At a press conference held at Bewley's café shortly after 11 a.m., the Green Party officially announced the decision. According to departing leader Eamon Ryan, the occasion is about “handing the torch to a new leader.”

1,896 members of the Party cast a ballot out of a total electorate of 3,425 members.

Senator Pippa Hackett and Minister of State earned 912 votes each, while Minister O'Gorman received 984 votes.

Mr. O'Gorman will take Mr. Ryan's post immediately. He will also join Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin in tonight's weekly pre-cabinet meeting of Coalition leaders.


Councilwoman Cristiona Kiely, the national coordinator for the Green Party, described the vote as “a changing of the guard, a passing of the torch” to the assembled crowd.