I am honoured to put my name forward for leadership of the Green Party. I joined the party because I believe passionately in our long term, big picture world view. Our focus on nature, community and bringing about a more equal society has the potential to make this island a better place to live, to run a business, to raise a family and to grow old. I am unapologetically Green.
We are at our best as a party when we place the natural environment at the heart of everything we do. We have been doing this for forty years.
We have achieved enormous change over the past four years in Government. The progress we have made - across climate, biodiversity, transport, equality, childcare, culture and the arts - would not have happened without the Green Party sitting at the Cabinet table. We have delivered that progress by bringing relentless focus, energy and work ethic to Government Buildings since we came into office.
As your party leader, I promise to bring that same level of relentless focus, energy and work ethic to making change work for ordinary people in communities right across the country – urban and rural. If policy doesn’t work for people and place, it doesn’t work for the planet.
I understand how Government works and how it doesn’t work. For four years I have worked and negotiated with Taoisigh and Tánaistí, European Commissioners, Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, fighting for meaningful action and positive change.
With my background in academia and as a County Councillor and Senator, my experience as a community volunteer, a farmer, a businesswoman and a mother – as well as my track record over the past four years in Government - I believe I can represent the very best of what we are about as a party.
I am hugely grateful for the support I’ve received to date, from family, friends, neighbours and colleagues past and present. Now I am asking for yours. I’ll give this everything I’ve got.
Pippa