Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the pivot towards greener policies in Irish politics in recent years might never have happened without Eamon Ryan.
Speaking on Newstalk radio, Mr Varadkar paid tribute to the outgoing Green Party leader, who on Tuesday announced he was stepping down.
“He's somebody who I think really was in politics and is in politics for the right reasons. I, for one, am glad that the Greens were in Government with us and are in Government with us for this period.
“Many of the things that have been done, like the climate change legislation, like the nature law, like pivoting towards public transport, like really upping our game in terms of climate action around retrofitting, local link and so on – a lot of that might not have happened or certainly wouldn't have happened as quickly without Eamon.”
Mr Varadkar said he understood where Mr Ryan’s comments on the toxicity of social media, as he too had noticed a more gradual change in tone online during his 13 years in government.
“It was probably a little bit more like the frog in the boiling water for me. You know, it didn't happen suddenly where we went from Opposition and you could see the change from, you could do no wrong to you can't do anything right.
“I see Sinn Féin now suddenly experienced that shift as well over the past few months even though they haven't been in government. So maybe that change happened more gradually for me, so I was less affected by it. I also got good at just shutting it out, to be honest, and ignoring it, which was probably a good thing.”
Mr Varadkar added that he did not think Mr Ryan’s resignation would undermine the coalition government. “The agreement that three parties made four years ago was an agreement of three parties, negotiated by lots of people, not just the party leaders and endorsed democratically by the membership and the public reps of all three parties.
“So I think it's solid in that sense in a very detailed programme for government. What will, of course, be of significance is who becomes the leader of the Green Party now and what their basis for leadership will be and what their arguments will be becoming leader.”
Meanwhile, Minister for Children and Integration Roderic O’Gorman has announced he will run to become the next leader of the Green Party.
Deputy Green leader Catherine Martin also announced she will “step back” from her role, adding that she is not putting herself forward for the leadership contest.
Minister of State Pippa Hackett has received the backing of TD Ossian Smyth and Senator Pauline O’Reilly.
Ms Hackett, who has not declared her intention to run for leadership, received the public endorsement within 24 hours of Mr Ryan confirming he was stepping down.
