Offaly Senator Pippa Hackett narrowly misses out on being elected leader of the Green Party

Offaly Senator Pippa Hackett has narrowly missed out on being elected as the new leader of the Green Party.

The leadership election for the party followed the resignation of Eamon Ryan from the position. 

Just two candidates went forward for election with Roderic O'Gorman also nominated to fill the post. 

The result of the membership vote has been announced and Roderic O'Gorman prevailed by 948 votes to 912. The result was announced at a party gathering in Bewley’s Café, Grafton Street. He becomes the fourth leader of the Green Part

Roderic O’Gorman was elected as a TD in February 2020 and soon was appointed as Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. 

Pippa Hackett was elected to Offaly County Council in the Edenderry Electoral Area in 2019. Having missed out on election to the Dail in the Laois/Offaly constituency in 2020, she took a seat in the Seanad and has served as a Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine since June 2020.

Speaking after the result was announced, Minister Hackett said, "well, I gave it a good shot! I want to thank sincerely every Green Party member who voted for me, as well as the amazing team of people who helped me during the leadership campaign. I’m humbled by the many messages of support I have received over the past few weeks from people inside and outside the Party. I want to wish Roderic and his leadership team the very best, and I look forward to working alongside him for the remainder of this term in Government and into the future, as we get on with the vital work of delivering a fairer society that places the protection of our natural world at the heart of everything we do.”

New party leader Minister O’Gorman said, “I am honoured to have been elected as Leader of the Green Party. I want to thank members for their support and for their participation in this election, and thank Pippa for bringing key issues to the fore. We are absolutely the stronger for having had this election. I know she cares as deeply about the Party as I do, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with her.

“Over the last four years, the Green Party has done exactly what we said we would – we have delivered. On ambitions in climate and the environment, protecting nature, in supporting children and families, backing the arts and culture. We can be proud of our party’s record for people in all parts of Ireland.

“We now need to demonstrate to everyone that Green Party policies are focused on the challenges of today every bit as much as those of tomorrow. Our solutions - on climate, transport, housing, support for families – benefit everyone on this island. That job starts today.”