Hello there.
The political atmosphere is never uneventful in our vicinity. Just a few months following Leo Varadkar’s unexpected announcement to resign as party leader and Taoiseach, his move was mirrored by Eamon Ryan, the Green Party leader. Ryan announced his resignation as leader of the Greens, though he plans to remain in his ministerial post given the new leader’s consent, however, he has no intentions of running in the next general election.
The news today is buzzing with speculation about the potential successor of Ryan’s party leadership. Roderic O’Gorman, the Minister for Integration, and Pippa Hackett, the junior minister, are the popularly named likely contenders for the position according to our leading news story, although there is no conclusive confirmation yet.
The race for the position of party leader was unexpectedly stirred up by Catherine Martin, the deputy leader who previously contested Ryan in 2020 for leadership during a governmental program negotiation. She announced that she has no desire to vie for the position “at this point in time”, without offering specifics. Interesting to note that she will relinquish her position as deputy-leader but has confirmed her intention to run in the upcoming election.
Pippa Hackett has gained early support for the party leadership position and is expected to be a strong competitor to Roderic O’Gorman.
Potential candidates remained notably silent after Ryan’s resignation announcement last night. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement to avoid making public declarations that same day he resigned.
However, O’Gorman, being the only Cabinet member likely to compete, is poised as a potential favourite in the race. Hackett, despite being a super junior minister but a regular cabinet attendee, can also legitimately voice her seniority over junior colleagues like Ossian Smyth, Joe O’Brien and Malcolm Noonan, who has declared himself not to be in the race.
Interestingly, the idea of previously ousted MEP Ciaran Cuffe contesting for the Green Party leadership has also emerged. Known for their unique approach, the Greens might surprise us yet again. We can expect contenders to start revealing their intentions throughout the day. Stay tuned for more updates.
The perceived downturn for the Green Party dominates the view today. Added to this is the buzz created by the In the News podcast which provides a briefing on daily happenings and what’s expected in the near future. Appeal grows on our main page about the impending work-to-rule action by Aer Lingus, that if implemented and subsequently morphing into a sweeping shutdown, would swiftly escalate into a political problem. Countless vacation-hopefuls would then chime in asking their representatives for a solution. The onus will land on the shoulders of Eamon Ryan, the minister overseeing transport.
Deliberations about the EU’s migration cavalry persist in the Dáil today with a decision expected by end of day. A detailed description of yesterday’s Dáil discussions is penned down by Marie O’Halloran. Meanwhile, there’s a hint of election after-effects as TikTok could be slapped with fines for running political promotions following a lodged complaint. The pressing question remains, will the by-elections happen after all?
Among the recommended reads is Jack Power’s insightful analysis of Ursula von der Leyen, exploring her possibilities of maintaining her position as the President of the European Commission, from Brussels. Further afield, Michael McDowell unleashes strong criticism on the EU migration cavalry.
Keeping the Playbook updated, today will witness keen watch on the contenders for the Green leadership. Concurrently, this afternoon will observe Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, and Northern First Minister Michelle O’Neill inaugurate the following phase of the Ulster Canal regeneration project at Clones Marina in Co Monaghan.
Today’s Dáil schedule is arduous, starting from 9am to midnight. Leaders’ Questions is at noon followed by a raft of Government Bills, followed by a debate on the EU migration pact extending for another three-and-a-half hours and the weekly votes scheduled at 11.30pm.
The migration pact will be under review in the Seanad as well, along with the resolution on cancer services and the Government Bill on automatic pension registration. It’s a hectic day at the committees with the itinerary featuring a session at the transport committee involving the Dublin Airport Authority’s representatives.