FORMER MINISTER OF State and Green Party leader Trevor Sargent has ruled out running in next year’s local elections or for elected office again in the future.
Sargent’s had been mentioned as a possible Green Party candidate in next year’s local and European elections as the former government party looks to rebuild in the wake of its collapse in the 2011 general election.
But he firmly ruled out running for elected office again when contacted by TheJournal.ie this week.
“I am a foot soldier, I work on the ground. There is a new generation, so let’s move on,” he said adding that he “won’t be standing for elected office” next year or in the future.
Sargent was leader of the party from 2001 to 2007 when he stepped down after the Greens entered coalition with Fianna Fáil something which he pledged not to do before the 2007 general election.
Despite this he was appointed a Minister of State for Food and Horticulture until resigning in February 2010 after admitting he contacted gardaí about a criminal case involving a constituent.
Sargent lost his seat in Dublin North as the Green Party lost all of its TDs in the 2011 general election. He has since written and published a book Trevor’s Kitchen Garden, which was released in March of last year.
The former TD said he remained active in the Green Party but was keen to add that he is acting in a supportive role to a new generation of Green Party members who are likely to stand in next year’s elections.
“I’m just busy with other things at the moment,” he said, declining to say what it was he is currently working on.
Current party Eamon Ryan intends to stand in the European Parliament elections in Dublin next year while former TD and senator Dan Boyle told this website in May that he is “leaning towards” running for Cork City Council.
Winning just 1.8 per cent of the national vote two years ago meant the party could not reclaim election expenses and without parliamentary representation it also lost all of its state funding.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say