The election of Minister for the Environment John Gormley as leader of the Green Party marks a further step in its transformation into a modern political organisation.
For the very first time, direction and political control will come from within Government. And while that development may be unwelcome to some traditional supporters who hanker after the decentralised structures of the past, it offers obvious benefits as the party prepares for the local and European elections of 2009.
Having voted by a margin of six to one in favour of entering Government, the contest between Mr Gormley and anti-coalitionist Patricia McKenna for the position of leader was widely regarded as a foregone conclusion. And so it proved. The position created by Trevor Sargent's resignation was comprehensively secured.
There will be tough and uncomfortable times ahead. Entering Government, not on explicitly agreed policy grounds but on the basis of Ministers promoting a Green agenda at Cabinet, involved considerable risk. Early and convincing evidence will be required to show that Green Ministers are making a substantial difference to the way things are being done if the party is to develop. And Opposition parties have already identified Government policy on the use of Shannon by US forces, the hospital co-location programme and the M3 at Tara as evidence of failure.
In spite of that, the gradualist, work-in-progress approach embraced by the party offers opportunities for tackling carbon dioxide emissions, introducing a carbon tax and reforming local government administration and planning matters. Elements of its taxation policies may also be adopted in Government. In such a situation, the party will need to aggressively advertise its successes in order to ward off the overwhelming influence of Fianna Fáil. Members have accepted the changes required by a party of government, where flexibility and rapid decision-taking can make the difference between political relevance and background noise.
It has been a steep learning curve. Up to six years ago, the Green Party rejected the notion of a centralised leadership and policy was decided through a process of widespread consultation. That changed when Trevor Sargent and Mary Whyte were elected as leader and deputy leader in 2001 and members agreed to transfer power to parliamentary level. The main architect of that change was Mr Gormley.
Since then, the party has had good and bad elections. Last May, the party promised much but delivered little, securing less than five per cent of the vote and holding its Dáil representation at six seats. It was a disappointing outcome. But the agreed strategy of entering Government prevailed. The new leader has a tightrope to walk. He must avoid being overwhelmed by his Government partners while, at the same time, promoting the Green Party as a responsible and voter-friendly organisation that can make a real difference.