Editing Green Party (Ireland)

{{Short description|Irish political party}}
{{for|the Northern Irish regional branch of the party|Green Party Northern Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox political party
| country          = the Republic of Ireland
| country2         = Northern Ireland
| name             = Green Party
| native_name      = {{lang|ga|Comhaontas Glas}}
| logo             = Green Party (Ireland) logo.svg
| logo_size        = 150px
| founders         = {{plainlist|
* [[Christopher Fettes]]<ref name="origins-of-the-green-party"/> 
* [[Roger Garland]]<ref name="origins-of-the-green-party"/> 
* [[Máire Mullarney]]<ref name="origins-of-the-green-party"/> 
}}
| leader           = [[Roderic O'Gorman]]
| leader1_title    = Deputy leader
| leader1_name     = [[Róisín Garvey]]
| leader2_title    = Northern Ireland leader
| leader2_name     = [[Mal O'Hara]]
| leader3_title    = Chairperson
| leader3_name     = Janet Horner<ref name="Horner">{{cite news |last= McGreevy |first= Ronan |date= 1 May 2025 |title= Roderic O’Gorman re-elected as Green Party leader |url= https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/05/01/roderic-ogorman-re-elected-as-green-party-leader/ |work= The Irish Times |access-date= 15 May 2025}}</ref>
| foundation       = {{Start date and age|1981|12|3|df=yes}} (as Ecology Party of Ireland)
| headquarters     = 16–17 Suffolk Street, [[Dublin]], Ireland
| youth_wing       = [[Young Greens (Ireland)|Young Greens]]
| ideology         = [[Green politics]]<br>[[Pro-Europeanism]]
| position         = [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]{{refn|<ref>{{cite news|author=Flach Kelly|title=Greens end talks with Fine Gael on forming government|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/greens-end-talks-with-fine-gael-on-forming-government-1.2592892|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|date=31 March 2016|access-date=7 June 2019|archive-date=6 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200306160347/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/greens-end-talks-with-fine-gael-on-forming-government-1.2592892|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date= 29 October 2021 |title= Ireland climate minister: Need for climate justice at COP 26 |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0b13sqz |work= BBC |access-date= 10 July 2024}}</ref>}}
| international    = [[Global Greens]]
| affiliation1_title = Northern Ireland affiliate
| affiliation1     = [[Green Party Northern Ireland]]
| european         = [[European Green Party]]
| europarl         = [[Greens–European Free Alliance]]
| colours          = {{colour box|{{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}} Green
| membership_year  = July 2024
| membership       = {{decrease}} 3,425<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-and-comment/2024/0708/1458847-green-party-leader/|title=New Green Party leader has some thorny questions to prune|publisher=RTÉ News|date=8 July 2024|access-date=8 July 2024}}</ref>
| website          = {{Political party data|website}}
| colorcode        = {{Political party data|color}}
<!-- Values obtained from Wikidata; to edit, see https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q831015 -->
| seats1_title     = [[Dáil Éireann]]
| seats1           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-lower-house}}
| seats2_title     = [[Seanad Éireann]]
| seats2           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-upper-house}}
| seats3_title     = [[European Parliament]]
| seats3           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|EP}}
| seats4_title     = [[Local government in the Republic of Ireland]]
| seats4           = {{Composition bar|23|949|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| seats5_title     = [[Local government in Northern Ireland]]
| seats5           = {{Composition bar|5|462|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
}}
The '''Green Party''' ({{langx|ga|Comhaontas Glas}}, {{lit|Green Alliance}}) is a [[Green politics|green]]<ref name="Nordsieck">{{cite web|url=http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/ireland.html|title=Ireland|website=Parties and Elections in Europe|last=Nordsieck|first=Wolfram|year=2020|access-date=29 April 2018|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107051350/http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/ireland.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[List of political parties in the Republic of Ireland|political party]] that operates in the [[Republic of Ireland]] and [[Northern Ireland]]. It holds a [[pro-European]] stance.<ref name="EuropeElects">{{cite web|url=https://europeelects.eu/european-union/ireland/|title=Ireland|website=Europe Elects|access-date=1 April 2019|archive-date=1 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401163146/https://europeelects.eu/european-union/ireland/|url-status=live}}</ref> It was founded as the '''Ecology Party of Ireland''' in 1981 by [[Dublin]] teacher [[Christopher Fettes]]. The party became the '''Green Alliance''' in 1983 and adopted its current English language name in 1987 while the Irish name was kept unchanged. The party leader is [[Roderic O'Gorman]], the deputy leader is Senator [[Róisín Garvey]] and the cathaoirleach (chairperson) is Janet Horner.<ref name="Horner"/> Green Party candidates have been elected to most levels of representation: [[Local government in the Republic of Ireland|local government]] (in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland), [[Dáil Éireann]], the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]], and the [[European Parliament]].

The Green Party first entered the Dáil in 1989. It has participated in the [[Government of Ireland|Irish government]] twice, from 2007 to 2011 as junior partner in a coalition with [[Fianna Fáil]], and since June 2020 in a coalition with Fianna Fáil and [[Fine Gael]]. Following the first period in government, the party suffered a wipeout in the [[2011 Irish general election|February 2011 election]], losing all six of its [[Teachta Dála|TDs]]. In the [[2016 Irish general election|February 2016 election]], it returned to the Dáil with two seats.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Daly |first=Susan |date=28 February 2016 |title=Green Party back as Eamon Ryan joins his deputy in Dáil |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/eamon-ryan-elected-green-party-2630819-Feb2016/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214051355/https://www.thejournal.ie/eamon-ryan-elected-green-party-2630819-Feb2016/ |archive-date=14 December 2019 |access-date=29 February 2016 |work=[[TheJournal.ie|The Journal]]}}</ref> Following this, [[Grace O'Sullivan]] was elected to the [[Seanad Éireann|Seanad]] on 26 April that year of 2016 and [[Joe O'Brien (politician)|Joe O'Brien]] was elected to [[Dáil Éireann]] in the [[2019 Dublin Fingal by-election]]. In the [[2020 Irish general election|2020 general election]], the party had its best result ever, securing 12 TDs and becoming the fourth largest party in the [[33rd Dáil]] before losing all but one seat in the [[2024 Irish general election|2024 general election]].

==History==
===Early years and first rise===
[[File:First meeting of Ecology Party of Ireland poster.jpg|thumb|left|Poster advertising the first ever meeting of the "Ecology Party of Ireland"]]
The Green Party began life as the ''Ecology Party'' in 1981, with [[Christopher Fettes]] serving as the party's first chairperson. The party's first public appearance was modest: the event announced that they would be contesting the [[November 1982 Irish general election|November 1982 general election]], and was attended by their seven election candidates, 20 party supporters, and one singular journalist. Fettes had opened the meeting by noting the party didn't expect to win any seats. Willy Clingan, the journalist present, recalled that "The Ecology Party introduced its seven election candidates at the nicest and most endearingly honest press conference of the whole campaign".<ref name="origins-of-the-green-party">{{cite news |last=Mullally |first=Una |date=9 June 2019 |title=The little known story of the origins of the Green Party |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/the-little-known-story-of-the-origins-of-the-green-party-1.3909472 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |access-date=27 March 2020 |archive-date=4 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904191509/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/the-little-known-story-of-the-origins-of-the-green-party-1.3909472 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Ecology party took 0.2% of the vote that year.

Following a name change to the ''Green Alliance'', it contested the [[1984 European Parliament election in Ireland|1984 European elections]], with party founder [[Roger Garland]] winning 1.9% in the Dublin constituency. The following year, it won its first election when Marcus Counihan was elected to [[Killarney|Killarney Urban District Council]] at the [[1985 Irish local elections|1985 local elections]], buoyed by winning 5,200 first preference votes as a European candidate in Dublin [[1984 European Parliament election in Ireland|the previous year]]. The party nationally ran 34 candidates and won 0.6% of the vote.

The party continued to struggle until the [[1989 Irish general election|1989 general election]] when the Green Party (as it was now named) won its first seat in [[Dáil Éireann]], when Roger Garland was elected in [[Dublin South (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South]]. Garland lost his seat at the [[1992 Irish general election|1992 general election]], while [[Trevor Sargent]] gained a seat in [[Dublin North (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North]]. In the [[1994 European Parliament election in Ireland|1994 European election]], [[Patricia McKenna]] topped the poll in the Dublin constituency and [[Nuala Ahern]] won a seat in Leinster. They retained their [[European Parliament]] seats in the [[1999 European Parliament election in Ireland|1999 European election]], although the party lost five councillors in local elections held that year despite an increase in its vote. At the [[1997 Irish general election|1997 general election]], the party gained a seat when [[John Gormley]] won a Dáil seat in [[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]].

At the [[2002 Irish general election|2002 general election]], the party made a breakthrough, getting six [[Teachta Dála|Teachtaí Dála]] (TDs) elected to the Dáil with 4% of the national vote. However, in the [[2004 European Parliament election in Ireland|2004 European election]], the party lost both of its European Parliament seats. In the [[2004 Irish local elections|2004 local elections]], it increased its number of councillors at county level from eight to 18 (out of 883) and at town council level from five to 14 (out of 744).

The party gained its first representation in the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2007, the [[Green Party in Northern Ireland]] having become a regional branch of the party the previous year.

===First term in government===
{{main|Government of the 30th Dáil}}
[[File:Irish Green Parliamentary Party in 2008 (cropped, 2to1 ratio).jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|right|The Greens' parliamentary party in 2008]]
The Green Party entered government for the first time after the [[2007 Irish general election|2007 general election]], held on 24 May. Although its share of first-preference votes increased at the election, the party failed to increase the number of TDs returned. [[Mary White (Green Party politician)|Mary White]] won a seat for the first time in [[Carlow–Kilkenny (Dáil constituency)|Carlow–Kilkenny]]; however, [[Dan Boyle (politician)|Dan Boyle]] lost his seat in [[Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-Central]]. The party had approached the 2007 general election on an independent platform, not ruling any out coalition partners while expressing its preference for an alternative to the outgoing coalition of [[Fianna Fáil]] and the [[Progressive Democrats]].<ref>{{cite news |author=O'Rourke |first=Sean |date=25 February 2007 |title=Poll shows loss of support for FF |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0225/weekinpolitics.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070303165613/http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0225/weekinpolitics.html |archive-date=3 March 2007 |access-date=17 January 2009 |work=[[RTÉ News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.johngormley.com/wp/2007/02/24/speech-to-green-party-convention-2007/ |title=Speech to Green Party Convention 2007 |date=24 February 2007 |author=[[John Gormley]] |work=John Gormley's blog |access-date=14 January 2008  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010130807/http://www.johngormley.com/wp/2007/02/24/speech-to-green-party-convention-2007/ |archive-date=10 October 2007}}</ref> Neither the outgoing government nor an alternative of [[Fine Gael]], [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour]] and the Green Party had sufficient seats to form a majority. Fine Gael ruled out a coalition arrangement with [[Sinn Féin]],<ref>{{cite news |author=de Bréadún |first=Deaglán |author-link=Deaglán de Bréadún |author2=Donohoe |first2=Miriam |date=28 May 2007 |title=Rainbow coalition is still possible, says Kenny |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/rainbow-coalition-is-still-possible-says-kenny-1.1207759 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |page=8}}</ref> opening the way for Green Party negotiations with Fianna Fáil.

Some saw the idea of going into coalition with Fianna Fáil as a "sell-out".<ref name="Taylor">{{cite journal |author1=Taylor |first=George |date=May 2012 |title=Staring into the political abyss: the Irish Greens after the 2011 parliamentary elections |journal=[[Environmental Politics (journal)|Environmental Politics]] |volume=21 |issue=3 |pages=516–521 |bibcode=2012EnvPo..21..516T |doi=10.1080/09644016.2012.671578 |s2cid=154578054}}</ref>{{rp|516}} Before the negotiations began, [[Ciarán Cuffe]] TD wrote on his blog that "a deal with Fianna Fáil would be a deal with the devil… and [the Green Party would be] decimated as a Party".<ref>{{cite web |author=Cuffe |first=Ciarán |author-link=Ciarán Cuffe |date=28 May 2007 |title=Great to be back |url=http://cuffestreet.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725061241/http://cuffestreet.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html |archive-date=25 July 2011 |access-date=1 July 2008 |work=Cuffe Street (Ciarán Cuffe's blog)}}</ref> After protracted negotiations,<ref>{{cite news |title=Green senator saw red during tough negotiations with Fianna Fáil |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=23 August 2007 |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/green-senator-saw-red-during-tough-negotiations-with-fianna-fail-1064137.html |access-date=17 January 2009 |archive-date=17 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017230002/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/green-senator-saw-red-during-tough-negotiations-with-fianna-fail-1064137.html |url-status=live }}</ref> a draft programme for government was agreed to between the Greens and Fianna Fáil.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Bowcott |first=Owen |date=14 June 2007 |title=Green leader resigns as party joins Ahern coalition |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/jun/14/climatechange.climatechange |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=18 June 2007 |title=GP & FF agree to draft Govt programme |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0612/89931-election/ |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=[[RTÉ News]]}}</ref> Early Green demands included the introduction of legislation on corporate donations, a [[Moratorium (law)|moratorium]] on using public land to build private hospitals, and altering the route of the [[N3 road (Ireland)#M3 motorway|M3 motorway]] near the [[Hill of Tara]]; none of these demands appeared in the final government programme.<ref name=Taylor />{{rp|517}} On 13 June 2007, Green members at the [[Mansion House, Dublin|Mansion House]] in Dublin voted 86% in favour (441 to 67; with 2 spoilt votes) of entering coalition with Fianna Fáil. The following day, the six Green Party TDs voted for the re-election of [[Bertie Ahern]] as [[Taoiseach]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Greens vote to enter FF-led coalition |publisher=RTÉ 9 O'Clock News |date=13 June 2007 |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0613/9news.html |access-date=17 January 2009 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> New party leader John Gormley was appointed as [[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government]] and [[Eamon Ryan]] was appointed as [[Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications|Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources]]. Trevor Sargent was appointed as [[Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine|Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food]] with responsibility for Food and [[Horticulture]].

Before its entry into government, the Green Party had been a vocal supporter of the [[Shell to Sea]] movement,<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Cusack |first=Jim |date=17 May 2009 |title=Trouble in the pipeline over Ryan's Shell protest |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/trouble-in-the-pipeline-over-ryans-shell-protest/26536647.html |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref><ref>[http://www.breakingnews.ie/2006/11/21/story286033.html Shell to Sea' campaign gets cross-party support] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413183743/https://www.breakingnews.ie/2006/11/21/story286033.html |date=13 April 2020 }}{{spaced ndash}}''BreakingNews.ie'', 21 November 2006.</ref> the campaign to reroute the M3 [[motorway]] away from [[Hill of Tara|Tara]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Reid |first=Liam |date=7 March 2005 |title=Green Party candidate says M3 route must avoid Tara |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/green-party-candidate-says-m3-route-must-avoid-tara-1.420826 |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref> and (to a lesser extent) the campaign to end [[United States military]] use of [[Shannon Airport]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=O'Rourke |first=Aisling |date=12 June 2007 |title=Military use of Shannon not a campaign issue, but now contentious Archived  at the Wayback Machine – Village, |url=http://www.villagemagazine.ieelection_07/Election_Count/Military_use_of_Shannon_not_a_campaign_issue,_but_now_contentious/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121015605/http://www.village.ie/Election_07/Election_Count/Military_use_of_Shannon_not_a_campaign_issue%2C_but_now_contentious/ |archive-date=21 November 2007 |access-date=15 April 2025 |magazine=[[Village (magazine)|Village]]}}</ref> After the party entered government there were no substantive changes in government policy on these issues, which meant that Eamon Ryan oversaw the [[Corrib gas project]] while he was in office. The Green Party had, at its 2007 annual conference, made an inquiry into the irregularities surrounding the project (see [[Corrib gas controversy]]) a precondition of entering government, but changed its stance during post-election negotiations with Fianna Fáil.<ref name=":1" />

The 2008 budget did not include a [[Carbon tax|carbon levy]] on fuels such as petrol, diesel and home heating oil, which the Green Party had sought before the election.<ref name="indep-green-budget">{{cite news |author=Hogan |first=Treacy |date=6 December 2007 |title='Green' Budget signals war on climate change |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/green-budget-signals-war-on-climate-change/26336805.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024225511/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/budget2008/news/green-budget-signals-war-on-climate-change-1239079.html |archive-date=24 October 2012 |access-date=14 January 2008 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref> A carbon levy was, however, introduced in the 2010 Budget.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greenparty.ie/en/news/latest_news/green_party_leader_addresses_dail_on_budget_2010 |title=Green Party Leader addresses Dáil on Budget 2010  |publisher=Green Party |date=10 December 2009 |access-date=23 January 2011  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928180614/http://www.greenparty.ie/en/news/latest_news/green_party_leader_addresses_dail_on_budget_2010 |archive-date=28 September 2011 }}</ref> The 2008 budget did include a separate [[carbon budget]] announced by Gormley,<ref>{{cite news |author=Gormley |first=John |date=6 December 2007 |title=Gormley delivers carbon budget |url=http://www.greenparty.ie/en/news/latest_news/gormley_delivers_carbon_budget |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209192911/http://www.greenparty.ie/en/news/latest_news/gormley_delivers_carbon_budget |archive-date=9 February 2008 |access-date=14 January 2008 |publisher=Green Party}}</ref> which introduced new energy efficiency tax credit,<ref name="indep-green-budget"/> a ban on [[incandescent light bulb|incandescent bulbs]] from January 2009,<ref>{{cite news |author=Hogan |first=Treacy |date=7 December 2007 |title=Gormley lights the way with ban on bulbs |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/gormley-lights-the-way-with-ban-on-bulbs/26337063.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109122747/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/gormley-lights-the-way-with-ban-on-bulbs-1240074.html |archive-date=9 November 2012 |access-date=14 January 2008 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref> a tax scheme incentivising commuters' purchases of bicycles<ref>{{cite news |author=Cradden |first=John |date=2 December 2008 |title=Get on yer bike |url=https://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/get-on-yer-bike/26496463.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195245/http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/surviving-the-recession/get-on-yer-bike-1559896.html |archive-date=20 October 2012 |access-date=31 August 2009 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref> and a new scale of [[vehicle registration tax (Ireland)|vehicle registration tax]] based on carbon emissions.<ref>{{cite news |author=Molony |first=Senan |date=6 December 2007 |title=So, how Green was it for you? Just look at red-faced drivers |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/so-how-green-was-it-for-you-just-look-at-red-faced-drivers/26336850.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017230049/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/budget2008/analysis-overview/so-how-green-was-it-for-you-just-look-at-redfaced-drivers-1239124.html |archive-date=17 October 2012 |access-date=14 January 2008 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref>

At a special convention on whether to support the [[Treaty of Lisbon]] on 19 January 2008, the party voted 63.5% in favour of supporting the Treaty; this fell short of the party's two-thirds majority requirement for policy issues. As a result, the Green Party did not have an official campaign in the [[Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2008|first Lisbon Treaty referendum]], although individual members were involved on different sides.<ref>{{cite news |last=de Bréadún |first=Deaglán |date=21 January 2008 |title=Greens will not take party stance on Lisbon Treaty |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/greens-will-not-take-party-stance-on-lisbon-treaty-1.930346 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120908061759/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2008/0121/1200605248320.html |archive-date=8 September 2012 |access-date=18 January 2009 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |page=1}}</ref> The referendum did not pass in 2008, and following the Irish government's negotiation with EU member states of additional legal guarantees and assurances, the Green Party held another special convention meeting in Dublin on 18 July 2009 to decide its position on the [[Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|second Lisbon referendum]]. Precisely two-thirds of party members present voted to campaign for a 'Yes' in the referendum. This was the first time in the party's history that it had campaigned in favour of a European treaty.<ref>{{cite news |author=Gormley |first=John |date=18 July 2009 |title=Greens back Lisbon Yes |url=http://www.greenparty.ie/en/news/latest_news/greens_back_lisbon_yes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008205238/http://www.greenparty.ie/en/news/latest_news/greens_back_lisbon_yes |archive-date=8 October 2009 |access-date=31 August 2009 |publisher=Green Party}}</ref>

The government's response to the [[Post-2008 Irish banking crisis|post-2008 banking crisis]] significantly affected the party's support, and it suffered at the [[2009 Irish local elections|2009 local elections]], returning with only three County Council seats in total and losing its entire traditional Dublin base, with the exception of a Town Council seat in Balbriggan.

[[Déirdre de Búrca]], one of two Green senators [[Nominated members of Seanad Éireann|nominated by Taoiseach]] Bertie Ahern in 2007, resigned from the party and her seat in 2010, in part owing to the party's inability to secure her a job in the [[European Commission]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Stephen |date=16 February 2010 |title=Greens silent on de Búrca claim FF failed to honour deal |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/greens-silent-on-de-burca-claim-ff-failed-to-honour-deal-1.622280 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121100515/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0216/1224264554511.html |archive-date=21 January 2011 |access-date=23 January 2011 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref> On 23 February 2010, Trevor Sargent resigned as Minister of State for Food and Horticulture owing to allegations over contacting [[Garda Síochána|Gardaí]] about a criminal case involving a constituent,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0223/sargentt.html|title=Sargent resigns as Minister of State|work=[[RTÉ News]]|date=23 February 2010|access-date=23 February 2010|archive-date=25 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100225011030/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0223/sargentt.html|url-status=live}}</ref> with [[Ciarán Cuffe]] being appointed as his replacement the following March. By 2010, opinion polls showed strong support for [[snap election|an immediate election]] with the Greens polling at just 2%.<ref name=Taylor />{{rp|519}}

The Green Party supported the passage of legislation for [[European Commission|EC]]–[[European Central Bank|ECB]]–[[International Monetary Fund|IMF]] financial support for Ireland's bank bailout. On 19 January, the party derailed Taoiseach [[Brian Cowen]]'s plans to reshuffle his cabinet when it refused to endorse Cowen's intended replacement ministers, forcing Cowen to redistribute the vacant portfolios among incumbent ministers. The Greens were angered at not having been consulted about this effort, and went as far as to threaten to pull out of the coalition unless Cowen set a firm date for an election due that spring. He ultimately set the date for 11 March.<ref>{{cite news |last=McConnell |first=Daniel |date=23 January 2011 |title=The worst week for the worst Taoiseach in the State's history |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/the-worst-week-for-the-worst-taoiseach-in-the-states-history/26616624.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120801215500/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/the-worst-week-for-the-worst-taoiseach-in-the-states-history-2507517.html |archive-date=1 August 2012 |access-date=23 January 2011 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref>

On 23 January 2011, the Green Party met with Cowen following his resignation as leader of senior coalition partner Fianna Fáil the previous afternoon.<ref>{{cite news |last=McDonald |first=Henry |author-link=Henry McDonald (writer) |date=23 January 2011 |title=Ireland's Green party considers whether to stay in government |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/23/ireland-green-party-meeting |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921013346/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/23/ireland-green-party-meeting |archive-date=21 September 2013 |access-date=23 January 2011 |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London}}</ref> The Green Party then announced it was breaking off the coalition and going into opposition with immediate effect.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0123/politics1.html |title=Green Party withdraws from Government |date=23 January 2011 |access-date=23 January 2011 |work=[[RTÉ News and Current Affairs]] |publisher=[[RTÉ]] |archive-date=24 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124114818/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0123/politics1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Ministers Gormley and Ryan resigned as cabinet ministers, and Cuffe and White resigned as Ministers of State.<ref name="O Cuiv and Carey get vacant ministerial posts">{{cite news |date=23 January 2011 |title=O Cuiv and Carey get vacant ministerial posts |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30490500.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919142342/http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/o-cuiv-and-carey-get-vacant-ministerial-posts-490500.html |archive-date=19 September 2012 |access-date=23 January 2011 |work=[[Irish Examiner]]}}</ref> Green Party leader John Gormley said at a press conference announcing the withdrawal: {{Blockquote|For a very long time we in the Green Party have stood back in the hope that Fianna Fáil could resolve persistent doubts about their party leadership. A definitive resolution of this has not yet been possible. And our patience has reached an end.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0124/1224288166024.html |title=Green Party statement |date=24 January 2011 |access-date=24 January 2011 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |publisher=Irish Times Trust |archive-date=23 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023005903/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0124/1224288166024.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12262796 |title=Green Party quits Irish coalition government |date=23 January 2011 |access-date=23 January 2011 |work=[[BBC News]] |publisher=BBC |archive-date=24 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124044021/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12262796 |url-status=live }}</ref>}}

In almost four years in Government, from 2007 to 2011, the Green Party contributed to the passage of [[Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010|civil partnership for same-sex couples]],<ref>{{cite news |author=Cullen |first=Paul |date=1 January 2011 |title=Partnership laws come into force |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/partnership-laws-come-into-force-1.869456 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022213340/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0101/breaking25.html |archive-date=22 October 2012 |access-date=15 April 2025 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref> the introduction of major planning reform,<ref>{{cite web |author=Cuffe |first=Ciarán |author-link=Ciarán Cuffe |date=15 July 2011 |title=Planning bill marks new era for how we plan for our future |url=http://www.greenparty.ie/en/news/latest_news/planning_bill_marks_new_era_for_how_we_plan_for_our_future_cuffe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928180649/http://www.greenparty.ie/en/news/latest_news/planning_bill_marks_new_era_for_how_we_plan_for_our_future_cuffe |archive-date=28 September 2011 |access-date=16 January 2011 |work=Green Party}}</ref> a major increase in renewable energy output,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://irishenergynews.com/home/index.php/2011/01/09/new-record-for-irish-wind-power-output |title=New record for Irish wind power output |date=9 January 2011 |work=Irish Energy News |access-date=16 January 2011  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111053019/http://irishenergynews.com/home/index.php/2011/01/09/new-record-for-irish-wind-power-output/ |archive-date=11 January 2011 }}</ref> progressive budgets,<ref>{{cite web |author=Moran |first=Oliver |date=24 March 2016 |title=The Green Party and progressive budgets |url=https://medium.com/@oliver_moran/green-party-and-progressive-budgets-10e439a892ec |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112200547/https://medium.com/@oliver_moran/green-party-and-progressive-budgets-10e439a892ec |archive-date=12 January 2017 |access-date=4 November 2017}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]] & [[WP:BLOGS]]).|date=April 2025}} and a nationwide scheme of home insulation retrofitting.<ref>{{cite news |author=McGee |first=Harry |date=9 February 2009 |title=€100m insulation scheme to benefit 50,000 homes |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/100m-insulation-scheme-to-benefit-50-000-homes-1.695644 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022235538/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0209/1233867927158.html |archive-date=22 October 2012 |access-date=16 January 2011 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref>

===Wipeout, recovery, and second government term===
[[File:Catherine Martin TD.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Catherine Martin (politician)|Catherine Martin]] became the deputy leader of the party in 2011]]

====Fallout from the 2011 general election====
The party lost all of its six TDs at the [[2011 Irish general election|2011 general election]],<ref name=Taylor />{{rp|520}} including former Ministers John Gormley and Eamon Ryan. Three of their six TDs lost their deposits. The party's share of the vote fell below 2%, meaning that they could not reclaim election expenses, and their lack of parliamentary representation led to the ending of state funding for the party.<ref>{{cite news |last=McGee |first=Harry |date=1 March 2011 |title=Failure to get votes likely to result in party's office closing |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/failure-to-get-votes-likely-to-result-in-party-s-office-closing-1.559860 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303231808/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0301/1224291080510.html |archive-date=3 March 2011 |access-date=22 April 2011 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref> The party candidates in the [[24th Seanad|2011 election to the Seanad]] were Dan Boyle and [[Niall Ó Brolcháin]]; neither was elected, and as a result, for the first time since 1989 the Green Party had no representatives in the [[Oireachtas]].

In the aftermath of the wipeout Eamon Ryan was elected as party leader on 27 May 2011, succeeding John Gormley,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0527/greenparty.html |title=Eamon Ryan elected Green Party leader |work=[[RTÉ News]] |date=27 May 2011 |access-date=27 May 2011 |archive-date=28 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110528133028/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0527/greenparty.html |url-status=live }}</ref> while Catherine Martin was later appointed the deputy leader of the party.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1211/greens.html |title=Green party announces new front bench |work=RTÉ News |access-date=12 December 2011 |date=12 December 2011 |archive-date=9 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109042540/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1211/greens.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

====2016 to 2019 electoral successes====
At the [[2016 Irish general election|2016 general election]] Ryan and Martin gained two seats in the Dáil while [[Grace O'Sullivan]] picked up a seat in the [[Seanad]]. In doing so the Green party became the first Irish political party to lose all their seats in a general election but come back and win seats in a subsequent election.<ref>{{cite news |date=13 February 2020 |title=GREEN ON GREEN |url=https://www.thephoenix.ie/article/green-on-green/ |work=[[The Phoenix (magazine)|The Phoenix]] |access-date=28 June 2020 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=28 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628054406/https://www.thephoenix.ie/article/green-on-green/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The Greens continued to pick up momentum in 2019, performing quite well during the concurrent [[2019 Irish local elections|2019 local elections]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Leahy |first=Pat |last2=Kelly |first2=Fiach |last3=Bray |first3=Jennifer |date=26 May 2019 |title=Elections 2019: Greens the big winners while Sinn Féin slumps |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/elections-2019-greens-the-big-winners-while-sinn-f%C3%A9in-slumps-1.3905248 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526234818/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/elections-2019-greens-the-big-winners-while-sinn-f%C3%A9in-slumps-1.3905248 |archive-date=26 May 2019 |access-date=2 June 2019 |work=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref> and [[2019 European Parliament election in Ireland|2019 European Parliament election]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barry |first=Aoife |date=27 May 2019 |title=Green Party's Ciarán Cuffe elected MEP |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/ciaran-cuffe-irish-mep-elected-south-4654921-May2019/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601071645/https://www.thejournal.ie/ciaran-cuffe-irish-mep-elected-south-4654921-May2019/ |archive-date=1 June 2019 |access-date=2 June 2019 |work=[[TheJournal.ie|The Journal]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=O'Sullivan |first=Jennie |date=5 June 2019 |title=O'Sullivan, Clune take final two seats in Ireland South |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2019/0605/1053547-ireland-south-count/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190605145510/https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2019/0605/1053547-ireland-south-count/ |archive-date=5 June 2019 |access-date=9 June 2019 |work=[[RTÉ News]]}}</ref> while in November that same year the party saw [[Pippa Hackett]] win a seat in the Seanad and [[Joe O'Brien (politician)|Joe O'Brien]] bring home the party's first ever by-election win in the [[2019 Dublin Fingal by-election]].<ref>{{cite news |date=30 November 2019 |title=Joe O'Brien wins first by-election for Green Party in Dublin Fingal |url=https://www.newstalk.com/news/joe-obrien-wins-first-election-green-party-dublin-fingal-931421 |work=[[Newstalk]] |access-date=22 October 2021 |archive-date=22 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022012651/https://www.newstalk.com/news/joe-obrien-wins-first-election-green-party-dublin-fingal-931421 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Return to government====
{{main|Government of the 33rd Dáil}}
At the [[2020 Irish general election|2020 general election]], the party had its best result ever, winning 7.1% of the first-preference votes and returning 12 TDs, an increase of ten from the last election. It became the fourth-largest party in the Dáil and entered government in [[32nd government of Ireland|coalition]] with [[Fianna Fáil]] and [[Fine Gael]]. Ryan, Martin and [[Roderic O'Gorman]] were appointed as cabinet ministers, with four Green [[Minister of State (Ireland)|Ministers of State]]. [[Clare Bailey]], the leader of the [[Green Party in Northern Ireland]], was amongst a number of Green members who stood against the coalition. She said it proposed the "most fiscally conservative arrangements in a generation" and that "the economic and finances behind this deal will really lead to some of the most vulnerable being hit the hardest", as well as it not doing enough on climate and social justice.<ref>{{cite news |date=21 June 2020 |title= Irish government: Clare Bailey of Green Party rejects coalition deal |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-53123592 |work=BBC News |access-date= 31 August 2021 |archive-date=31 August 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210831132447/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-53123592 |url-status= live }}</ref> She also said the deal "fails to deliver on our promise to tackle homelessness and provide better healthcare", "represents an unjust recovery" and "sets out an inadequate and vague pathway towards climate action".<ref>{{cite news |date=21 June 2020 |title=NI Green Party leader rejects Irish coalition plan |url=https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2020-06-21/ni-green-party-leader-rejects-irish-coalition-plan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831132447/https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2020-06-21/ni-green-party-leader-rejects-irish-coalition-plan |archive-date=31 August 2021 |access-date=31 August 2021 |work=[[ITV News]]}}</ref> The party returned two senators at the 2020 Seanad election, with a further two senators nominated by the [[Taoiseach]], [[Micheál Martin]] bringing the total party representation in the [[Oireachtas]] to 16. In July 2020, Eamon Ryan retained his leadership of the party with a narrow leadership election victory over Catherine Martin in the [[2020 Green Party leadership election (Ireland)|2020 Green Party leadership election]] by 994 votes to 946, a margin of 48 votes.<ref>{{cite news |last= McGee |first=Harry |date= 22 July 2020 |title=Green Party leadership contest: Eamon Ryan wins by narrow margin |url= https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/green-party-leadership-contest-eamon-ryan-wins-by-narrow-margin-1.4311061 |newspaper= [[The Irish Times]] |access-date= 25 September 2021 |archive-date= 18 May 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220518044148/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/green-party-leadership-contest-eamon-ryan-wins-by-narrow-margin-1.4311061 |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Moore |first=Aoife |date=23 July 2020 |title=Eamon Ryan retains Green Party leadership by 48 votes |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40021121.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925183022/https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40021121.html |archive-date=25 September 2021 |access-date=25 September 2021 |work=[[Irish Examiner]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hurley |first=Sandra |date=23 July 2020 |title=Eamon Ryan wins Green Party leadership contest |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0723/1155012-green-party-leadership/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723181530/https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0723/1155012-green-party-leadership/ |archive-date=23 July 2020 |access-date=25 September 2021 |work=[[RTÉ News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=O'Connell |first=Hugh |date=23 July 2020 |title=Eamon Ryan re-elected as Green Party leader with just 48 more votes than rival Catherine Martin |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/eamon-ryan-re-elected-as-green-party-leader-with-just-48-more-votes-than-rival-catherine-martin-39392668.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925183022/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/eamon-ryan-re-elected-as-green-party-leader-with-just-48-more-votes-than-rival-catherine-martin-39392668.html |archive-date=25 September 2021 |access-date=25 September 2021 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref>

====Internal disputes====
Despite the success at the general election, the party found itself dogged by infighting and resignations.<ref>{{cite news |last=McGee |first=Harry |date=7 November 2020 |title=Off-colour Green Party continues to be dogged by infighting and disputes |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/off-colour-green-party-continues-to-be-dogged-by-infighting-and-disputes-1.4402504 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |access-date=3 March 2021 |archive-date=2 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302080416/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/off-colour-green-party-continues-to-be-dogged-by-infighting-and-disputes-1.4402504 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Saoirse McHugh]], a candidate in the 2019 European elections, 2020 general election and the [[2020 Seanad election]], resigned from the party upon the Greens entering government with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, parties she believed would damage public enthusiasm for environmentalist policies by pairing them with "socially regressive" policies.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hurley |first=Sandra |date=23 July 2020 |title=Saoirse McHugh quits the Green Party |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2020/0723/1155056-saoirse-mchugh/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124071752/https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2020/0723/1155056-saoirse-mchugh/ |archive-date=24 January 2021 |access-date=3 March 2021 |work=[[RTE News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Ní Aodha |first=Gráinne |date=23 July 2020 |title=Saoirse McHugh has left the Green Party |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/saoirse-mchugh-green-party-5157497-Jul2020/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318023624/https://www.thejournal.ie/saoirse-mchugh-green-party-5157497-Jul2020/ |archive-date=18 March 2021 |access-date=3 March 2021 |work=[[TheJournal.ie|The Journal]]}}</ref> Over the course of 2020, four councillors as well as both the leader of the [[Young Greens (Ireland)|Young Greens]] and the leader of the Queer Greens left the party, all citing either bullying within the party or dissatisfaction with the coalition and its policies as the cause.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kenny |first=Aine |date=27 October 2020 |title=Cork councillor Lorna Bogue quits Greens over Mother and Baby Homes law |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-40071455.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030212713/https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-40071455.html |archive-date=30 October 2020 |access-date=28 October 2020 |work=[[Irish Examiner]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/green-party-hit-by-more-resignations-1024949.html|title=Green Party hit by more resignations|last=McCurry|first=Cate|work=BreakingNews.ie|date=24 October 2020|access-date=28 October 2020|archive-date=31 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031023016/https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/green-party-hit-by-more-resignations-1024949.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Ryan |first=Phillip |date=19 January 2021 |title=Another blow to Green party as two prominent councillors quit |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/another-blow-to-green-party-as-two-prominent-councillors-quit-39985278.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120063942/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/another-blow-to-green-party-as-two-prominent-councillors-quit-39985278.html |archive-date=20 January 2021 |access-date=23 January 2021 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref> Amongst the resignations were councillors [[Lorna Bogue]] and Liam Sinclair, who subsequently formed a new left-wing green party called [[Rabharta]] in June 2021.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gataveckaite |first=Gabija |date=1 June 2021 |title=Former members of Green Party to launch 'eco-socialist' group this weekend |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/former-members-of-green-party-tolaunch-eco-socialist-groupthis-weekend-40489594.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607230645/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/former-members-of-green-party-tolaunch-eco-socialist-groupthis-weekend-40489594.html |archive-date=7 June 2021 |access-date=10 June 2021 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hosford |first=Paul |date=25 January 2021 |title=Green councillor quits party citing culture of tolerating personal abuse |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40213634.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126065036/https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40213634.html?type=amp |archive-date=26 January 2021 |access-date=25 January 2021 |work=[[Irish Examiner]]}}</ref>

Infighting continued in 2021 when the party Cathaoirleach [[Hazel Chu]], the [[Lord Mayor of Dublin]], launched a campaign to run for the [[2021 Seanad by-elections]] with the support of six members of the Green Party Parliamentary Party, but without official backing from the party.<ref name=IT25Mar>{{Cite news|last=McQuinn|first=Cormac|title=Eamon Ryan 'tells Greens' no pact on supporting Coalition candidates for Seanad|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/eamon-ryan-tells-greens-no-pact-on-supporting-coalition-candidates-for-seanad-1.4520007|access-date=2021-03-25|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|language=en|archive-date=25 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210325143639/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/eamon-ryan-tells-greens-no-pact-on-supporting-coalition-candidates-for-seanad-1.4520007|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=McGee |first=Harry |date=22 March 2021 |title=Green Party leader Eamon Ryan will not vote for Hazel Chu in Seanad byelection |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/green-party-leader-eamon-ryan-will-not-vote-for-hazel-chu-in-seanad-byelection-1.4518280 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816221038/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/green-party-leader-eamon-ryan-will-not-vote-for-hazel-chu-in-seanad-byelection-1.4518280 |archive-date=16 August 2022 |access-date=2021-03-23 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hosford |first=Paul |date=22 March 2021 |title=Hazel Chu to run as independent candidate in Seanad by-election |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-40249256.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520221834/https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-40249256.html |archive-date=20 May 2022 |access-date=23 March 2021 |work=[[Irish Examiner]]}}</ref> Senators [[Pippa Hackett]], [[Pauline O'Reilly]] and [[Róisín Garvey]] tabled a motion of no confidence in Chu as Cathaoirleach of the party.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ni Aodha |first=Grainne |date=25 June 2024 |title=Roderic O'Gorman and Pippa Hackett to contest Green Party leadership |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/roderic-ogorman-and-pippa-hackett-to-contest-green-party-leadership/a530392516.html |access-date=26 July 2024 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref> Deputy leader, Catherine Martin urged the senators to withdraw the motion and it was later replaced with a motion calling for Chu to temporarily step aside from the position as party chair for the duration of the election. This was passed by 11 votes to five at a meeting of the Parliamentary Party.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Loughlin |first=Elaine |last2=Moore |first2=Aoife |date=31 March 2021 |title=Greens back motion to request Hazel Chu to step aside as chair |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-40255817.html |access-date=26 July 2024 |work=[[Irish Examiner]]}}</ref> The Executive Council of the party, however, decided not to follow the Parliamentary Party's decision and Chu remained in the position of Cathaoirleach until the end of her term in December 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Jade |date=15 December 2021 |title=Hazel Chu role as chair of Green Party executive committee ends |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/hazel-chu-role-as-chair-of-green-party-executive-committee-ends-1.4756071 |access-date=26 July 2024 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |language=en}}</ref> Chu ran in the [[2022 Dublin University by-election]] and was commended by the party for "championing climate action and inclusion".<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 March 2022 |title=Green Party commends Cllr Hazel Chu and Paula Roseingrave for championing climate action and inclusion in Seanad run |url=https://www.greenparty.ie/news/green-party-commends-cllr-hazel-chu-and-paula-roseingrave-championing-climate-action-and |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Green Party}}</ref>

In May 2022, Green TDs [[Neasa Hourigan]] and [[Patrick Costello (Irish politician)|Patrick Costello]] were suspended from the party for six months after they went against the [[party whip]] and voted for an opposition motion calling for the new [[National Maternity Hospital, Dublin|National Maternity Hospital]] to be built on land wholly owned by the state.<ref>{{cite news |last=O'Connell |first=Hugh |last2=Moloney |first2=Eoghan |date=17 May 2022 |title=Two Green TDs suspended from party for six months after they defy Coalition and back Sinn Féin motion |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/two-green-tds-suspended-from-party-for-six-months-after-they-defy-coalition-and-back-sinn-fein-motion-on-national-maternity-hospital-41664389.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518224400/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/two-green-tds-suspended-from-party-for-six-months-after-they-defy-coalition-and-back-sinn-fein-motion-on-national-maternity-hospital-41664389.html |archive-date=18 May 2022 |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Bray |first=Jennifer |last2=Burns |first2=Sarah |date=18 May 2022 |title=National Maternity Hospital: Green Party suspends two TDs for voting with Opposition |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/national-maternity-hospital-green-party-suspends-two-tds-for-voting-with-opposition-1.4881766 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518213323/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/national-maternity-hospital-green-party-suspends-two-tds-for-voting-with-opposition-1.4881766 |archive-date=18 May 2022 |access-date=19 May 2022 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref> Hourigan was suspended again in March 2023, this time for 15 months, after she voted against the government on the issue of ending a ban on evictions.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gataveckaite |first=Gabija |last2=Mulgrew |first2=Seoirse |last3=Ryan |first3=Philip |date=22 March 2023 |title=Green Party suspends Neasa Hourigan for 15 months over Dáil eviction ban vote |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/green-party-suspends-neasa-hourigan-for-15-months-over-dail-eviction-ban-vote/42400048.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322215623/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/green-party-suspends-neasa-hourigan-for-15-months-over-dail-eviction-ban-vote-42400048.html |archive-date=22 March 2023 |access-date=22 March 2023 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref>

====Notable achievements====
The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 was one of the Greens' flagship policies. The law enacted a legally binding path to [[carbon neutrality|net zero emissions]] by 2050.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Ireland’s ambitious Climate Act signed into law |date=23 July 2021 |publisher=[[Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications]] |url=https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-environment-climate-and-communications/press-releases/irelands-ambitious-climate-act-signed-into-law/ |access-date=15 April 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723120538/https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/9336b-irelands-ambitious-climate-act-signed-into-law/ |archive-date=23 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite ISB|title=Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021|year=2021|number=32|signedby=President [[Michael D. Higgins]]|access-date=15 April 2025|date=23 July 2021|type=act}}</ref> Five-year carbon budgets produced by the Climate Change Advisory Council will dictate the path to carbon neutrality, with the aim of the first two budgets creating a 51% reduction by 2030.<ref name="thejournalmcdermott">{{cite news |last1=McDermott |first1=Stephen |title=Carbon neutral by 2050: Ireland's green targets to be legally binding for the first time |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-climate-action-bill-carbon-neutral-2050-5389338-Mar2021/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723122924/https://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-climate-action-bill-carbon-neutral-2050-5389338-Mar2021/ |archive-date=23 July 2021 |access-date=23 July 2021 |work=[[TheJournal.ie|The Journal]] |language=en}}</ref> The five-year budgets will not be legally binding.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Crosson |first1=Kayle |title=A deep dive: the revised Climate Bill |url=https://greennews.ie/revised-climate-bill-feature/ |website=Green News Ireland |access-date=23 July 2021 |date=26 March 2021 |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723142134/https://greennews.ie/revised-climate-bill-feature/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The party also secured significantly increased budgets for active and sustainable travel including greenways and cycle lanes, the LocalLink rural bus network, decreases in public transport fares, a new forestry programme, increased incentives for solar and for retrofit, and the recognition of the circular economy. Outside of the core climate and environmental policies the party also implemented a pilot scheme for a basic income for the arts sector and large cuts in childcare costs.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McGee |first=Harry |date=21 October 2023 |title=Greens in power: How the party has quietly become the most effective member of Coalition |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/10/21/greens-in-power-will-second-difficult-album-turn-out-to-be-a-hit/ |access-date=26 July 2024 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |language=en}}</ref>

In June 2024, the [[European Union]] [[Environment Council]] approved the [[Nature Restoration Law]] which was described as "among the EU's biggest environmental policies". The role of Eamon Ryan in convincing other ministers to support the law was considered to be pivotal to its success.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zoete |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Zoete |date=17 June 2024 |title=European Green Party congratulates the courageous Green ministers who secured the Nature Restoration Law |url=https://europeangreens.eu/news/european-green-party-congratulates-the-courageous-green-ministers-who-secured-the/ |access-date=26 July 2024 |website=[[European Green Party|European Greens]]}}</ref>

====2024 onwards ====
At the [[2024 Irish local elections|2024 local elections]], the party lost almost half of its council seats across the country, although it topped the poll in four [[local electoral area]]s in [[2024 Dublin City Council election|Dublin City]]. At the [[2024 European Parliament election in Ireland|2024 European Parliament elections]], Ciarán Cuffe and Grace O'Sullivan both lost their seats, while in the [[Limerick mayoral election]], the party's candidate, Brian Leddin, won 2.89% of the vote and was eliminated on the fifth count.

On 18 June 2024, [[Eamon Ryan]] announced his resignation as party leader. Ryan also announced that he would not be seeking re-election as a TD for [[Dublin Bay South (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Bay South]] at the next general election.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 June 2024 |title=Eamon Ryan steps down as Green Party leader after 13 years |url=https://www.greenparty.ie/news/eamon-ryan-steps-down-green-party-leader-after-13-years |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=Green Party}}</ref> Later the same day [[Catherine Martin (politician)|Catherine Martin]] announced her resignation as deputy leader and would not be seeking the leadership role.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lehane |first=Mícheál |date=18 June 2024 |title=Ryan and Martin to step down from Green Party leadership roles |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2024/0618/1455317-eamon-ryan/ |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=[[RTÉ News]]}}</ref> On 19 June, [[Roderic O'Gorman]] and Senator [[Pippa Hackett]] both announced that they would be seeking nominations for the leadership position.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 June 2024 |title=As it happened: Contest for Green Party leadership under way |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2024/0619/1455488-green-tracker/ |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=[[RTÉ News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lehane |first=Mícheál |date=20 June 2024 |title=Martin hopes to remain in role as Media Minister |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/0620/1455656-green-party-leadership/ |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=[[RTE News]]}}</ref> On 8 July, O'Gorman was narrowly elected over Hackett with 51.89% of the vote.<ref name="leaderelection2024">{{cite news |last1=Finn |first1=Christina |date=8 July 2024 |title=Roderic O'Gorman has been elected as new leader of the Green Party, replacing Eamon Ryan |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/roderic-ogorman-green-party-leader-6430238-Jul2024/ |access-date=8 July 2024 |work=[[TheJournal.ie|The Journal]]}}</ref> On 14 July, Senator [[Róisín Garvey]] narrowly defeated [[Neasa Hourigan]] with 51% of the vote to become deputy leader.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Horgan-Jones |first=Jack |date=14 July 2024 |title=Senator Róisín Garvey elected as Green Party’s new deputy leader |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/07/14/senator-roisin-garvey-elected-as-green-partys-new-deputy-leader/ |access-date=26 July 2024 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |language=en}}</ref>

At the [[2024 Irish general election|2024 general election]] the party retained one of their twelve seats, with party leader [[Roderic O'Gorman]] being elected.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sharkey |first=Kevin |date=1 December 2024 |title=Irish general election: Two-thirds of seats declared in tight three-way battle |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9373ew5yd9o |access-date=3 December 2024 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> The party won 3% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McQuinn |first=Cormac |date=1 December 2024 |title=Winners and losers in general election 2024 |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/12/01/winners-and-losers-in-general-election-2024/ |access-date=3 December 2024 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |language=en}}</ref>

==Ideology and policies==
The Green Party has seven "founding principles", which are:
{{columns-list|colwidth=35em|
* The impact of society on the environment should not be ecologically disruptive.
* All political, social and economic decisions should be taken at the lowest effective level.
* As caretakers of the Earth, we have the responsibility to pass it on in a fit and healthy state.
* Society should be guided by self-reliance and co-operation at all levels.
* Conservation of resources is vital to a sustainable society.
* The need for world peace overrides national and commercial interests.
* The poverty of two-thirds of the world's family demands a redistribution of the world's resources.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.greenparty.ie/about/mission-principles |title=About us |website=greenparty.ie |access-date=27 March 2020 |archive-date=28 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328145204/https://www.greenparty.ie/About/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}} Broadly, these founding principles reflect the "four pillars" of [[green politics]] observed by the majority of Green Parties internationally: [[ecological wisdom]], [[social justice]], [[grassroots democracy]], and [[nonviolence]]. They also reflect the six guiding principles of the [[Global Greens]], which also includes a respect for diversity as a principle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.globalgreens.org/globalcharter|title=Global Greens Charter|date=15 December 2007|work=globalgreens.org|access-date=15 October 2016|archive-date=14 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514172856/http://www.globalgreens.org/globalcharter|url-status=live}}</ref>

While strongly associated with [[environmentalism|environmentalist]] policies, the party also has policies covering all other key areas. These include protection of the [[Irish language]],<ref>{{Cite website |last= |date=July 2015 |title=Green Party Irish Language Policy |url=https://greenparty.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Green-Party-Irish-Language-Policy-in-English.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806183422/https://greenparty.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Green-Party-Irish-Language-Policy-in-English.pdf |archive-date=6 August 2017 |access-date=19 June 2017 |website=greenparty.ie}}</ref> lowering the [[Voting age|voting age in Ireland to 16]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 2023 |title=Political Reform |url=https://www.greenparty.ie/sites/default/files/2023-08/Political%20Reform%20Policy.pdf |access-date=15 April 2025 |publisher=[[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]] |page=8}}</ref> and support for [[Universal health care|universal healthcare]].<ref>[https://greenparty.ie/policies/health/ Health] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528131851/https://greenparty.ie/policies/health/ |date=28 May 2018 }}. Accessed via Green Party (Ireland) (official website). Retrieved 26 May 2018.</ref> The party also advocates that terminally ill people should have the right to legally choose [[Assisted suicide|assisted dying]], stating "provisions should apply only to those with a terminal illness which is likely to result in death within six months". It also states that "such a right would only apply where the person has a clear and settled intention to end their own life which is proved by making, and signing, a written declaration to that effect. Such a declaration must be countersigned by two qualified doctors".<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 April 2020 |title=Green Party Assisted Dying Policy |url=https://www.greenparty.ie/sites/default/files/2022-01/Green%20Party%20Assisted%20Dying%20Policy.pdf |access-date=15 April 2025 |publisher=Green Party |page=6}}</ref>

===Internal factions===
[[File:Neasa Hourigan 2020.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Neasa Hourigan]] was a founding member of the Just Transition Greens]]
As other like-minded [[green parties]], it has [[Eco-socialism|eco-socialist]]/[[green left]] and more moderate factions. In parallel to other Green Parties in Europe, the 1980s and 1990s saw a division within the Irish Green Party between two factions; the "Realists" (nicknamed the "Realos") and the "Fundamentalists (nicknamed the "Fundies").<ref>{{cite news |last=McGee |first=Harry |date=1 June 2019 |title=Green Party faces three key challenges in wake of election success |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/green-party-faces-three-key-challenges-in-wake-of-election-success-1.3910823 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |access-date=4 October 2020 |archive-date=2 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902081120/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/green-party-faces-three-key-challenges-in-wake-of-election-success-1.3910823 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=McGee |first=Harry |date=2 October 2020 |title=Greens need to start making mark before party divisions resurface |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/greens-need-to-start-making-mark-before-party-divisions-resurface-1.4369739 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |access-date=4 October 2020 |archive-date=22 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201122171518/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/greens-need-to-start-making-mark-before-party-divisions-resurface-1.4369739 |url-status=live }}</ref> The 'Realists' advocated taking a pragmatic approach to politics, which would mean having to accept some compromises on policy in order to get party members elected and into government in order to enact change. The 'Fundamentalists' advocated more radical policies and rejected appeals for pragmatism, citing that the looming effects of Climate Change would leave no time for compromise. Following a national convention in 1998 which saw a realist majority of members defeat a minority of fundamentalist members on a number of votes, and the party subsequently enter government for the first time in 2007, the factionalism of the 'Realists vs the Fundamentalists' was seen to have wilted away with the 'Realists' becoming the ascendent faction. However, in some respects, the division only laid dormant.<ref>{{cite news |last=MeGee |first=Harry |date=10 October 2009 |title=Fundamentalists and realists give way to group close to Ministers and anti-Nama hardliners |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/fundamentalists-and-realists-give-way-to-group-close-to-ministers-and-anti-nama-hardliners-1.754227 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |access-date=4 October 2020 |archive-date=23 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923004950/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/fundamentalists-and-realists-give-way-to-group-close-to-ministers-and-anti-nama-hardliners-1.754227 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following the [[2019 Irish local elections|2019 local elections]] and the [[2020 Irish general election|2020 general election]], the party had more elected representatives than ever before as well as its highest ever membership.<ref name="Membership number tweet">{{cite tweet|number=1304441870295195648|title=With a growing parliamentary team and a membership that's surged from 400 to almost 5000, the Green Party is at a pivotal moment, and it's vital we hear from you, our members. Join us online on Sept 19th to chart the next course in our party's development. https://bit.ly/3mapyK5|author=Green Party Ireland|user=greenparty_ie|date=11 September 2020}}</ref> On 22 July 2020, several prominent members of the party formed the "Just Transition Greens", an affiliate group within the party with a green left/eco-socialist outlook, who have the objective of moving the party towards policies based on the concept of a "[[Just transition|Just Transition]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://villagemagazine.ie/just-transition/ |title=Just Transiti ON |last=McGibbon |first=Adam |date=3 August 2020 |publisher=[[Village (magazine)|Village]] |access-date=4 October 2020 |archive-date=30 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930184640/https://villagemagazine.ie/just-transition/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://villagemagazine.ie/just-transition-are-left-insurgents-in-the-green-party-aiming-higher-than-internal-opposition/ |title=Just Transition are Left insurgents in the Green Party aiming higher than 'internal opposition' |last=Rafferty |first=Michael |date=6 August 2020 |publisher=[[Village (magazine)|Village]] |access-date=4 October 2020 |archive-date=5 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005121425/https://villagemagazine.ie/just-transition-are-left-insurgents-in-the-green-party-aiming-higher-than-internal-opposition/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=3 August 2020 |title=Cllr Lorna Bogue on the Just Transition Greens |url=https://greennews.ie/lorna-bogue-jt-greens-interview-feature/ |access-date=4 October 2020 |archive-date=2 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002212927/https://greennews.ie/lorna-bogue-jt-greens-interview-feature/ |url-status=live }}</ref> During the 2020 Green Party leadership election, a significant aspect of the candidacy of Catherine Martin was that it was suggested that Martin could better represent the views of these individuals within the party than the incumbent Eamon Ryan.<ref name="Leahy">{{cite news |last=Leahy |first=Pat |date=26 June 2020 |title=Pat Leahy: Spectacular vindication for Eamon Ryan who coaxed and beseeched party over the line |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/pat-leahy-spectacular-vindication-for-eamon-ryan-who-coaxed-and-beseeched-party-over-the-line-1.4289787 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922203532/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/pat-leahy-spectacular-vindication-for-eamon-ryan-who-coaxed-and-beseeched-party-over-the-line-1.4289787?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fpat-leahy-spectacular-vindication-for-eamon-ryan-who-coaxed-and-beseeched-party-over-the-line-1.4289787 |archive-date=22 September 2021 |access-date=28 June 2020 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=18 June 2020 |title=GREEN PARTY HEAVE |url=https://www.thephoenix.ie/article/green-party-heave/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713113334/https://www.thephoenix.ie/article/green-party-heave/ |archive-date=13 July 2020 |access-date=24 July 2020 |work=The Phoenix}}</ref>

==Organisation==
The National Executive Committee is the organising committee of the party. It comprises the party leader Roderic O'Gorman, the deputy leader Róisín Garvey, the Cathaoirleach Pauline O'Reilly, the National Coordinator, the General Secretary (in a non-voting role), a Young Greens representative, the Treasurer and ten members elected annually at the party convention.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greenparty.ie/en/about/structures |title=Structures of the Green Party |publisher=Greenparty.ie |date=28 March 2010 |access-date=1 January 2011  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126014704/http://www.greenparty.ie/en/about/structures |archive-date=26 January 2011 }}</ref>

===Leadership===
====Party leader====
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Portrait
! Period
! Constituency
|-
| No leader
| {{CSS image crop|Image =No image.png|bSize = 1|cWidth = 90 |cHeight = 1|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| 1981–2001
| N/A
|-
| [[Trevor Sargent]]
| {{CSS image crop|Image =Trevor Sargent.jpg|bSize = 90|cWidth = 90|cHeight = 120|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| 2001–2007
| [[Dublin North (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North]]
|-
| [[John Gormley]]
| {{CSS image crop|Image =John Gormley (cropped).jpg|bSize = 90|cWidth = 90|cHeight = 120|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| 2007–2011
| [[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]]
|-
| [[Eamon Ryan]]
| {{CSS image crop|Image =Eamon Ryan 2020 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 90|cWidth = 90|cHeight = 120|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| 2011–2024
| [[Dublin South (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South]]<br />[[Dublin Bay South (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Bay South]]
|-
| [[Roderic O'Gorman]]
| {{CSS image crop|Image =Roderic O'Gorman, November 2022 (headshot).jpg
|bSize = 90|cWidth = 90|cHeight = 120|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| 2024–present
| [[Dublin West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin West]]
|}

====Deputy leader====
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Portrait
! Period
! Constituency
|-
| [[Mary White (Green Party politician)|Mary White]]
| {{CSS image crop|Image =Mary White Green Party.jpg|bSize = 90|cWidth = 90|cHeight = 120|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| 2001–2011
| [[Carlow–Kilkenny (Dáil constituency)|Carlow–Kilkenny]] (2007–2011)
|-
|-
| [[Catherine Martin (politician)|Catherine Martin]]
| {{CSS image crop|Image =Catherine Martin TD.jpg|bSize = 100|cWidth = 90 |cHeight = 120 |oTop = 0|oLeft = 5}}
| 2011–2024
| [[Dublin Rathdown]] (2016–present)
|-
|-
| [[Róisín Garvey]]
| {{CSS image crop|Image =Róisín_Garvey,_March_2023_(cropped).jpg|bSize = 100|cWidth = 90 |cHeight = 120 |oTop = 0|oLeft = 5}}
| 2024–present
| [[Nominated members of Seanad Éireann|Nominated by Taoiseach]]
|-
|}

====Cathaoirleach====
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Portrait
! Period
|-
| [[John Gormley]]
| {{CSS image crop|Image =John Gormley (cropped).jpg|bSize = 90|cWidth = 90|cHeight = 120|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| 2002–2007
|-
|-
| [[Dan Boyle (politician)|Dan Boyle]]
| {{CSS image crop|Image =Senator Dan Boyle, Cork South Central.jpg|bSize = 100|cWidth = 90 |cHeight = 120 |oTop = 0|oLeft = 5}}
| 2007–2011
|-
|-
| [[Roderic O'Gorman]]
| {{CSS image crop|Image =Roderic O'Gorman, November 2022 (headshot).jpg|bSize = 100|cWidth = 90 |cHeight = 120 |oTop = 0|oLeft = 5}}
| 2011–2019
|-
|-
| [[Hazel Chu]]
| {{CSS image crop|Image =Hazel Chu 2021 - 1 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 100|cWidth = 90 |cHeight = 120 |oTop = 0|oLeft = 5}}
| 2019–2021
|-
|-
| [[Pauline O'Reilly]]
| {{CSS image crop|Image =Pauline O'Reilly and parents, 2020 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 100|cWidth = 90 |cHeight = 120 |oTop = 0|oLeft = 5}}
| 2021–2025
|-
|-
| Janet Horner<ref name="Horner"/>
|
| 2025–present
|}
Note: Although Christopher Fettes chaired the party initially, the position of Cathaoirleach was not created until 2002.

===Leadership organisation===
The party did not have a national leader until 2001. At a special "Leadership Convention" in Kilkenny on 6 October 2001, Trevor Sargent was elected the first official leader of the Green Party while Mary White was elected deputy leader.<ref>{{cite news |last=Edwards |first=Elaine |date=4 July 2007 |title=White seeks Greens' deputy leadership |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/white-seeks-greens-deputy-leadership-1.809140 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716000211/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/white-seeks-greens-deputy-leadership-1.809140 |archive-date=16 July 2023 |access-date=24 January 2022 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref> Sargent was re-elected to his position in 2003 and again in 2005. The party's constitution requires that a leadership election be held within six months of a general election.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Leahy |first=Pat |date=30 June 2020 |title=Green Party to begin election hustings next week in leadership contest |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/green-party-to-begin-election-hustings-next-week-in-leadership-contest-1.4292009 |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=[[The Irish Times]] |quote=The party constitution requires that nominations for the leadership of the party be opened after a general election}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=28 June 2020 |title=Eamon Ryan confirms Green Party leadership contest will go ahead online |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/green-leadership-election-5135434-Jun2020/ |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=[[TheJournal.ie|The Journal]] |quote=Our party tradition or constitution says that we should have our leadership contest within six months of a general election.}}</ref>

Sargent resigned the leadership in the wake of the 2007 general election to the [[30th Dáil]]. During the campaign, Sargent had promised that he would not lead the party into Government with Fianna Fáil.<ref>{{cite news |author=Sheahan, Fionnan |date=24 February 2010 |title=Ethical minister hoist with own petard |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/ethical-minister-hoist-with-own-petard-2076456.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100227183242/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/ethical-minister-hoist-with-own-petard-2076456.html |archive-date=27 February 2010 |access-date=24 February 2010 |work=[[Irish Independent]] |publisher=}}</ref> At the election the party retained six Dáil seats, making it the most likely partner for Fianna Fáil. Sargent and the party negotiated a coalition government; at the 12 June 2007 membership meeting to approve the agreement, he announced his resignation as leader.

In the subsequent leadership election, John Gormley became the new leader on 17 July 2007, defeating [[Patricia McKenna]] by 478 votes to 263. Mary White was subsequently re-elected as the deputy Leader. Gormley served as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government from July 2007 until the Green Party's decision to exit government in December 2010.{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}

Following the election defeats of 2011, Gormley announced his intention not to seek another term as Green Party leader. Eamon Ryan was elected as the new party leader, over party colleagues Phil Kearney and Cllr Malcolm Noonan in a postal ballot election of party members in May 2011. Monaghan-based former councillor Catherine Martin defeated Down-based [[John Barry (Green Party politician)|Dr John Barry]] and former Senator Mark Dearey to the post of deputy leader on 11 June 2011 during the party's annual convention. Roderic O'Gorman was elected party chairperson.{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}

The Green Party lost all its Dáil seats in the 2011 general election.<ref>{{cite news |date=28 February 2011 |title=FG looks to form Govt as final results emerge |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0227/election.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227191146/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0227/election.html |archive-date=27 February 2011 |access-date=27 February 2011 |work=[[RTÉ News]]}}</ref> Party Chairman Dan Boyle and Déirdre de Búrca were nominated by the Taoiseach to Seanad Éireann after the formation of the Fianna Fáil–Progressive Democrats–Green Party government in 2007, and Niall Ó Brolcháin was elected in December 2009. De Búrca resigned in February 2010, and was replaced by Mark Dearey. Neither Boyle nor O'Brolchain was re-elected to Seanad Éireann in the Seanad election of 2011, leaving the Green Party without Oireachtas representation until the 2016 general election, in which it regained two Dáil seats.

Ryan's leadership was challenged by deputy leader Catherine Martin in 2020 after the [[2020 Irish government formation|2020 government formation]]; he narrowly won a poll of party members, 994 votes (51.2%) to 946.<ref name="Dwyer">{{Cite news |last=Dwyer |first=Orla |date=23 July 2020 |title=Eamon Ryan retains position as Green Party leader after narrow victory over Catherine Martin |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/eamon-ryan-green-party-leader-5157710-Jul2020/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723204415/https://www.thejournal.ie/eamon-ryan-green-party-leader-5157710-Jul2020/ |archive-date=23 July 2020 |access-date=23 July 2020 |work=[[TheJournal.ie|The Journal]]}}</ref>

===Irish and European politics===
The Green Party is organised throughout the island of Ireland, with regional structures in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The [[Green Party Northern Ireland]] voted to become a regional partner of the Green Party in Ireland in 2005 at its annual convention, and again in a postal ballot in March 2006.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Emerson|first=Newton|date=7 May 2020|title=Why Northerners will take a big interest in all-Ireland Green Party|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/why-northerners-will-take-a-big-interest-in-all-ireland-green-party-1.4246472?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fopinion%2Fwhy-northerners-will-take-a-big-interest-in-all-ireland-green-party-1.4246472|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|access-date=22 September 2020|archive-date=24 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924173501/https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/why-northerners-will-take-a-big-interest-in-all-ireland-green-party-1.4246472?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fopinion%2Fwhy-northerners-will-take-a-big-interest-in-all-ireland-green-party-1.4246472|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Melaugh |first=Martin |date=24 May 2019 |title=Elections: A Selection of Political Party Manifestos |url=https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/issues/politics/election/manifestos.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125220827/https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/issues/politics/election/manifestos.htm |archive-date=25 November 2020 |access-date=22 September 2020 |website=[[Conflict Archive on the Internet]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-04-05 |title=BBC News – Profile: Green Party |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/northern_ireland/8589751.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302150728/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/northern_ireland/8589751.stm |archive-date=2022-03-02 |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=BBC News}}</ref> [[Brian Wilson (Northern Ireland politician)|Brian Wilson]], formerly a councillor for the [[Alliance Party of Northern Ireland|Alliance Party]], won the Green Party's first seat in the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]] in the [[2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election|2007 election]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Moloney |first=Eugene |date=10 March 2007 |title=Wilson scores coup with North's first Green seat |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/wilson-scores-coup-with-norths-first-green-seat/26269827.html |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref> [[Steven Agnew]] later held that seat from the [[2011 Northern Ireland Assembly election|2011 election]] until his resignation in September 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 September 2019 |title=Steven Agnew: Former Green leader stepping down as MLA |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-49669590 |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

==Election results==
===Dáil Éireann===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%; text-align:center;"
|-
! Election
! Leader
! 1st pref<br />votes
! %
! Seats
! ±
! Government
|-
! [[November 1982 Irish general election|Nov 1982]]
| rowspan="5"|''None''
| 3,716
| 0.2 (#6)
| {{Composition bar|0|166|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{steady}}
| align=center style="background:#ddd;"| Extra-parliamentary
|-
! [[1987 Irish general election|1987]]
| 7,159
| 0.4 (#8)
| {{Composition bar|0|166|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{steady}}
| align=center style="background:#ddd;"| Extra-parliamentary
|-
! [[1989 Irish general election|1989]]
| 24,827
| 1.5 (#6)
| {{Composition bar|1|166|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1992 Irish general election|1992]]
| 24,110
| 1.4 (#7)
| {{Composition bar|1|166|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1997 Irish general election|1997]]
| 49,323
| 2.8 (#5)
| {{Composition bar|2|166|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2002 Irish general election|2002]]
| rowspan="2"| [[Trevor Sargent]]
| 71,470
| 3.8 (#6)
| {{Composition bar|6|166|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2007 Irish general election|2007]]
| 96,936
| 4.7 (#5)
| {{Composition bar|6|166|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{yes2|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]-GP-[[Progressive Democrats|PD]]}}
|-
! [[2011 Irish general election|2011]]
| [[John Gormley]]
| 41,039
| 1.8 (#5)
| {{Composition bar|0|166|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 6
| align=center style="background:#ddd;"| Extra-parliamentary
|-
! [[2016 Irish general election|2016]]
| rowspan="2"| [[Eamon Ryan]]
| 56,999
| 2.7 (#8)
| {{Composition bar|2|158|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2020 Irish general election|2020]]<ref>{{Cite web
| url = https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/electoralProcess/electionResults/dail/2020/2020-05-01_33rd-dail-general-election-results_en.pdf
| title = 33rd DÁIL GENERAL ELECTION 8 February 2020 Election Results (Party totals begin on page 68)
| website = Houses of the Oireachtas
| access-date = 8 May 2020
| archive-date = 15 May 2020
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200515140252/https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/electoralProcess/electionResults/dail/2020/2020-05-01_33rd-dail-general-election-results_en.pdf
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
| 155,695
| 7.1 (#4)
| {{Composition bar|12|160|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 10
| {{yes2|FF-[[Fine Gael|FG]]-GP}}
|-
! [[2024 Irish general election|2024]]
| [[Roderic O'Gorman]]
| 66,911
| 3.0 (#8)
| {{Composition bar|1|174|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 11
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|}

===Local elections===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Election
! ±
! Seats won
! First-pref. votes
! %
|-
![[1985 Irish local elections|1985]]
| {{steady}}
| None
| 7,446
| 0.5%
|-
![[1991 Irish local elections|1991]]
| {{increase}}13
| 13
| 32,950	
| 2.4%
|-
![[1999 Irish local elections|1999]]
| {{decrease}}5
| 8
| 35,742	
| 2.5%
|-
![[2004 Irish local elections|2004]]
| {{increase}}10
| 18
| 71,052	
| 3.9%
|-
![[2009 Irish local elections|2009]]
| {{decrease}}15
| 3
| 44,152	
| 2.3%
|-
![[2014 Irish local elections|2014]]
| {{increase}}9
| 12
| 27,168	
| 1.6%
|-
![[2019 Irish local elections|2019]]
| {{increase}}37
| 49
| 96,315	
| 5.6%
|-
![[2024 Irish local elections|2024]]
| {{decrease}}26
| 23
| 66,684	
| 3.6%
|}

===Devolved Northern Ireland legislatures===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:right;"
|-
! Election
! Body
! Leader
! 1st pref<br />votes
! %
! Seats
! ±
! Government
|-
! [[Northern Ireland Forum|1996]]
| [[Members of the Northern Ireland Forum|Forum]]
| align=left rowspan=4| ''None''
| 3,647
| 0.5 (#10)
| {{Composition bar|0|110|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| align=center style="background:#ddd;"|No seats
|-
! [[1998 Northern Ireland Assembly election|1998]]
| rowspan=7|[[Northern Ireland Assembly|Assembly]]
| 710
| 0.1 (#18)
| {{Composition bar|0|108|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| align=center style="background:#ddd;"|No seats
|-
! [[2003 Northern Ireland Assembly election|2003]]
| 2,688
| 0.4 (#11)
| {{Composition bar|0|108|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| align=center style="background:#ddd;"|No seats
|-
! [[2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election|2007]]
| 11,985
| 1.7 (#7)
| {{Composition bar|1|108|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2011 Northern Ireland Assembly election|2011]]
| rowspan="3"|[[Steven Agnew]]
| 6,031
| 0.9 (#7)
| {{Composition bar|1|108|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election|2016]]
| 18,718
| 2.7 (#7)
| {{Composition bar|2|108|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2017 Northern Ireland Assembly election|2017]]
| 18,527
| 2.3 (#7)
| {{Composition bar|2|90|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election|2022]]
| [[Clare Bailey]]
| 16,433
| 1.9 (#7)
| {{Composition bar|0|90|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| align=center style="background:#ddd;"|No seats
|}

===Westminster===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Election
! Seats (in NI)
! ±
! Position
! Total votes
! % (in NI)
! % (in UK)
! Government
|-
![[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983]]
| {{Composition bar|0|17|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| None
| 451
| 0.1%
| 0.0% 
| style="background-color:#FFD" |No Seats
|-
![[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987]]
| {{Composition bar|0|17|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| None
| 281
| 0.0%
| 0.0% 
| style="background-color:#FFD" |No Seats
|-
![[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]]
| {{Composition bar|0|18|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| None
| 539
| 0.1%
| 0.0% 
| style="background-color:#FFD" |No Seats
|-
![[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]]
| {{Composition bar|0|18|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| None
| 3,542
| 0.5%
| 0.0% 
| style="background-color:#FFD" |No Seats
|-
![[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015]]
| {{Composition bar|0|18|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| None
| 6,822
| 1.0%
| 0.0% 
| style="background-color:#FFD" |No Seats
|-
![[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017]]
| {{Composition bar|0|18|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| None
| 7,452
| 0.9%
| 0.0% 
| style="background-color:#FFD" |No Seats
|-
![[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019]]
| {{Composition bar|0|18|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| None
| 1,996
| 0.2%
| 0.0% 
| style="background-color:#FFD" |No Seats
|-
![[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024]]
| {{Composition bar|0|18|hex={{party color|Green Party in Northern Ireland}}}}
| {{steady}}
| None
| 8,692
| 1.1%
| 0.0% 
| style="background-color:#FFD" |No Seats
|}

===European Parliament (Republic of Ireland seats only)===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%; text-align:center;"
! Election
! Leader
! 1st pref<br />Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/−
! EP Group
|-
! [[1984 European Parliament election in Ireland|1984]]
| rowspan="4" |''None''
| 5,242
| 0.47 (#7)
| {{Composition bar|0|15|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| New
| rowspan="2" |−
|-
! [[1989 European Parliament election in Ireland|1989]]
| 61,041
| 3.74 (#6)
| {{Composition bar|0|15|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! [[1994 European Parliament election in Ireland|1994]]
| 90,046
| 7.92 (#4)
| {{Composition bar|2|15|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| [[The Green Group in the European Parliament|G]]
|-
! [[1999 European Parliament election in Ireland|1999]]
| 93,100
| 6.69 (#4)
| {{Composition bar|2|15|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
| [[Greens–European Free Alliance|Greens/EFA]]
|-
! [[2004 European Parliament election in Ireland|2004]]
| [[Trevor Sargent]]
| 76,917
| 4.32 (#5)
| {{Composition bar|0|13|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| rowspan="3" |−
|-
! [[2009 European Parliament election in Ireland|2009]]
| [[John Gormley]]
| 34,585
| 1.89 (#7)
| {{Composition bar|0|12|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! [[2014 European Parliament election in Ireland|2014]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Eamon Ryan]]
| 81,458
| 4.92 (#5)
| {{Composition bar|0|11|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! [[2019 European Parliament election in Ireland|2019]]
| 190,814
| 11.37 (#4)
| {{Composition bar|2|13|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| [[Greens–European Free Alliance|Greens/EFA]]
|-
! [[2024 European Parliament election in Ireland|2024]]
| 93,575
| 5.36 (#4)
| {{Composition bar|0|14|hex={{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| −
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Environment|Ecology}}
*[[List of environmental organisations]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|greenparty.ie}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.greenparty.ie/en/content/download/13260/155495/file/Manifesto_full.pdf Green Party 2007 election manifesto] (from the Wayback Machine)

{{Green Party (Ireland)}}
{{Green parties}}
{{Political parties in Ireland}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Green Party (Ireland)| ]]
[[Category:Green parties in Europe]]
[[Category:Green political parties]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1981]]
[[Category:Political parties in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:European Green Party]]
[[Category:Global Greens member parties]]
[[Category:All-Ireland political parties]]