This election will see the Green Party “breakthrough” in rural Ireland, a minister has predicted. 

Counting for the local elections is currently underway across Ireland, while the votes for the European election will be tallied on Sunday. 

Speaking on The Anton Savage Show: Elections 2024, Minister of State Ossian Smyth said he was feeling optimistic about the results. 

“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.”

Ahead of polling day, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan taunted the Healy Raes that the “Kingdom is going Green”. 

Minister Smyth said he expected Kerry would not be the only place where the party would gain seats. 

“Also, I’m hoping to breakthrough in some other counties - places like Kerry and so on - I’m hoping for the first time where we haven’t had Greens,” he said. 

“We haven’t had Greens in places like Clare, Waterford, Galway, Kilkenny, Westmeath and so on. 

“There are some places - in Tipperary, for example - where we might breakthrough there as well. 

“So, we’ll lose some, we’ll gain some.” 

Green Party Minister of State Ossian Smyth is seen in Dublin city in June 2020. Picture by: Leah Farrell/Rollingnews

In recent years, many have claimed the Green Party is out of touch with the reality of life in rural Ireland. 

However, Minister Smyth said the party had put “huge work” into improving the lives of people who live in country areas. 

“In my portfolio… a quarter of a million homes and farms can now get fibre optic broadband when it was practically zero before I started,” he said. 

“There’s 100 Local Link bus services running around Ireland, we’ve provided solar panels for free to every school in rural Ireland who wants them. 

“So a lot of changes have happened and a lot of people have acknowledged that.

“As I said, I think we’re going to breakthrough in some counties that we didn’t have [elected representatives in] before.” 

On a European level, Green Party candidate Ciarán Cuffe is in with a chance to be re-elected as MEP for Dublin.

Main image: Farmer in Ireland walking behind a herd of cows on a narrow country road on Valentia Island in County Kerry, Ireland.