Leader resigning without completing a term, an election shall be called by the Executive Committee and the result be announced when the ballot is completed; the term thus started shall last until after the next general election in the Republic of Ireland, when a leadership election must again take place after polling day and no later than six months after the subsequent election of a Taoiseach.”
Our Political Editor Christina Finn is hearing rumblings that Roderic O’Gorman is one of the frontrunners to succeed Ryan. An election will be needed either way, so members of the party can have their say.
More from my colleague Lauren Boland:
From a high to a low – just yesterday, Eamon Ryan was in Luxembourg for an important meeting of EU environment ministers, where the Nature Restoration Law was finally approved.
Ryan and Green Party colleague Malcolm Noonan were part of a big push to try to get reluctant countries to back the law, and Ryan, on his social media and in media statements, emphasised that work put in by Ireland to get the law over the line.
We’ll need to learn more about the timeline of his decision to step down to know whether his cards were already dealt yesterday and he was enjoying a moment of victory before the end, or if it was a last-chance effort to show his party why they should keep him on top.
A little trip down memory lane.
Here is then-councillor Eamon Ryan at the Green Party’s launch of proposals for a Dublin Metro Line at Buswells Hotel in February 2002.
And here he is opening a window during the 10th plenary meeting of the North-South ministerial council at Farmleigh house in Dublin in July 2010.
Fun game: Tell us you’re killing time until he makes the announcement without telling us you’re killing time.
In happier times, when the Green Party proposed additional Luas lines in Dublin, Cork and Galway in 2007.
Ryan (right) is pictured with then-MEP Patricia McKenna and then-GP leader Trevor Sargent.
Mark Mellett, former head of the Defence Forces and current board chair with Sage Advocacy and Mara (the Maritime Regulator), has praised Ryan as a “courageous leader”.
It is a privilege to work with Minister @EamonRyan. He is a courageous leader, pursuing policies to decarbonise and restore biodiversity. Every climate indicator points towards a perilous future ahead if society fails to mitigate and adapt. https://t.co/uRLCQfg6kR
— Mark Mellett (@mark_mellett) June 18, 2024
My colleague Cormac Fitzgerald is taking a look at the runners and riders to take over from Eamon Ryan as Green Party leader:
So, Ryan will soon be gone. Which means, under the Green Party’s own rules, an election will now take place for a new leader.
Whether or not two or more people will challenge for the position remains to be seen, but if they do it will go to a contest.
Any candidates have to be nominated. A candidate does not have to be an elected TD, senator or councillor to get the top spot. Any party member can put their name forward to run.
However, it is highly likely that a sitting TD, probably with a high profile (so maybe a minister or junior minister) will get the top spot.
First up: Catherine Martin
Having narrowly missed out on the job four years ago, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin is the most high profile Green TD apart from Eamon Ryan.
It’s unclear if Martin still wants the top job, but you’d imagine she’s in with a good shout if she does.
Despite holding a whole host of portfolios, what has dominated Martin’s attention over the past year is the ongoing RTÉ financial scandal. The scandal, dealing with financial mismanagement at the national broadcaster, has rumbled on for months, and seen a number of high profile departures.
Martin was at the centre of the story herself back in February, following the resignation of RTÉ chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh after the minister declined to express confidence in her.
Martin came under strong criticism and calls to resign as a result, but she weathered the storm and appeared before an Oireachtas Committee to defend herself.
Time will tell if after four years at the top table Martin is still interested in going for the Green Party leadership.
Another update from our Political Editor Christina Finn who has been speaking to members of the Greens’ parliamentary party.
Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, is being discussed as a possible successor to Ryan.
Christina tells us: Roderic’s name is emerging, though the obvious assumption before today was Catherine Martin.
They say nothing has happened or led to a push, it’s just good timing. The thinking is that Ryan would support O’Gorman as leader.
The Greens had what is described as a disastrous local election and Ryan might think that O’Gorman – who was the party’s director of elections – becoming leader could save ROG’s seat as a TD, sources in the party say.
Ryan is expected to remain on in his ministerial role for the time being, but will likely be replaced after the new leader takes over.
His portfolio covers Climate, Environment, Communications and Transport.
Another profile from my colleague Cormac Fitzgerald, who is looking at who might succeed Ryan:
Roderic O’Gorman
The Green Party’s third (or possibly second, given his brief) most well-known TD is Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman. The first time TD was elected in 2020 for the Dublin West constituency.
Despite Martin being the obvious choice to potentially follow Ryan as the next leader of the Greens, some sources are tipping O’Gorman to take the role.
It has been a baptism of fire for O’Gorman, who took up the Integration and Children brief and absorbed responsibilities for the management of Direct Provision, which had previously been under the control of the Department of Justice.
O’Gorman took over the managing of asylum seeker accommodation with the express plan of ending the system. He even published a white paper in late 2020 committing to ending Direct Provision by the end of 2024.
But, needless to say, events took over. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 led to a severe refugee crisis as Ukrainians fled the country. Tens of thousands are currently living in Ireland, which has put significant pressure on accommodation and local services in many towns and cities.
As well as this, since the end of the Covid-19 crisis there has been a massive rise in the numbers of people coming to Ireland seeking International Protection. This has led to the Government – under O’Gorman’s watch – developing a harder line with asylum seekers.
Male asylum seekers have been told there is no accommodation for them, with over 2,000 currently homeless. Makeshift encampments set up in Dublin City are frequently destroyed by the Government. Benefits have also been cut.
Meanwhile, many buildings earmarked for use by asylum seekers are frequently the subject of protests by locals and outsiders and arson attacks, as the far-right and anti-immigration campaigners attempt to use the crisis as a wedge issue.
Immigration has become one of the central issues the Government is dealing with, and at the end of the day management of the crisis falls to O’Gorman. Because of this, the minister’s profile has skyrocketed, but perhaps not for the right reasons.
However, there is some sympathy for O’Gorman for the fact that he is being landed with problems that essentially apply to the whole of Government, concerning as they do Housing, Health, Social Protection and other departments.
Whether he remains popular enough to lead the Greens remains to be seen but, according to sources, he could well be in contention.
The announcement has been slightly delayed – the Cabinet meeting is apparently ongoing – but we’re expecting to hear from Eamon Ryan shortly.
While we wait, here’s another photo from the archives.
Green Party members Eamon Ryan, Ciarán Cuffe, Dan Boyle and then-party leader Trevor Sargent chained themselves to trees on O’Connell Street in Dublin city in November 2002 in protest over plans to cut them down.
Grey clouds are rolling in over Dublin city – pathetic fallacy, perhaps?
Some political journalists have said Ryan may have a ‘Rishi Sunak moment’ – that is, delivering a big announcement in the lashing rain.
Hopefully he has an umbrella. More as we get it.
Dublin Commuters, a group which campaigns for active and sustainable transport in the capital, has paid tribute to Ryan, describing him as “one of the most important voices in Active and Public Transport over the past few decades”.
Eamon Ryan has been one of the most important voices in Active and Public Transport over the past few decades
— Dublin Commuters (@DublinCommuters) June 18, 2024
He’s brought in significant change during his tenure as Minister for Transport and we hope whomever the next Green Party Leader is, can continue that work & advocacy https://t.co/QefbqdaJoE
Ryan said it has been a privilege to serve, but the time is right to step down and “pass the torch” to someone new. He said he will accept whatever role in the party the new leader assigns him.
Ryan said he believes the Government will last its full term (until next year) and needs to remain focused on delivering affordable housing, healthcare reform and climate action.
Ryan said it has been an “honour to lead our parliamentary party” and thanked members for their “great resilience and humour” during difficult periods.
Ryan again praised the passage of the Nature Restoration Law yesterday, saying it shows what can be done when people work together.
He said one of his “biggest regrets” is that a “narrative has taken hold that [the Green Party] are not concerned about rural Ireland”, adding that this is not true.
“Divisive politics will not work if we are to see the scale and speed of change [needed to tackle climate change],” he stated.
He also spoke about “relentless” attacks over the years particularly on social media, even after his father passed away.
Ryan says one of his regrets is a narrative has taken hold that the Greens don’t stand for rural Ireland. He says that’s not the case.
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) June 18, 2024
He says there has been relentless attacks over the years particularly on social media, even when his father passed away. pic.twitter.com/kgZi5OZzri
Ryan has confirmed he will not stand in the next general election in Dublin Bay South, saying he has parenting and other commitments he wants to focus on. He thanked his wife Victoria White for her unwavering support during his time in office.
Eamon Ryan announces that he is stepping down as Green Party leader and will not be seeking re-election.
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) June 18, 2024
He says he will continue as a minister until a new party leader is appointed. Ryan says he’s happy to serve in any capacity the new leader deems appropriate pic.twitter.com/U1XclDNx5C
Ryan said he decided to step down “a good few months ago”, rather than after the Greens’ recent election losses.
Ryan said he has been “in public life now for close to 30 years” and has “loved every minute of it”.
“Yesterday’s approval of the NRL at the Environment Council was another one of those memorable days when we said yes to protecting nature across Europe.
“However, as a leader, it is important to always know that there is a time to go and a time to pass things on to new talent.
“I will continue my lifelong campaigning for climate justice, but in a different way.
I have worked 24/7 for many years in politics but am no longer in a position to do that because of family and parenting commitments.
“This is a decision I came to a while ago, but the time wasn’t quite right to announce it. We are into a new political cycle now.
“The local and European elections have been completed and while the next election won’t happen immediately, it is something that every party will be preparing for over the coming weeks and months.
“This is a good time to hand over to a new leader, who can bring a new perspective, and new way of doing things to the job.”
Ryan took over as leader of the Green Party in May 2011 “at a time when the party was at one of its lowest points, when it had no Oireachtas representatives and only three councillors”, a statement just released by the party notes.
“Working on a largely voluntary basis, he rebuilt it, travelling around the country and expanding the membership,” the statement continues.
“He was re-elected to the Dail in 2016 and following record local and European election results in 2019, he led the party to its best-ever General Election performance the following year, when 12 TDs and four Senators were returned.”
The Greens has sent out a list of what Ryan achieved in office. Here are some of the main achievements (their list was a lot longer):
Here is Ryan’s full resignation speech:
“I am stepping down to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders, confident in the strength and values I have seen built up in our party over all these years.”
— Green Party Ireland (@greenparty_ie) June 18, 2024
After 13 years, @eamonryan announces his decision to step down as our Party Leader.https://t.co/HIy6pL9xag pic.twitter.com/HubQSsnDpq
I am here today to announce that I intend to step down as leader of the Green Party and that I will not be standing in the next General Election.
I have spent the last 30 years either running for or holding public office, as a councillor, TD and Government Minister. It has been an absolute privilege and I want to thank the electorate who have voted for me on eight different occasions over those years, giving me the opportunity to serve our city and country to the best of my ability.
I am stepping down to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders, confident in the strength and values I have seen built up in our party over all these years. Our Party will now elect a new leader to lead the party from here and our own local group will now select a candidate to run in Dublin Bay South.
I will continue as party leader and in my Ministerial roles until a new leader is appointed and look forward to fulfilling whatever role a new leader assigns me for the remaining term of this Government.
I have a number of important measures coming to Cabinet in the coming weeks and we have critical legislation regarding Planning and development, the Just Transition Commission and Marine Protected areas which we still expect to be enacted in the lifetime of this Government.
We also have a fifth budget to deliver, which has to show the same characteristic of the previous budgets in providing the greatest support to those most in need in our society.
I am confident this Government can go the full term, despite this second change in Party leadership. Our coalition was formed with the most detailed Programme for Government, negotiated by the three parties and not just the leadership. Our focus should remain on providing affordable housing, health care reform and climate action in the coming months. There would have to be good reason to leave such important work undone.
It was an honour to lead our Parliamentary Party, who have shown great resilience and good humour in meeting all the challenges we have had to face together. I want to acknowledge all our Green Councillors, old and new, who are the heart of our party in local communities and thank every member of my staff, whose advice and help has been invaluable.
It was a pleasure to work with the civil servants in my two departments and across the Public Service. While we may have had our differences, our government has maintained a spirit of collaboration in making many difficult decisions. A lot of the credit for that goes to our own green teams here in Government buildings, in the Oireachtas and in Suffolk Street, our party headquarters.
This Government has had a proud record and we have set the country on a course to a more sustainable and secure future. Social justice is integral to green politics. Investing in Public Transport and safe streets helps the disadvantaged the most. Relying on our own renewable energy keeps money in the country and creates good jobs that last. Paying to restore nature will help more marginal farming systems most of all. This is the best future for rural as well as urban Ireland.
I look back over the last four years and am proud of what we have achieved.
Reducing the loss of life during Covid.
Introducing a strong climate law.
Cutting public transport fares and starting an offshore and solar energy revolution.
We have the highest level of retrofitting in any EU state meaning that every week 1,000 more households wake up in homes that are warmer, healthier and cheaper to heat.
We designed and delivered the energy credits which helped people in the cost-of-living crisis.
We are lowering speed limits and delivering the National Broadband plan.
Our deposit refund scheme is working.
We have built out cost rental housing, recognised Palestine and been a champion on the world stage for climate justice for developing countries.
Only yesterday we helped rescue and approve the Nature Restoration Law in the EU.
I could go on. Even our harshest critics make the case about how much we are doing in turning the country Green.
One of my biggest regrets is that under my watch a narrative has taken hold that we are not concerned about rural Ireland, our solutions are costing people and we are not connected to the man and woman on the street. None of that do I believe to be true.
Divisive politics will not work if we are to see the scale and speed of change that has to be achieved. Our approach is to start by listening to people, asking for help, rather than telling everyone what to do, admitting uncertainty in how the change will work best and speaking to the heart and not just the head because our motivation comes from a love of creation and our place within it. We seek benefits for every place and community in the transition we need to make.
Convincing people of that has not been easy because we have also been the subject of a relentless attack, particularly on social media. It seemed at times that we were subject to coordinated attacks in the comments section following any post we made. I decided to ignore the worst comments, even when it included vile statements about my own recently deceased father. The level of invective has only increased in the last year and poisons the well of public thinking about our agenda and not just our party. That is one of the reasons why it is so important that we cherish a strong, impartial and independent media and that we put the future funding in place so that people can trust that they are getting accurate information on what is happening in our world.
You could despair about the future of our democracy if you were to live just in that algorithm driven and polarising online world. However, I am hopeful as to what is going to come next. I have spent the last few days contacting every one of the 132 candidates that ran for us in the local and European elections, getting feedback on how their campaigns went. I am inspired by their continued determination to serve the public and their feedback that the majority of discussions at the doors was both very engaging and very civic minded. In leaving my leadership role I will be asking a new generation of people to take up this honourable public role by joining our party and joining us in meeting the public when the next election comes.
I will continue to work on climate action but in a different way. I cannot continue to work the long hours that being a public representative involves, which is why I am not standing again. I have parenting commitments at home which I also want to serve. We have a son with special needs who also requires my attention. My wife Victoria White has been my greatest support and inspiration. I want to also thank all my family and friends who have been at my side at all times.
I will do everything I can to support the future success of our party, adhering to our founding principles: to address the ecological crisis in everything we do; to insure social justice comes with this transition; to engage in peaceful politics, respecting everyone and to work within our democratic constitutional system and the rule of law, trusting the people to make the right decision in the end.
It was an honour to work in the office in front of me now, looking across at the offices of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, the Ministry of Finance, the Attorney General and the Secretary General of the Department of Taoiseach. It was a privilege to work with the various office holders inside those offices and with my Cabinet colleagues. I would like to thank them for the courtesy they and the opposition leaders in our Oireachtas have shown me over the last four years.
We are lucky to be able to serve within the institutions of our democratic Republic. I look forward to supporting our new party leader, seeing out our current mandate and then returning to the people looking to them for direction on what comes next.
I look forward to it all.
*eyes emoji*
Members of the Greens’ parliamentary party watching on from the ministerial offices of Government Buildings as Eamon Ryan announces his departure as leader pic.twitter.com/2krdvfOIjC
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) June 18, 2024
Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin have both paid tribute to Eamon Ryan.
Speaking to reporters, Martin said that Ryan gave “an enormous contribution to Irish politics and Irish life”. The Tánaiste wished the minister well in the remainder of this Government’s term and in the future.
Micheal Martin pays a warm tribute to Eamon Ryan.
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) June 18, 2024
He says the budget is the next big focus for the government. He says the government is going the full distance. pic.twitter.com/1KXdM8iOod
Harris said: “Minister Eamon Ryan yesterday informed me of his decision to resign his leadership of the Green Party.
“Eamon is a politician of enormous standing and I want to pay tribute to him and his family for everything they have given Irish politics through his leadership of the Greens. I respect and understand his decision.”
The Taoiseach described Ryan as a “genuine, passionate and inherently decent person who brings those same qualities to politics”.
“The leadership of the Green Party is now a matter for the party’s members and rules,” he added.
Harris echoed Ryan’s insistence that the Government’s wil see out the rest of it’s term and the completion of the Programme for Government.
“We have much work to do,” he added.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik has also wished Ryan well.
As @EamonRyan makes his announcement, I wish to express my heartfelt good wishes to him, his family and @greenparty_ie colleagues on such a momentous personal and political decision. https://t.co/StYbuppRTx
— Ivana Bacik (@ivanabacik) June 18, 2024
On that note, I’m going to hand over the liveblog to my colleague Muiris O’Cearbhaill.
Thanks for staying with us so far. We’ll keep you updated with developments throughout the day.
Our reporter David Mac Redmond has been chatting to Green Party Cllr Hazel Chu, one of the party’s best-performing candidates in the recent election, about today’s announcement:
Now that Eamon Ryan has ruled himself out of running in the next general election, attention will undoubtedly turn quickly to the candidates in the Green Party likely to vie for his Dublin Bay South seat in the Dáil.
Among the potential runners are three Dublin candidates who performed well in the local elections – Claire Byrne, Hazel Chu and Carolyn Moore.
All three women either topped the poll on 7 June or got elected to Dublin City Council in the first round of vote counting.
Byrne is a DCC councillor for the South East Inner City ward, Chu represents the Pembroke area and Moore holds a seat in Kimmage-Rathmines.
When asked about the Green Party’s plans for who they might run in Ryan’s place, Hazel Chu told The Journal that she didn’t want to weigh on that today.
“For me, I would very much like to thank Eamon for his leadership and focus on him today,” Chu said.
“My main thing is just to wish him well and make sure that the party stays its course.”
The Green Party has paid tribute to their outgoing leader in a thread on X (formerly Twitter), after Minister Eamon Ryan confirmed he will be stepping down from the role today.
In it’s post, the party looks back at Ryan’s career in the Greens, adding: “Resilience, integrity and vision throughout. Thank you, @eamonryan.”
In 13 years, @eamonryan led the Green Party from the political wilderness back into Government, leading transformative action for climate, nature and society.
— Green Party Ireland (@greenparty_ie) June 18, 2024
🧵A quick recap:
As these things go in Leinster House: After a minute of madness, it’s right back to business as usual for TDs as they take their seats in the Dáil ahead of Leaders’ Questions.
Former Green Party leader, John Gormley, who Eamon Ryan succeeded in 2011, has paid tribute to the outgoing leader’s career on X (formerly Twitter).
Gormley said that Ryan had helped him in his 1989 Seanad election campaign and later co-opted Gormley’s Dublin city council seat in 1998.
“He has been an outstanding minister. Go raibh maith agat, a Eamóin, as do chuid oibre ar son na tíre,” he added.
A young @EamonRyan , 24, was my campaign manager in the 1989. I co-opted him to my council seat in 1998. He succeeded me as leader and TD in dublin bay south. He has been an outstanding minister. Go raibh maith agat, a Eamóin, as do chuid oibre ar son na tíre.
— John Gormley (@JohnGormley) June 18, 2024
Speaking in the Dáil, Taoiseach Simon Harris paid tribute to the role Eamon Ryan played in the current Government and said he accepts his reasons for stepping down.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik has also paid tribute to Eamon Ryan’s career and acknowledged his resignation during Leaders’ Questions this afternoon.
Bacik said that Ryan made “immense contributions to public service and environmentalism”.
Junior minister for nature and heritage Malcolm Noonan, and fellow Green Party member, has said Eamon Ryan is a “titan of Irish politics” who will be remembered as the party leader who “transformed Ireland’s environmental movement and made it mainstream”.
Noonan, who also contested the 2011 leadership election which Ryan won, said he spent Ryan’s first day as leader with him.
Yesterday, Ryan and Noonan attended the EU Enviornmental Council on behalf of the Irish Government in Brussels to debate and pass the Nature Restoration Law.
Noonan said:
“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that 13 years later, we’d be spending his last day as leader together as well, representing Ireland, both as ministers, ushering the most important piece of biodiversity legislation for 30 years through the EU Enviornmental council.”
Noonan wished Ryan, his “good friend”, well in the remainder of the Government’s term and in the outgoing leader’s future post-politics.
My statement on the resignation of my friend and colleague Minister @EamonRyan as Leader of the @greenparty_ie pic.twitter.com/JRe5Oo8pYq
— Malcolm Noonan T.D. (@noonan_malcolm) June 18, 2024
Leader of the Social Democrats, Holly Cairns, wished Eamon Ryan the “very best” after he announced his resignation today.
“He has always been sincere and helpful and can be proud of his significant contribution to Irish public life,” she said.
I want to wish @EamonRyan the very best as he steps down as leader of @greenparty_ie.
— Holly Cairns TD (@HollyCairnsTD) June 18, 2024
He has always been sincere and helpful and can be proud of his significant contribution to Irish public life.
Before we wrap up, here are the main takeaways from this afternoon’s announcement:
So, the obvious question is: What’s next? My colleague Cormac Fitzgerald has got you sorted.
That’s all from me and the rest of the team. Have a lovely rest of your day.
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She can’t say how many genders there are but plans on building 50,000 houses? Yeah, sure, Holly!
@Jonn: If you feel you know how many genders there are, why would you need people to tell you?
@Brendan O’Brien: What’s a woman? I need you to tell me.
@Brendan O’Brien: indeed…
If he knows maybe he should be running in this election
@Cole Palmer: Perhaps ask some of the Chelsea women’s team. Give them a laugh.
@Brendan O’Brien: 2 genders man and woman thick pants
@Jonn: Dunno what other peoples genitals have to do with it, weird thing to bring up.
@Jonn: All mammals have only 2 genders: male and female, including Humans. Of course we have effeminate men and masculine women. But yeah, just the 2 genders.
@Dave Callaghan: It’s always great to hear the opinions of experts.
@Brendan O’Brien: Thank you! Look up this butcher ‘John Money’ he was one of the first people to popularise the term ‘gender identity’ in the ’50s.
@Dave Callaghan:
Well done Dave, a buala bos and a star in your book! As for you,Brendan, you seem confused, I’ve a feeling you haven’t done your science homework again,stay back after class!
@J B: you can say anything in the seanad, that doesn’t make it true.
@Dave Callaghan: It was actually Magnus Hirshfeld, a jew in Germany in the 1920s. In 1933, The ‘Nazi Youth’ group went into his institution ‘Institut für Sexualwissenschraft’ and beat up all the employees and chanted ‘Burn Hirshfeld’ in German. A few hours later, the actual Nazis came in and burned all the books to dust. Almost all the people employed there were Jews. We have to give the Jews credit for founding transgerdism. Well done Jews. If you’re wondering what happened to Hirshfeld, he fled to Switzerland and died a few years later of a heart attack.
@Cole Palmer: And it resurfaced with the post-modernists in the French universities and moved on to the Frankfurt School which popularised ‘Critical Theory’ especially in the radical intersectionalist feminist movements in the 70s, 80s up to the present day Wokeness.
Not a brain cell between those woke clowns
@Cole Palmer: you hating on the 4x2s again ?
Not a hope love, You have your pension now on you’re bike.
@087 bed: deluded and one of them woke lot she is
@Mental Mickey: the country is on its knees but looking forward to everyone voting FFG in again for the craic, can’t be having woke people in right mental mick
Council houses should never be owned or sold to tenants. They should be returned to public stock when the tenants die or trade up. The property tax in them should also be means tested properly as should rent on an annual basis. Also the ability of tenants to demand refurbishment or maintenance should not be a given. The system is open
to abuse
@Simon Carr: since the foundation of the state families that occupied local authorities houses have been given the opportunity to own them eventually. It not the tenants buying local authorities when they could afford them that caused the housing problems,it was FF/FG failing to fund the building of local authorities hoses. Instead they gave tax payers money to the greedy builders and developers, in the form of hands out, in other words subsidies.
@Jimmy Kiely: I believe this option to buy the house is no longer available to the occupiers. I think it ceased about 8/10 years ago.
@Lydia Mcloughlin: No that not true, the 1995 scheme was replaced in January 2016 to the present day scheme.
@Jimmy Kiely: i know at least of one case where a family abused the ability to buy the house and it never was used as social housing since. I know of other cases where tenants sold on the house at huge profit and moved on. We need social housing to be social housing
@Simon Carr: if social housing wasn’t a lifetime benefit, it would free up homes for people who need it most. People fall on hard times and need temporary help, not a house for life. Someone whose kids are gone and finds a decent job can stay in the same house that costs minimal rent, while other people who need it have to live in hostels or wait years to access a house that would help them kickstart a stable life. It causes massive shortage and homelessness that delays the ability to get out of poverty.
@Simon Carr: it’s the old chestnut, no matter what system you come up with,they will be someone out there that will find away to abuse it. That system of giving sitting tenants the opportunity to buy worked well for decades. It gave the local authorities the chance to sell off some of the old housing stock. Less maintenance.
I’d rather vote for a coalition of Putin, The Taliban, Hunter Biden, Jeffrey Epstein and Joseph Stalin than vote for the social democrats.
@Cole Palmer: no you wouldn’t.
@Alex Kane: He probably would.
@Cole Palmer: ffs, what a plank
@Kevin Kerr: try a bit of ‘spacing’ in between all the comments from the obvious multi account troll…. bring in chutes & Claire powers accounts for a few replys — since the landside victory of peace in the US all your accounts gone very ‘amateurish’
@Kevin Kerr: that’s unkind to wood.
@ecrowley ecrowley: indeed, some might say offensive
@Kevin Kerr: I’ve seen cleverer plankton.
@Alex Kane: sure in his worlds he can, up you boyho.
@Kevin Kerr: I am reporting this comment to the Gardaí for online bullying and harassment.
@Brendan O’Brien: indeed, capable of supporting life for starters
@Cole Palmer: You do know you’ll have to give them your real name..? I for one, hope you do.. and it goes before the courts.. so we can see what one of the Journal trolls looks like in real life.. go on… I dare you. Show us who you really are ‘Cole’
@Brian: You’re impersonating Brian Cowen
@Cole Palmer: Awwww.. So you won’t be reporting it to the Gardai then… just a butthurt little sunflower pretending to be a hard man behind his anonymous account. Yet again, you’re a disappointment ‘Cole’. No doubt you have a lifetime of practice behind you.
@Brendan O’Brien: That would be just Gary
@Brian: did you actually think I was serious?
Princess is mixing up genders with house building
@H Woo: You seem a bit mixed up yourself.
@H Woo: You guys are absolutely obsessed. It’s a 24 hour ideology onslaught.
@Louis Jacob: When someone drew comparisons between Hamas and the IRA, he said ‘ nobody ever voted for the IRA’ ..yet he spends his days on here trying to convince people that SF is the IRA and a vote for SF is a vote for the IRA. he’s a terribly confused individual.
@H Woo:
Haha comment of the day!
Holly will have to change party and/or constituency for the next election to have a chance… And she will.
Holly and her snob party are hard to listen to _ They should have been open to enter government last time instead we landed with the Greens.
@Tim Brennan: ah now Tim the woman have her principles and the parties red line issues. Also she’s a mother in waiting, adding to the great Irish race, she deserves a vote.
@Jimmy Kiely: Her two predecessors were quality politicians with serious substance. I was so disappointed they didn’t choose to enter into Government as they would have made a serious difference and then looney greens would have not killed us with their mad taxes and we have to drive the from Cork to Limerick for work on an absolute death trap of a road which they stopped
@Tim Brennan: I agree that Road is badly in need of serious up grade. But sure you’re buddy Michael will get that done in his election manifesto, he’s promising everything else, with our taxes.
@Jimmy Kiely: 2011 we were on our knees coping with a now 22 year non verbal autistic young man Burton nailed us to the cross attacking carers and taking away our payment seeking nail us with water charges.Only for Michael Moynihan TD FF we would have been destroyed as a family he advocated for us we have arrived at a destination were our son is in a safe residential place and able to come home to us weekly. I’m proud to vote FF. In all elections since we have never been able to vote for him Now we are in a bloody constituency with Cork city voters However I’m voting For Ken O’ Flynn and FF. So that’s my logic and I just hope Michael Moynihan gets every vote in Cork North West he’s a truly decent politician whom Michael Martin disgustingly has never rewarded for his hard work.
@Tim Brennan: Tim again you can’t see the flaw in your thinking. We have our own water well bore hole, so we constantly pay for our domestic water and maintain it.I for one will never forget the mess FF/FG have created for the young citizens of our country, when they think €400 thousand is a affordable house price. The 14,562 people in emergency accommodation, Over 4,000 thousand children. Over €220 billion in debts to be paid by future generations. Teacher leaving the country in droves because they can’t afford the cost of housing and the high cost of living. The elderly been left sitting on chairs or on trolley in hospital’s , anything up 2 weeks waiting for an appointment to see a GP. These are the legacy’s of FF/FG. I for one won’t help to put them back in power, to screw us again.
@Jimmy Kiely: We all make our choices and thankfully our people will make the decision which if it’s not what I’d like I will respect my fellow citizens decision.
Sad truth is the vast majority will decide who they’re voting for without considering at a single policy or track record
Pwease vote for meee… Nah. Beat it, missus.
Any political party that would want to go into government with FF/FG should require them to make housing an national emergency, which it is. Also housing for all should be made part of our constitution, every person need a place to call home. House price have gone from € 256 thousand to €345 thousand since FF/FG joined forces, that how bad their housing policies are. And they still give subsidies to greedy builders and developers . Stop this now, don’t give them a vote.
@Jimmy Kiely: so we all should get a house ?
They’ll stock libraries with those dirty books aimed at kids
@Penguin O’Toole: relax, when’s the last time you saw a kid reading a buke!?
I think holly will find it tough to get elected. Only made it in on the 8th count by 500 votes
@John Purcell: Simon Harris got elected on the 15th count. She’ll be grand ya dosser.
Holly, you have my vote iv my mind made up, time for change give her a chance
@N D K: she won’t be in Government
@Sheila McNulty: endlessly pregnant
FFG are a sorry of James blunts..
@Stiles: shower*
@james rowan: well that certainly explains a lot
SocDems who are they?
Like, get real!
Dream on
Moving swiftly on !!! Woke much !!
My Jesus! What a miserable shower of goons in that photo.
Will be an event less short career in politics for Holly
Absolutely no votes for ridiculous “Judean people’s front” parties, SD L G PBP AON, the equivalent of the UK looney party, time to move away from this madness
Holly you can’t say “we want to go into government” as a minority guest and then say you have a red line – ____ or get off the pot
have your say