O’Gara defends Green's record after 'bad' election

The local Green candidate admitted his party had "a bad election".

Nationally the party, lost all of their seats apart from the leader's Roderic O'Gorman in a devastating election result.

Locally Eddie O'Gara faired poorly, getting the least first preferences for the Greens in Cavan Monaghan since 2011.

The Monaghan man received 739 first preferences and was eliminated on the third count. The Greens have never had a TD elected in Cavan Monaghan, and nor have they ever had a councillor elected Cavan County Council.

Tate Donnelly got the party's best result in a general election in 2020 when he received 2,501 first preferences. In 2016 Micheál Callaghan received 1,251 first preferences, over double the 530 amassed by Darcy Lonergan in 2011.

Mr O'Gara said he was humbled by those who did vote for him.

"I want to thank everyone who voted for me and what I stand for all over the constituency. I put myself forward for election and when people do vote for you it’s humbling and something I respect and am grateful for.

There’s no doubt, I and the Green Party had a bad election."

He then defended the Green's record in government saying they had no regrets.

"Politics can’t always be about just getting elected or just holding on to your seat. The Green Party worked hard in government on making the big changes our country needs.

"The party did that and nobody in the party regrets that, even with the result we got at this election, after all that type of change is not always popular."

"We brought emissions to a 30 year low. We made public transport cheaper and more widely available locally with a huge increase in local links services. We gave thousands retrofit grants and solar grants, the effects on roofs and jobs are visible all over the constituency.

"Our town centre first policy is now getting implemented with grants to bring old buildings back to life. We invested heavily in nature conservation. We halved the cost of childcare. We hope these, and others are further developed by the new government."

He congratulated the five TDs elected and wished them all the best.

"I hope they do not simply strive to get re-elected but try to implement changes not matter how challenging which will benefit our country long after we have left, after all: 'We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children'.”