Mal O'Hara: Green Party NI leader becomes Irish senator

The leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland, Mal O'Hara, has been elected to the upper house of the Irish parliament.

The former Belfast City councillor was elected as a senator during a short ceremony in Dublin on Monday.

Mr O'Hara fills a seat previously held by Sinn Féin's Niall Ó Donnghaile, who resigned from the role last year for health reasons.

He is the Green Party's fifth senator.

Speaking at Leinster House, Mr O'Hara said he is "honoured and humbled to become a senator".

He added: "I am proud to make history as the first Northern Green to take a seat in Seanad Éireann (the Irish senate).

"It is vital that there is northern representation, and I am pleased that all parties recognised that need for representation and did not contest me."

Mr O'Hara became the Green Party leader in Northern Ireland in August 2022, replacing Clare Bailey who chose not to stand for re-election as leader after losing her seat in the Stormont assembly election in May.

He served as a Belfast City councillor for the Castle ward between 2019 and 2023, losing his seat during last year's local government election.

Before entering politics, Mr O'Hara worked in the community and voluntary sector for almost two decades.

He was previously health manager at Ireland's largest LGBTQ+ organisation and served as a board member of two mental health charities, vice chair of the Equal Marriage Campaign in the North and as a harbour commissioner.

He said this range of experience means he can "represent all traditions from Northern Ireland as a fair arbiter".

"I look forward to joining a strong Green team in the Oireachtas and working with colleagues in government and cross-party to continue to fight for social and environmental justice," he said.

Senator Roisin Garvey, leader of the Green Party in the Seanad, welcomed Mr O'Hara.

She said: "As an all-Ireland party, it is great to have a strong voice from Belfast with vast experience in the community sector join our Green team in the Seanad."