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| The Greens (Ireland) | |
|---|---|
| Name | The Greens (Ireland) |
| Foundation | 1981 |
| Headquarters | Dublin |
| Ideology | Green politics, environmentalism, social liberalism |
| International | Global Greens |
| European | European Green Party |
| Seats1 title | Dáil Éireann |
| Seats2 title | Seanad Éireann |
| Seats3 title | Local government |
| Country | Ireland |
The Greens (Ireland) is an Irish political party founded in 1981 that advocates green politics, environmental protection, and progressive social policies. It has participated in national and local elections, entered coalition government in 2007 and again in 2020, and has been active in campaigns on climate change, renewable energy, and biodiversity. The party has featured prominent figures drawn from environmental activism, urban politics, and academic circles.
The party emerged from environmental movements and campaigns linked to Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp, Friends of the Earth (Ireland), An Taisce, and anti-nuclear protests influenced by events like the Three Mile Island accident and the Chernobyl disaster. Early activists included local councillors elected in the 1980s and members with ties to Sinn Féin dissidents and independent civic groups. In the 1990s the party contested European Parliament elections alongside organisations such as the European Green Party and campaigned on issues intersecting with Labour Party (Ireland) constituencies and Workers' Party (Ireland) activists. Electoral breakthroughs occurred in the 2000s, leading to participation in the 2007 coalition with Fianna Fáil and Green Party (2007) ministers serving in cabinets alongside leaders like Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen. After the 2008 financial crisis and controversies traced to the Celtic Tiger era, the party suffered defeats in the 2011 general election, losing all Dáil seats and prompting internal reorganisation with links to groups around Green European Foundation and Friends of the Earth Europe. Recovery saw rebuilding at local government level, gains in the 2019 local and [European Parliament] contests, and re-entry to coalition government in 2020 with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael under Tánaiste and Micheál Martin leadership dynamics.
The party's platform combines green politics with social liberalism and elements of eco-socialism discourse, advocating policies on climate change, biodiversity, renewable energy, and sustainable transport. Specific proposals have referenced frameworks such as the Paris Agreement, the European Green Deal, and concepts promoted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and United Nations Environment Programme. On social policy the party has supported measures like marriage equality during debates involving Referendum on the Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland 2015 and reform initiatives linked to Citizens' Assembly (Ireland). Economic and fiscal positions have intersected with debates over carbon tax, social welfare reforms, and housing policy in discussions involving the Housing Agency (Ireland) and municipal authorities. The Greens have engaged with transport policy through advocacy for electrification of fleets, referencing technologies such as electric vehicle infrastructure and projects like the Luas tram system.
The party's organisational structure includes national councils, local branches, and youth and women networks comparable to bodies in the European Green Party and Global Greens. Leadership has alternated between spokespeople and co-leaders, with notable figures associated with ministerial posts and local government such as ministers serving in cabinets alongside personalities like Mary Robinson-era civil society networks. Internal organs coordinate policy development with inputs from academics affiliated with Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, and environmental research centres such as Irish Environmental Protection Agency. The party operates constituency organisations for elections to Dáil Éireann, Seanad Éireann, and the European Parliament, and collaborates with trade unions including contacts in Siptu and civil society NGOs like Concern Worldwide.
Electoral history spans local government successes, European Parliament representation, and fluctuating representation at national level in Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. The party secured its first significant national representation in the 1990s and 2000s, gaining momentum in European contests contested against parties such as Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Sinn Féin. The 2007 general election led to cabinet participation, while the 2011 election saw severe losses reflecting wider electoral shifts after the Irish financial crisis and the collapse of Anglo Irish Bank and other institutions. Recovery in municipal polls and by-elections, and performance in the European Parliament election, 2019 (Ireland), helped restore representation. Results remain variable across constituencies like Dublin South, Galway West, and Cork South-Central where local profiles and campaign issues influence outcomes.
Locally, the party maintains networks with county councils and city councils across County Dublin, County Cork, County Galway, and County Kerry, working in coalition arrangements with parties including Labour Party (Ireland) and independents. Internationally it is a member of the European Green Party and the Global Greens, collaborating with parties such as Green Party (United Kingdom), Ecolo (Belgium), and Die Grünen (Germany). The Greens engage in transnational advocacy on climate policy at forums like United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change conferences and cooperate with NGOs including Greenpeace and WWF on campaigns addressing marine protection and peatland restoration linked to projects at Burren and other Irish habitats.
The party has faced criticism over its performance in coalition governments, with opponents citing policy compromises during cabinets involving Fianna Fáil and later arrangements with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil leading to debates about trade-offs on housing and economic measures. Scandals and resignations linked to individual ministers drew scrutiny in media outlets such as The Irish Times and RTÉ. Environmentalists and left-wing groups including elements of Socialist Party (Ireland) and People Before Profit have challenged the party on issues like peat extraction, forestry policy, and planning permissions, while commentators from Sunday Independent and policy institutes such as Economic and Social Research Institute have assessed electoral strategy and policy coherence. Internal disputes over strategy and leadership have led to resignations and reorganisations within grassroots branches and youth wings.
Category:Political parties in the Republic of Ireland