Electing Roderic O'Gorman Green Party leader 'not the image we want', Pippa Hackett says
As the race between Pippa Hackett and Roderic O’Gorman for the Green Party leadership heats up, the Offaly-based Senator spoke to the Irish Mirror about why a Senator can be leader, why she would not engage with Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary and her v
Green Party leadership hopeful Pippa Hackett says that electing Roderic O’Gorman is not the "image we want" as she declared no sitting TD's seat is safe.
As the race between Ministers Hackett and O’Gorman for the Green Party leader heats up, the Offaly-based senator spoke to the Irish Mirror about why a senator can be leader, why she would not engage with Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary and her views on a Sinn Féin coalition.
News that Eamon Ryan was standing down as Green Party leader shocked the public earlier this month but did not come as a huge surprise to Ms Hackett who said she had an "inkling" about his departure.
READ MORE - Taoiseach Simon Harris explains why he has a 'bone to pick' with Taylor Swift
READ MORE - Fianna Fail's Dara Callerary to become new Super Junior Minister as James Lawless promoted
The senator, who is originally from Mayo but is now living in Offaly, is a beef and sheep farmer who describes herself as "unapologetically Green". She has served at Cabinet as a "Super Junior Minister" for four years, holding the forestry portfolio in the Department of Agriculture.
She told the Irish Mirror that she believes if she was elected as leader of the Green Party, she would be the "right person to bring the whole country along with this Green vision we have".
To date, all three leaders of the Green Party – Trevor Sarant, John Gormley and Mr Ryan – have all been men from Dublin.
Ms Hackett says she feels the role should now be occupied by a woman and someone from outside Dublin.
For this reason, she thinks she is a better candidate than Mr O’Gorman.
"I'm comfortable anywhere, to be honest," she said.
"I'm comfortable on a farm and wellies in mud, walking down a lane chatting to anyone as I am in a city setting, in a town, a village. I feel I am much more relatable to people across the country.
"We’ve had Eamon, Catherine [Martin] and Roderic at the helm of the leadership of the Green Party for the best part of… Eamon was leader for 13 years. Roderic has been chair of the party for maybe around a decade as part of that as well."
Does she think Roderic O’Gorman could hold the party back if he is elected as leader as he is not a "new face"?
"I think it's not the image we want to put out," Ms Hackett said.
"We need fresh change. I think we need a change of the leadership. Eamon has stepped back. Catherine's obviously not running at this stage for leader. I think it's time for somebody new."
Analysis around Ms Hackett’s leadership bid has focused on the fact that not only is it unconventional to have a party leader sit in the Seanad, but she has very little chance of winning a Dáil seat in Offaly in the next general election. In the 2020 general election, she received just five per cent of the first preference votes.
When the Irish Mirror tells her she is unlikely to win a Dáil seat, Ms Hackett said none of the Green Party’s seats are safe.
"I dispute that because I will work hard with communities across Offaly," she argued.
"But there are no safe seats for any of the TDs at the moment. I'm in the mix as much as any of my Dáil colleagues."
Ms Hackett argued that she is in the Dáil "regularly" and sits at Cabinet so this would not impact her. She added, "Hey, what’s wrong with being a Senator?"
Mr Ryan was often a target of ire from rural politicians, CEOs of airlines and online social media commentators.
Senator Hackett said she "gets her own fair share" of abuse due to her being a Green Minister in the Department of Agriculture.
As she spoke to the Irish Mirror in her office in Agriculture House on Kildare Street, security work was being done at her home following advice from Gardaí. There has only been one minor incident at her home, she explained, and that she has never been subjected to physical abuse.
Eamon Ryan has served as a constant target for Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary. As he stood down, the airline posted a tirade of social media posts about his performance in transport.
Ms Hackett said that she would not let Mr O’Leary "bully her" and would not engage with him if he was disrespectful.
Ms Hackett said: "Ryanair won't bully me if I'm leader.
"If he can't engage in polite discourse, I just won't engage with him. That will be the same across the Cabinet.
"Just because he's a CEO of a big organisation doesn't give them the right to be rude to people."
Ms Hackett wouldn’t directly answer if she would want a more senior ministry if she is elected leader, saying she was not thinking about a potential reshuffle.
She is thinking about the future, however, and said she would be willing to lead her party into Government with Sinn Féin if they "got off the fence in relation to climate" and "make a bit of a move".
Whether she leads the Green Party will become known on July 8, when the new leader is crowned.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
