I am disappointed to have lost my seat on Galway City Council. The seat was won by Pauline O’Reilly five years ago, and I was co-opted after her election to the Seanad.
It had been my ambition to hold that seat for the Green party - but that was not to be. Small parties in government always suffer at the hands of the electorate.
We knew this in 2020 when the Greens went into government. While it was not explicitly agreed, and rarely said out loud, going into government would involve a cost at election time.
My own view is that the gains in government, including greater spending on public transport and childcare, stronger retrofitting and solar programs, and legally binding climate goals for all sectors, were worth that risk.
Unfortunately I was not a strong enough candidate to overcome the swing against the Greens.I would like to express my gratitude to Green Party members, friends and family who supported my campaign and my time as a councillor.
I learned and grew a lot from being a councillor – I hope some of my supporters feel they also learnt and benefited from their involvement.
