Green Party in Northern Ireland
Encyclopedia
The Green Party in Northern Ireland is the Northern Ireland
subdivision of the Irish Green Party
, based on the principles of Green politics
. It works in co-operation with Green parties across Europe
, and was formerly a party in its own right. Like many Green parties around the world, the Greens have their origins in the anti-nuclear
, labour
and peace movement
s of the 1970s and early 1980s.
In 2007, the first Green MLA Brian Wilson was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly
, representing North Down
. In the European Election of 2009
, Steven Agnew
stood for the Green Party and managed to triple its vote from 4,800 votes in the 2004 European Parliament election to 15,674 votes. The Greens fought the election on the Green New Deal
, calling for job creation in the green energy sector.
The party voted to become a region of the Irish Green Party in 2005 at its annual convention, and again in a postal ballot in March 2006. The party has a youth wing operating in Northern Ireland, the Young Greens
.
, environmental sustainability, grassroots democracy
and non-violence. The Green Party has been involved in several major campaigns since entering the Assembly including a clean-rivers campaign. It has also campaigned against the development of incinerators at Belfast North Foreshore and Lough Neagh
. The party has also been fighting against proposals to extend the airport runway at George Best Belfast City Airport
.
The Greens have called for funding to be focused on improving public transport
and for the creation of an independent environmental protection agency for Northern Ireland. They also campaign for a shift to alternative energy
for Northern Ireland and were involved in the setting up of a lobby group for the sector.
local council elections, Peter Emerson, Avril McCandless and Malcolm Samuels stood as the first candidates to use the Ecology label in Northern Ireland and gained 233, 81 and 61 votes respectively; the first in a large urban area, the other two in smaller rural constituencies.
In May 1983, the Northern Ireland Ecology Party was launched at a press conference held in the Europa Hotel
, Belfast, with members of the British and Irish Ecology parties in attendance. At the same time, the three parties put forward one combined policy on Northern Ireland, the first time that UK and Irish
political parties had held a common Northern Ireland policy.
In 1985, ecology parties throughout the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom changed their names to Green Party.
The Green Party in Northern Ireland now operates as a region of the Irish Green Party
, with links with the Scottish Green Party
and the Green Party of England and Wales
. These arrangements demonstrate the Northern Ireland party's cross-community nature, as the Green Party claim to be the only party that actually lives the Good Friday Agreement through its operational set up through North-South and East-West links.
. Cllr Raymond Blaney was elected onto Down District Council
and Brian Wilson
, formerly of the Alliance Party
, took a seat on North Down Borough Council
. The party's third local councillor was Ciaran Mussen, elected to Newry and Mourne District Council
.
There have been a few changes since in the Downpatrick
area. Cllr Bill Corry took the Downpatrick seat after Cllr Blaney retired and in 2008 Cllr Cadogan Enright was co-opted onto the council in place of Cllr Corry who retired. At the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2007
, the Green Party won its first seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly
, when Brian Wilson
won a seat in the North Down
constituency. Overall the party won 11,985 first preference votes or 1.7% of the total - a rise of 1.4% since the 2003 Assembly election.
2007 also saw the establishment of the Greens at Queen's University Belfast.
Since entering the Northern Ireland Assembly the Green Party has campaigned for an independent Environmental Protection Agency, alternative energy grants, a nuclear-free
Northern Ireland and GM
free Northern Ireland.
In 2009 the Green Party stood Steven Agnew in the European election - he secured 15,674 votes, trebling the Green Party vote.
2010 also saw the establishment of the LGBT Greens NI, a policy group and lobby group specialising in LGBT community issues within Northern Ireland.
The 2010 United Kingdom General Election saw the Greens field four candidates for Westminster. None of the four managed to secure a seat, however the number of votes or Green candidates more than trebled.
The Party has spokespeople in the following areas:
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
subdivision of the Irish Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
, based on the principles of Green politics
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
. It works in co-operation with Green parties across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and was formerly a party in its own right. Like many Green parties around the world, the Greens have their origins in the anti-nuclear
Anti-nuclear
The anti-nuclear movement is a social movement that opposes the use of nuclear technologies. Many direct action groups, environmental groups, and professional organisations have identified themselves with the movement at the local, national, and international level...
, labour
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
and peace movement
Peace movement
A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war , minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace...
s of the 1970s and early 1980s.
In 2007, the first Green MLA Brian Wilson was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
, representing North Down
North Down (Assembly constituency)
North Down is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
. In the European Election of 2009
Northern Ireland (European Parliament constituency)
Northern Ireland is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects three MEPs using the Single Transferable Vote, the only United Kingdom constituency to do so.- Members of the European Parliament :- 2009 :...
, Steven Agnew
Steven Agnew
Steven Agnew is the leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland. He was elected as an MLA to the Northern Ireland Assembly in May 2011....
stood for the Green Party and managed to triple its vote from 4,800 votes in the 2004 European Parliament election to 15,674 votes. The Greens fought the election on the Green New Deal
Green New Deal
A Green New Deal is a report released on July 21, 2008 by the Green New Deal Group and published by the New Economics Foundation, which outlines a series of policy proposals to tackle global warming, the current financial crisis, and peak oil. The report calls for the re-regulation of finance and...
, calling for job creation in the green energy sector.
The party voted to become a region of the Irish Green Party in 2005 at its annual convention, and again in a postal ballot in March 2006. The party has a youth wing operating in Northern Ireland, the Young Greens
Young Greens (Ireland)
The Young Greens is the youth organisation of the Irish Green Party, incorporating the Green Party in Northern Ireland.-History:The Young Greens were formed in March 2002, as a group of students from the four main college campuses, which focused on the environment and social justice...
.
Policies
The Green Party has four key values: social justiceSocial justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
, environmental sustainability, grassroots democracy
Grassroots democracy
Grassroots democracy is a tendency towards designing political processes where as much decision-making authority as practical is shifted to the organization's lowest geographic level of organization: principle of subsidiarity....
and non-violence. The Green Party has been involved in several major campaigns since entering the Assembly including a clean-rivers campaign. It has also campaigned against the development of incinerators at Belfast North Foreshore and Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh, sometimes Loch Neagh, is a large freshwater lake in Northern Ireland. Its name comes .-Geography:With an area of , it is the largest lake in the British Isles and ranks among the forty largest lakes of Europe. Located twenty miles to the west of Belfast, it is approximately twenty...
. The party has also been fighting against proposals to extend the airport runway at George Best Belfast City Airport
George Best Belfast City Airport
George Best Belfast City Airport is a single-runway airport in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Situated adjacent to the Port of Belfast it is from Belfast City Centre. It shares the site with the Short Brothers/Bombardier aircraft manufacturing facility...
.
The Greens have called for funding to be focused on improving public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
and for the creation of an independent environmental protection agency for Northern Ireland. They also campaign for a shift to alternative energy
Alternative energy
Alternative energy is an umbrella term that refers to any source of usable energy intended to replace fuel sources without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuels....
for Northern Ireland and were involved in the setting up of a lobby group for the sector.
History
In the Northern Ireland local elections of May 1981Northern Ireland local elections, 1981
Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland in 1981.-Overall:-Belfast:...
local council elections, Peter Emerson, Avril McCandless and Malcolm Samuels stood as the first candidates to use the Ecology label in Northern Ireland and gained 233, 81 and 61 votes respectively; the first in a large urban area, the other two in smaller rural constituencies.
In May 1983, the Northern Ireland Ecology Party was launched at a press conference held in the Europa Hotel
Europa Hotel
The Europa Hotel is a four-star hotel in Great Victoria Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland. It has hosted presidents, prime ministers and celebrities, including President Bill Clinton during his visits to Belfast in 1995 and 1998....
, Belfast, with members of the British and Irish Ecology parties in attendance. At the same time, the three parties put forward one combined policy on Northern Ireland, the first time that UK and Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
political parties had held a common Northern Ireland policy.
In 1985, ecology parties throughout the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom changed their names to Green Party.
The Green Party in Northern Ireland now operates as a region of the Irish Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
, with links with the Scottish Green Party
Scottish Green Party
The Scottish Green Party is a green party in Scotland. It has two MSPs in the devolved Scottish Parliament, Alison Johnstone, representing Lothian, and Patrick Harvie, for Glasgow.-Organisation:...
and the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
. These arrangements demonstrate the Northern Ireland party's cross-community nature, as the Green Party claim to be the only party that actually lives the Good Friday Agreement through its operational set up through North-South and East-West links.
Electoral history
The party's first electoral success in Northern Ireland was at the local council elections of 2005Northern Ireland local elections, 2005
Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland on 5 May 2005 along with the 2005 general election across the entire United Kingdom and local elections in England.-Results:-Belfast:-Derry:...
. Cllr Raymond Blaney was elected onto Down District Council
Down District Council
Down District Council is a Local Council in County Down in Northern Ireland. The Council is headquartered in Downpatrick. Other towns in the Council area are Ardglass, Ballynahinch, Castlewellan, Clough, Crossgar, Dundrum, Killough, Killyleagh, Newcastle, Saintfield, Seaforde and Strangford...
and Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson (Northern Ireland politician)
Brian Wilson MLA is an Independent politician in Northern Ireland. He was the first member of the Green Party to be elected as member of the Northern Ireland Assembly....
, formerly of the Alliance Party
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
, took a seat on North Down Borough Council
North Down Borough Council
North Down Borough Council is a Local Council in County Down in Northern Ireland with an overall population of around 80,000. Its main town is Bangor, 20 km east of Belfast with a population of approximately 55,000. The Council is headquartered in Bangor. Its secondary centre is the former Urban...
. The party's third local councillor was Ciaran Mussen, elected to Newry and Mourne District Council
Newry and Mourne District Council
Newry and Mourne District Council is a local council in Northern Ireland. It includes much of the south of County Armagh and the south of County Down and has a population of approximately 93,400. Council headquarters are in Newry, the largest settlement and only city in the area; it has a...
.
There have been a few changes since in the Downpatrick
Downpatrick
Downpatrick is a medium-sized town about 33 km south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the county town of Down with a rich history and strong connection to Saint Patrick. It had a population of 10,316 at the 2001 Census...
area. Cllr Bill Corry took the Downpatrick seat after Cllr Blaney retired and in 2008 Cllr Cadogan Enright was co-opted onto the council in place of Cllr Corry who retired. At the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2007
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2007
The third elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly were held on 7 March 2007 when 108 new members were elected. The election saw endorsement of the St Andrews Agreement and the two largest parties, the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin, along with the Alliance Party, increase their...
, the Green Party won its first seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
, when Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson (Northern Ireland politician)
Brian Wilson MLA is an Independent politician in Northern Ireland. He was the first member of the Green Party to be elected as member of the Northern Ireland Assembly....
won a seat in the North Down
North Down (Assembly constituency)
North Down is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
constituency. Overall the party won 11,985 first preference votes or 1.7% of the total - a rise of 1.4% since the 2003 Assembly election.
2007 also saw the establishment of the Greens at Queen's University Belfast.
Since entering the Northern Ireland Assembly the Green Party has campaigned for an independent Environmental Protection Agency, alternative energy grants, a nuclear-free
Nuclear-free zone
A nuclear-free zone is an area where nuclear weapons and nuclear power are banned. The specific ramifications of these depend on the locale in question....
Northern Ireland and GM
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
free Northern Ireland.
In 2009 the Green Party stood Steven Agnew in the European election - he secured 15,674 votes, trebling the Green Party vote.
2010 also saw the establishment of the LGBT Greens NI, a policy group and lobby group specialising in LGBT community issues within Northern Ireland.
The 2010 United Kingdom General Election saw the Greens field four candidates for Westminster. None of the four managed to secure a seat, however the number of votes or Green candidates more than trebled.
Officers
The Green Party's Chairperson is Conor Quinn, Secretary is Mr John Hardy and Treasurer is Dr Mark Bailey.The Party has spokespeople in the following areas:
- North Down: Steven Agnew / Dr. John Barry / Brian Wilson MLA / Kelly Andrews
- South Antrim: Pete Whitcroft & Lindsay Whitcroft
- South Belfast: Clare Bailey / Adam McGibbon / Dr. Peter Doran
- East Belfast: Martin Gregg
- Strangford: Barbara Haig
- South Down: Cllr Cadogan Enright / John Hardy
- Lagan Valley: Conor Quinn
- Newry & Mourne: Cllr Ciaran Mussen
- North Coast: Garrett Mussen
- East Antrim: Dr. Mark Bailey
- North Belfast: Peter Emerson
- Mid Ulster: Denice Corbett
- LGBT Greens: Stephen Donnan / Rebecca Volley
- QUB Greens: Adam McGibbon / Robert McGarrell
Elected representatives
- Steven AgnewSteven AgnewSteven Agnew is the leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland. He was elected as an MLA to the Northern Ireland Assembly in May 2011....
, MLA for North Down and North Down Borough CouncilNorth Down Borough CouncilNorth Down Borough Council is a Local Council in County Down in Northern Ireland with an overall population of around 80,000. Its main town is Bangor, 20 km east of Belfast with a population of approximately 55,000. The Council is headquartered in Bangor. Its secondary centre is the former Urban...
lor - Ciaran Mussen has been involved in local politics in Northern Ireland since at least 1985 when he was elected to Newry & Mourne councilNewry and Mourne District CouncilNewry and Mourne District Council is a local council in Northern Ireland. It includes much of the south of County Armagh and the south of County Down and has a population of approximately 93,400. Council headquarters are in Newry, the largest settlement and only city in the area; it has a...
as an Independent NationalistIndependent NationalistIndependent Nationalist was a political title frequently used by Irish nationalists when contesting elections to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland not as members of the Irish Parliamentary Party, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.In the...
. He stood for the Green Party in 2005 and has campaigned for the right of people living in social housing to alternative energy. - Cadogan Enright was co-opted onto Down District CouncilDown District CouncilDown District Council is a Local Council in County Down in Northern Ireland. The Council is headquartered in Downpatrick. Other towns in the Council area are Ardglass, Ballynahinch, Castlewellan, Clough, Crossgar, Dundrum, Killough, Killyleagh, Newcastle, Saintfield, Seaforde and Strangford...
in 2008 taking over from Cllr Bill Corry who retired. A life long environmentalist, Cllr Enright joined the Green Party in the mid-1990s over his concerns regarding climate changeClimate changeClimate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
. A chartered and certified accountant with post graduate qualifications in building standards, Cllr Enright is one of the founding members of Sustainable Development Ltd. based in Downpatrick. The company promotes environmentally friendly building standards and small scale renewable energyRenewable energyRenewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
.
See also
- Green Party in Northern Ireland politicians
- Demography and politics of Northern IrelandDemography and politics of Northern Ireland-General demographics:PopulationThe population of Northern Ireland has increased annually since 1978.Place of birth*UK:**Northern Ireland: 1,534,268 **England: 61,609 **Scotland: 16,772 **Wales: 3,008...
- Green party
- Green Party (Ireland)Green Party (Ireland)The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
- Green politicsGreen politicsGreen politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
- List of environmental organizations