Eamon Ryan still has a long way to go in politics and promises he will still be “campaigning in my 90s.”
The Green Party leader wouldn’t be drawn on exactly how long he would remain leader of the party, but moved to reassure reporters that he isn’t going any time soon.
He suggested he could still be there for decades to come, saying he was healthy and putting much of this down to the massive amount of cycling he does.
Mr Ryan was speaking to reporters at a Christmas interview on Zoom because all ministers were self-isolating after Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConologue, tested positive for Covid on Wednesday.
Mr Ryan was asked how long he would continue as leader of the Greens and he said his first and immediate priority is getting the vaccine rolled out nationwide.
He said: “It is probably six months in truth, it will take to get the vaccine rolled out.
“When you listen to the experts in Europe and here on what it takes and the difficulty is getting people to take it and a whole range of other different reasons.
“I’ll be honest.
“If we can get through that six months and we don’t have what we are seeing in some other countries where you really lose control, I’m not thinking beyond that. We need absolute razor focus on that.
“In that six months, I will have to introduce a new Climate Action Plan which will be the most ambitious ever seen anywhere pretty much.
“I would love to find a country which has reduced its emissions by 50% in 10 years.
“That is what we are going to try and do.
“I have a job to develop that plan in the next six months and we will do a review of the national development plan in the next six months.
“I have spent forty years as a transport campaigner.
“I have a once in a lifetime chance to really change the direction of Irish Transport towards a more sustainable, more socially progressive mode.
“If I could do that in the next six months, and I think I can.
“I have got two Departments, it is a lot of work but I work well with them and I think they get on well with me.
“Those three things – if we can help manage the covid crisis, if I can deliver a really ambitious climate action plan and if I can transform the transport future for our country and use this Covid to build back better opportunities – the future after that will look after itself.”
He was asked then if this would be a good time for him to go.
He said: “No, no, no, I plan to… There is a guy called Mayer Hillman, he is a UK Doctor and a very healthy fella, he was a cycling campaigner and one of the first people I got involved with in public life.
“And he was brilliant, he always said cycling makes you live longer.
“I did a health test recently and, God, I need to be eating less fat and being much healthier. “The Doctor said something that is true, just simple measures and people now will be able to live into our eighties and be really active into our eighties, if you keep cycling, if you eat a bit healthier and don’t drink so much. I tend to be bouncing around.
“I will be climate campaigning in my eighties, I hope, and nineties.”
Mr Ryan promised that the new e-scooter legislation to regulate the ever-growing number of eco-friendly vehicles will be with us by the end of next month.
He said: “Early in the new year we will have it published and out.”
He added: “January.”
