'There is going to be a lot of introspection': Cork Lord Mayor says ahead of Green Party convention 

The Green Party convention takes place this weekend in Dublin, as the party seeks to map out its future direction and next steps following a disappointing 2024 general election.

Party leader Roderic O’Gorman is now the only remaining Green Party TD, out of the 12 who served in the last Dáil.

After a general election washout, what is next for the party remains to be seen.

Speaking to The Echo, Lord Mayor of Cork, councillor Dan Boyle of the Green Party, said that the convention will be an important gathering.

“There is going to be a lot of introspection,” he said.

“The party is going to examine where we are and how we have come to be here.

“But I also think we will be looking to our strengths and we will be looking for an opportunity to talk about the good things that we did manage to do in the last four years in Government.

“So I think while there will be a bit of licking of wounds, there will be more an opportunity of noting more and different things we want to achieve into the future,” said Mr Boyle.

He acknowledged that an important period of soul searching awaits at the party's convention.

“I think it is important and it is necessary.

“I think a lot of the people in the party are appreciative of the opportunity and I think a lot of good can come out of it.”

He said that the party has several strengths.

“I think there is a lot of strengths that the Green Party has from a second experience of government and from the fact we still have a quite a strong local authority base, a presence in the Oireachtas, and the ability to point out what we have been doing and what we like to see achieved into the years ahead.”

Mr Boyle said that the Green Party must ensure that the next government will follow through on plans that have been already put in place.

“Our role now is to keep an eye on the new government that is trying to be formed, particularly to make sure that plans that have been put in place are properly resourced in terms of infrastructure, for public transport, in particular,” he said.

“Because any rowing back on that will send out all the wrong messages and will get the balances very badly wrong.

“It will show the new government is not as committed towards our obligations on climate change as they should be.”