NEASA HOURIGAN, RÓISIN Garvey and Ossian Smyth will contest the deputy leadership of the Green Party.

It comes after Catherine Martin stepped down from the role and said she wouldn’t be throwing her hat in the ring to replace Eamon Ryan.

In a statement, Roisin Garvey, who has been a Senator since 2020, stressed the Green Party’s role in mitigating the incoming impacts of climate change.

“I believe we as a party have the knowledge and passion needed to help protect our people, nature, and our environment from these effects, but I am convinced I can help communicate this in a better and more effective way. I want to help make that happen,” she said.

Garvey is also the party’s spokesperson for rural development, trade, enterprise, and employment.

The Green Party will hold internal elections for the Deputy Leader position on Saturday, 13 July.

In a video posted to X, Hourigan said she wants the job because, looking towards the next general election, the Green Party has policies reflecting how the electorate wants the country to look over the next 15 years.

“I think we have policies that are exciting, that we can implement, that will make people’s lives better, that will support nature, that will address the climate crisis.”

Hourigan, the party’s spokesperson for finance and health, also said their policies will make rural and urban areas “more livable”.

“I think we should be going after every vote and absolutely every seat that we can.”

The Dublin Central TD lost the party whip after she voted against the government in a Dáil vote on the eviction ban.

Meanwhile, Children and Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman and Junior Minister and Senator Pippa Hackett both announced their bids to replace outgoing party leader Eamon Ryan yesterday.

O’Gorman is the favourite to win among party members.

Ossian Smyth, who will go up against Hourigan and Garvey, is the Minister of State for Environment, Climate and Communications, as well as Public Expenditure.

He said that if Hackett wins the party leadership, he would like to be her deputy.