Greens have dealt with ‘sniping’ every day for four-and-a-half years from coalition partners, O’Gorman says

Roderic O'Gorman also revealed how he was informed of the Taoiseach's decision to announce the general election date publicly yesterday just 10-15 minutes before it was broadcast on RTÉ's Six One news.

The Green leader had previously put forward November 29 as his preferred date for the vote.

He said: "I'm pleased the Taoiseach agreed with me in terms of the 29th being better than allowing it to be December.

"The Taoiseach's chief of staff informed our own chief of staff last night just before he went on the Six One news that he was going to announce the dissolution of the Dail."

When questioned on whether Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin had been informed hours earlier, Mr O'Gorman said: "I don't know, did the Tánaiste know or did he make an educated guess but that's when I found out."

Mr O'Gorman said he had "much bigger things to worry about" than be concerned about when he was informed.

"To be honest, that's old news now - we're all much more focused on getting out and speaking to people."

At a press conference today at Leinster House, ahead of the dissolution of the Dáil tomorrow, Mr O'Gorman said he doesn't see the next government providing supports for the public when making changes for the climate, unless his party is in power.

He said that while the Greens were the smallest party, they had the largest impact.

He added: "The polls as they stand now do suggest the two major parties (Fine Gael and Fianna Fail) will be back in the next government. "I think if it's a government just made up of them or maybe topped up with a few Independents, I think would be a very different government to the one we just had over the last four and a half years - we won't see those innovative policies in terms of climate, helping families and public transport."

"We delivered in climate in terms of having the lowest level of emissions in the last 30 years while not impacting economic growth, we delivered on nature with new national parks and nature restoration across Europe, and we've delivered the help that families need in halving the cost of child care, free public transport for young children, free GP appointments."

Addressing how Greens would deal with expected criticism from their coalition colleagues Fine Gael and Fianna Fail during the campaign, Mr O'Gorman said: "We've dealt with sniping every day across the last four-and-a-half years, and we've still delivered the key parts of our program for government, the key parts of our manifesto delivered climate action, delivered actions that help families all over the country. So, we're looking forward to this campaign."

Minister O'Gorman was joined by deputy leader Róisín Garvey and Green Party TDs contesting the upcoming election.

Ms Garvey said the country needed to forget about the global aspect and "get real" about what is happening in Ireland in terms of climate.

"Look what happened to Midleton. If we don't take this seriously, we are in big trouble as the people in the country.

"Forget about the global thing and the climate thing and the ozone layer. It's game over. It is time to get real about this situation," she continued.

Asked if it was difficult for voters to make changes to their lives to combat climate change, while president elect Donald Trump was committing to withdrawing the US from the Paris agreement, Senator Garvey said responsibility needs to be taken for what is happening locally.

"Climate change affects us locally, irrespective of what Trump does or doesn't do. Look at Midleton in Cork.

"Do we want to see that happening in all our towns in Ireland? So irrespective, we have to take responsibility for our people and this country and our towns and our coastlines. That is our job as public representatives. So, we protect our people.

"We're not here because we want to be politicians, we are all coming from a place where we were concerned about climate change and protecting nature, for years, that's why we're here," Ms Garvey said.

On the issue of migration, Minister O'Gorman said the issue was coming up less frequently on the doors.

He added that the system he inherited as Integration Minister for processing migrants, was not fit for purpose before the increase in those looking to move here and that is even more the case now.

The party leader said the Greens would put a proposal forward to establish a migration agency.

"This is the approach adopted in almost every single European country, that there's a dedicated state organisation responsible for both the processing of international protection applicants and the sourcing of accommodation as well.

"We know we're going to see higher levels of migration going forward in the same way every other European country is," Mr O'Gorman said.