Offaly's Green minister taking 'step back' from politics

OFFALY Green Party representative Pippa Hackett has announced that she is stepping back from politics.

The announcement from the junior minister came after she received only 925 first preference votes in Friday's general election.

After making history in Offaly in 2019 by winning a seat on Offaly County Council in the Edenderry Electoral Area the Geashill woman was elected unopposed to the Seanad in a by-election and contested the 2020 general election in the Laois-Offaly constituency.

She received 3,494 first preferences but a steady flow of transfers saw her total climb to 7,109 and finish sixth in the race for the five Dail seats.

An organic farmer and native of Co Mayo, she was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture in the outgoing Government (pictured below) and as a so-called 'super junior', she sat in cabinet alongside the senior ministers.

She sought the leadership of the Green Party when Eamon Ryan stepped down earlier this year and was defeated by Roderic O'Gorman, the only party TD re-elected this weekend.

Green Party members backed him as the new leader by 984 votes to 912. During the campaign Pippa Hackett had said people were “hurt” when the party implied they were leading bad lives by burning turf, using their car, eating meat, taking a flight and being a certain type of farmer.

The backlash against the Greens in Friday's election saw her poll just 925 first preferences and the 50-year-old was eliminated on the second count in the Offaly constituency.

Her husband Mark, with whom she runs the farm, had been co-opted to her council seat but he failed to hold it in June's local elections.

Her son Charlie ran for a seat on Laois County Council this summer but was unsuccessful.

In a statement today, she said: “I am an ordinary sort of person. I get on with life: working, cooking, cleaning, gardening, farming, and raising my family. I also like horses, running, and spending time outdoors in nature.

“I never imagined getting into politics. 10 years ago it was the furthest thing from my mind, so it was more by accident than design. And what a privilege it was to be elected to Offaly County Council in 2019, and then to Seanad Éireann in 2020. It has been the honour of my life to be the first female Senator to sit at Cabinet.

“If I wanted to be a career politician, I would have joined another political party, and taken an easier road. But I joined a party that believed in putting nature, the environment and social justice at the core of what we do as a country. And I still believe in that.

“Politics can be incredibly tough. Long hours, time away from home and family, and the constant abuse and negativity on social media is draining.

“After four and a half years as a Minister, and nearly nine years in party politics, it is time for me to step back and focus on other aspects of my life. I will continue to champion the importance of protecting and enhancing our natural environment. We have no future without it, and I look forward to whatever opportunities lie ahead to enable me to do that - in my personal life or in other lines of work.

“My family have made huge sacrifices for me over the past number of years, and I look forward to spending more time with them, and being a bigger part of my children’s lives.

“I want to thank all the wonderful people I have met along the way. Your support and kindness has been so important. Onwards and upwards - life goes on!”