The Green Party would be willing to go into Government with Sinn Féin after the next election, Eamon Ryan has told The Pat Kenny Show.

Minister Ryan said his party “cannot afford to pick and choose who we go into government with”, considering the scale of the climate emergency.

The Green Party leader also said he would favour an election date early in 2025.

Asked whether he had any reservations about one day working with Sinn Féin in Government, Minister Ryan said: “Our world is burning. It is an absolute crisis, an emergency.”

“This is the decade of change to try and stop that,” he said. “We cannot afford to pick and choose who we go into government with.”

“We need to involve everyone in the decarbonisation of our society – to be part of our part of the solution.”

Asked to confirm whether he would be “happy to coalesce with them in some form”, he simply answered: “Yes”.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald speaking outside the count for the Dublin Bay South by-election in July 2021. Picture by: Brian Lawless/PA Wire/PA Images

Minister Ryan also said he hoped the next election would be held in 2025, despite growing speculation it could be called towards the end of this year.

“[I would prefer the] early part of next year and I’ll tell you why,” he said.

“There are not many stable governments around the world at the moment. The world is in a fairly shocking state and we do have a stable and effective government to my mind.

“We do have our differences in Government but we work well together. I don’t see why we shouldn’t.

“This year, I think, we can build 40,000 houses – why wouldn’t we do that? Focus on that, build the 40,000 houses and then go to the people next year on the promise of building more after that.”

Young girl wearing raincoat and wellington boots standing in water from rain and river overflow flooding a street in Newtownabbey. Image: Radharc Images / Alamy

The Green Party leader agreed that there is some concern about the toxicity surrounding the US Presidential Election contaminating the electoral process here.

“Yes, there is and I think part of that is the concern about what sort of disinformation and fake news we are going to see online,” he said.

“What sort of nonsense are we going to see, which really does pollute the people’s [point of view].”

He said the best way to combat online disinformation is to ensure Ireland has a good quality media industry.

“I think one of the most important things this Government has to do in the first half of the year is, make sure we have proper funding for broadcasting and media,” he said.

“But also, you stand up for our democratic constitutional system.

“You stand up for Irish politics. We have, listen, warts and all, we have loads of failings, but our country is not badly served, to my mind, by our constitutional democratic system.”

Minister Ryan said he does not plan to put his name forward for the Irish Presidency and expects to continue leading the Green Party into the next election.