The national conference of the Green Party is taking place today, poised as a platform to mobilise its members for upcoming local and European elections, as well as the premiere mayoral election in Limerick. The event at the RDS will be graced by around 500 delegates. Departing from the ordinary format of setting out motions for discussion, the conference will entirely concentrate on developing strategies to optimise the number of Green Party seats in the imminent election slated for June 7.
The party will strongly encourage voters to continue endorsing Green, aiming to delegate 112 candidates for local elections and aspiring to secure a seat in each county. The delegates will share their motivations for running in the elections. Special attention will be given to the upcoming young Greens, and throughout the conference, discussions will focus on the Green Party’s contributions to Ireland at local, European, and national levels.
Moreover, the party will emphasise its initiatives such as reducing fares for rail and bus services, expanding public transport, cuts in childcare costs, increasing grants for farmers transitioning to organic practices, home retrofitting initiatives, and the launch of a pilot project providing basic income to 2,000 artists.
Roderic O’Gorman, the Minister for Children and the Director of Elections will provide insights into the final phases of the campaign and how party members can contribute towards it. Furthermore, the party’s two MEPs, Ciaran Cuffe and Grace O’Sullivan, along with candidate Senator Pauline O’Reilly, will engage in a panel discussion centred on succeeding in the European elections.
In addition, the party’s newest Senator and leader in Northern Ireland, Mal O’Hara, will share his thoughts on Green politics across both the north and south. Lastly, a highlight of the event will be a televised keynote speech from Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, scheduled at 6:30 pm today.