Catherine Martin has said she is "absolutely not" going to destabilise the Government if elected as Green Party leader.
Minister Martin is contesting the leadership against current party leader Eamon Ryan, with the first hustings held last night.
Despite being the lead Green negotiator in the recent government formation talks, Catherine Martin had initially opposed the prospect of entering negotiations with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
Speaking on The Hard Shoulder, she said: "I think I've proven how I can collaborate in those programme for government talks.
"I was against going into those talks originally because I felt we could have strategically played a stronger hand in ironing out some issues before we entered talks.
"As lead negotiator in those talks, I sent very few items up for Eamon's attention - myself and the team dealt with the vast majority of items."
Rejecting any suggestion that she would destabilise the Coalition if she becomes Green leader, Minister Martin said: "People said that even contesting the leadership was going to destabilise the programme for government talks, and people said it would sound the death knell in the programme for government talks.
"It certainly did not - in fact, I think it actually strengthened our negotiating hand in the programme for government talks."
In terms of the contest against Eamon Ryan - who has been party leader since 2011 - Minister Martin suggested that sometimes being "longest in the role doesn't mean you're the right person for the role".
She argued: "Not only do we have to navigate our ways through Government, but there's a very important role in the leadership in navigating the party and uniting the party after a very difficult time."
'I am of rural Ireland'
Minister Martin - who is a TD for Dublin Rathdown but is originally from Monaghan - said she has plenty of experience, having served nearly a decade as party deputy leader and a full-term as a TD in the last Dáil.
She told Ivan: "I am of rural Ireland. If elected I would be the first leader from outside Dublin.
"I would also be the first female leader of the party... I think that's something the members would appreciate too."
The Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht also addressed the recent controversy around her Cabinet colleague Barry Cowen's driving ban.
In the wake of Minister Cowen's Dáil apology, Minister Martin said she believes the Fianna Fáil minister has now shown remorse.
She explained: "I believe Barry made a serious mistake, and he has recognised this and hopefully learned from it.
"I would have hoped there would have been more answers in relation to the [learners] licence... but maybe he can take time to address that in the coming days."
