Initial local election figures suggest Dublin wants to “keep going Green”, according to party leader Eamon Ryan.
Tallies suggest Dublin City Councillors Claire Byrne and Michael Pidgeon could keep their seats, despite predictions of a Green ‘wipeout’.
Although tallies cannot be used to predict final results, Mr Ryan said he is “confident” Greens will largely maintain their positions.
“It’s way too early [to call] but we do know two counts that look really good for us – Claire Byrne and Michael Pidgeon.
“If the tallies are accurate, they may top the poll and that says a lot about Dublin,” he said.
“You have people like Claire and Michael who have put the work in.
“For Dublin, certainly, it’s a message that the city wants to keep going Green.
“If votes received for Claire and Michael – it's all tallies, so that’s one caveat – if that is reflective, that does send a message that the city wants to keep going Green.”
Green eyes around the country
Mr Ryan said his “eyes are around the country” and Dingle candidate Peadar Ó Fionnáin might even have a chance.
“If we win a seat in Dingle I'll be celebrating as much as Dublin Bay South if not more because that would send a really strong message about Ireland as a whole,” he said.
“It's very tight to call, but he’s not out of the running.”
Mr Ryan previously told long-running Kerry TDs Michael and Danny Healy-Rae, long-running TDs in Kerry, that the “Kingdom is going Green” in upcoming elections.
“And the Kingdom come is going to be 40 shades more if we have our way,” he said.
Sorting and counting of ballot papers for the local and European elections in the RDS in Dublin, 8-5-24. Image: Sasko Lazarov/© RollingNews.ieGreen Minister of State Ossian Smyth told The Anton Savage Show earlier today he is optimistic about results – but also cautious of public opinion.
“I expect that all the Government parties will go down a bit, we’ll lose some seats,” he said.
“That’s what normally happens… We’re obviously going to hold seats in our strongholds in Dublin and Cork.”
While Mr Ryan maintained Green dominance in Dublin City, Mr Smyth suggested the party could gain more rural seats beyond Kerry in local elections.
“We haven’t had Greens in places like Clare, Waterford, Galway, Kilkenny, Westmeath and so on,” he said.
“There are some places - in Tipperary, for example - where we might breakthrough there as well.”
On a European level, Ciarán Cuffe is contesting the Dublin constituency, Pauline O’Reilly is contesting the Midlands Northwest and Grace O’Sullivan is running in the South.
Mr Ryan said the candidates still have a good chance – but he would “never predict a European count”.
