Senator Pippa Hackett has confirmed to Newstalk she will run for leader of the Green Party.
She joins Minister Roderic O'Gorman in announcing his intention to take over from Eamon Ryan.
Minister Ryan announced on Tuesday he was leaving his role to "pass the torch to a new generation of leaders, confident in the strength and values I have seen built up in our party over all these years".
Deputy Green Party leader Catherine Martin also said she would not be seeking the party leadership and will also 'step back' as deputy leader.
Senator Hackett, who is also a Junior Minister in the Department of Agriculture, exclusively told The Hard Shoulder she is throwing her hat in the ring.
"I'm delighted to say that I am putting my name forward to be the next leader of the Green Party," she said.
"I think Eamon [Ryan]'s departure yesterday does give us an opportunity in the party for a fresh start.
"I believe a fresh start is needed and I believe I can be that fresh start".
'Not a conventional green'
Senator Hackett, who is not a TD, said she would bring a different perspective to the party.
"I'm not your conventional green: I live in rural Ireland, I'm a beef and sheep farmer," she said.
"I've also been a Cabinet minister for the past four years.
"The party has never had a non-Dublin leader, we've never had a woman lead the party.
"I believe my different perspective, and certainly my different life experiences, can make the Green Party relevant and relatable inside and outside of Dublin."
Minister of State Pippa Hackett listens to Eamon Ryan at a Green Party think-in in Dublin, 13-9-21. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ieSenator Hackett said the party needs to bring people along with them.
"At a basic level, rightly or wrongly, many people have become fearful of green policy," she said.
"That's certainly not what we want to achieve.
"Our policies have to work for people, they have to work for ordinary people.
"They have to be easy and they have to be affordable - that would be the focus I would take".
Minister Roderic O'Gorman outside Government Buildings briefing the media, 23-5-23. Image: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ieMinister O'Gorman told the show it is a really important moment for the party.
"Eamon's resignation yesterday is a really important moment of change for the party," he said.
"He's made the Green Party a really important, progressive force in Irish politics.
"It's up to the next leader to continue that legacy, to build on the policy but also to build the party itself.
"I think I've the right experience to do that and I think I've the right vision to do that as well".
'Broader range of issues'
Deputy O'Gorman said he has run in 10 elections "in good times but in pretty difficult times as well".
"The vision I have is one of a Green Party that speaks to a broader range of policy issues," he said.
"We've made huge changes in the area of climate but we've never been a single issue party.
"I think we have to bring forward ideas based on our values in the areas where the public want to see improvement.
"Things that support families, things that support people facing disadvantage - these are the areas that we need to focus on".
Deputy O'Gorman said he will listen to people who have a bad perception of the party.
"I'll listen to them and I'll listen to the very strong rural voices that we have in our party already," he said.
He said policies such as the broadband rollout and investment in local public transport links "are issues that I believe and our party believes are positive for rural Ireland.
"That message though isn't getting across, we have to recognise that".
Deputy O'Gorman described suggestions that the Green Party is in conflict with rural Ireland as a "false narrative."
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