BREAKING: Eamon Ryan expected to step down as Green Party leader

Eamon Ryan is expected to step down as leader of the Green Party today.

Eamon Ryan has spoken to the Government leaders and has also informed members of his parliamentary party of this shock decision, which follows a disappointing result from the local and European elections which saw the Green Party lose both of it's MEP seats.

Ciarán Cuffe lost his seat in Dublin, while Grace O'Sullivan was also unsuccessful in the south, while the number of Green Party councillors was also halved.

A new leader will now have to be elected, with Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin currently being tipped to take over, while Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth of Ireland Roderic O'Gorman could also be in the running. 

It is widely expected that Eamon Ryan will still continue his role as Environment and Climate Minister.

Ryan has led the Green Party since 2011, retaining the role even after a leadership contest in 2020 when he narrowly defeated Catherine Martin by 994 votes to 946.

Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae has welcomed the decision to step down from Eamon Ryan and said he hoped this would be the beginning of the end for green policies.

Healy-Rae maintains the party never supported the farmers of the people of Ireland adding his policies were not helpful to those getting up and going to work every morning.

He did however, wish him well in a personal capacity describing Ryan as "a gentleman".

The expected announcement will mark the second time this year a coalition leader has stepped down, after former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stepped down as Fine Gael leader in April.

Eamon Ryan's announcement is expected shortly.