Green Party leader Eamon Ryan will today tell party members to prepare for a general election within a year.
The second day of the party’s Annual Convention kicks off today.
It will focus on preparing for a number of different elections, which it believes will be called in the next year.
Councillor Ciaran Cuffe will also kick off his European election campaign today.
Deputy Ryan says the party aims to significantly expand its political footprint over the coming months.
“No-one knows when the next election will be but most people think it is within the next year so we have to get ready for that,” he said.
“We know that there are local and European elections, for sure, in May next year.
“What we are planning to do is to triple our seats.
“To actually increase in the councils, to go back to the European Parliaments and to go back to the Dáil with sufficient numbers of seats to be able to try and get into Government, to try and steer the country in a more sustainable direction.”
We are up and running with our annual convention #Green18
Feminism, Equality and Society in the 21st Century with @ChristineMilne @CByrneGreen @ClareBaileyGPNI @TerreReintke pic.twitter.com/lgnLG9O5i1— Eamon Ryan (@EamonRyan) March 23, 2018
Deputy Ryan backed Councillor Cuffe’s candidacy for Europe – noting that it is essential the party has a representative in Brussels to speak for Dublin and the wider country.
“We came very close to winning a European seat in Dublin last time – we just missed it,” he said.
“I think we will win it next time; I think having a green ambassador for Dublin in the European Parliament really helps our city; helps our country.”
The convention kicked off yesterday and will run until tomorrow.