Ryan claims Greens needed in Government to ensure climate targets taken seriously

James Cox

Eamon Ryan has said a Green Party needs to be in Government to ensure the fight against climate change is taken seriously.

The Minister for the Environment said the Irish electorate is "just as Green" as other countries where Green parties do well in the polls such as Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Mr Ryan told Newstalk that he is confident 10 per cent of the electorate are Green Party voters.

"I think if we go to people in this next election and ask this question, 'would you be prepared to cast this vote as one in 10, to say that we want to secure the future for our children?' ⁠— I'd be confident we could do that."

He insisted that the Greens are delivering on their pledges in the current coalition Government.

"The more we deliver those bus services, the more we deliver low-cost childcare... the more Catherine [Martin] builds that concert hall. I think people will say 'yeah, I want more of that'."

He said the main goal is getting the State to commit to an annual emissions reduction of five per cent.

"That's the metric I'll be fixated on in the next two years. If we succeed in that, we'll succeed politically.

"There needs to be a Green party in Government for climate to be taken seriously."