Ryan elected Green Party leader

Former minister Eamon Ryan has been named as the new leader of the Green Party.

Former minister Eamon Ryan has been named as the new leader of the Green Party.

Mr Ryan, Kilkenny based Cllr Malcolm Noonan and Dublin Central general election candidate Phil Kearney contested the election to succeed  John Gormley.

“Today we set out on the road to recovery for the Green Party in Ireland. We need to win back the trust and support of the Irish people,” he said.

"Our leadership election has been a positive experience. We have started to learn lessons from our mistakes and achievements in government and understand the need to protect what we did achieve."

Mr Ryan said the Green Party wished the new Government well and that it would be supportive in "whatever way
we can to get our country out of our immediate economic crisis".

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The party, which lost its six Dáil seats in the general election, said the appointment of a new leader would be a first critical step in the rebuilding process.

Hustings had taken place around the country ahead of the election of a new leader by postal ballot.

Mr Gormley wrote to party members in March signalling that he would be stepping down as leader.

Mr Ryan served as minister for communications, energy and natural resources in the last government while the Greens were in coalition with Fianna Fáil. He was first elected as a TD in 2002 but lost his Dublin South Dáil seat in February.

Steven Carroll

Steven Carroll

Steven Carroll is an Assistant News Editor with The Irish Times