Majority of Green Party senators will not seek to retain their seats

The Green Party exodus from Leinster House looks set to continue as the majority of its senators will not try to win back their seats.

As Pauline O’Reilly confirmed to the Irish Mirror she would not re-enter the Seanad, party leader Roderic O’Gorman paid tribute to her, Pippa Hackett, Roisin Garvey and Vincent P Martin.

The Irish Mirror also understands that Green Senator Mal O’Hara is the only sitting Senator interested in holding on to their seat.

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It comes as another blow to the party following a disastrous election campaign that saw it lose 11 seats.

Minister O’Gorman was the only sitting Green TD to keep their seat as 10 other TDs lost theirs. Hazel Chu also failed to keep the seat held by former leader Eamon Ryan in Dublin Bay South.

In a social media post last week, Ms Hackett, a super junior minister in the Department of Agriculture, confirmed she was stepping away from politics.

Speaking to the Irish Mirror, both Pauline O’Reilly and Vincent P Martin confirmed that they will not contest the Seanad Elections.

Ms O’Reilly, who contested the general election in Galway West, stated that while she believes she would have won her seat back on the Labour Panel, she has decided to move on.

“I worked very hard; I got a lot done over the last few years,” she said.

“I’m a busy, active kind of person. I don’t really think sitting in the Seanad for five years in opposition is for me.

“Maybe we’ve been a little bit spoiled by being in Government. I know it was tough, but it was also really challenging and rewarding. Look at all of the things that I got over the line and also holding the party together, I saw as one of my main objectives for the last few years as chair of the party.

“I’m not running again. I’m still chair for the moment and I’ll see what else is out there.”

Mr Martin, meanwhile, said that he feels it is time to step down and give someone else a chance.

He explained: “I packed a lot into it. It was a privilege. It gives someone else an opportunity.

“I did my best. I’m staying in the party and helping out in any way I can.”

Róisín Garvey, meanwhile, told the Irish Mirror that she had “no comment” when asked if she would seek to retain her Seanad seat. She entered the Seanad in 2020 as a Taoiseach’s nomination.

The Irish Mirror understands that Mal O’Hara, the Green Party leader in Northern Ireland who was appointed to the Seanad in April 2024, will seek to retain his seat.

Party leader Mr O’Gorman told the Irish Mirror that a “process is currently underway to select a Green Party candidate for the upcoming Seanad Éireann panel elections”.

“I’d like to thank Róisín, Pippa, Pauline, Vincent and Mal for their incredible work and dedication during the last Seanad term,” he said.

“They were essential to all the good work the Green Party did in government.”

Hazel Chu and Green Party junior minister Ossian Smyth are both expected to contest the Seanad elections.

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