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| Greens make assembly breakthrough | Greens make assembly breakthrough |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Green Party has won its first ever seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly. | The Green Party has won its first ever seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly. |
| The party's NI chairperson Brian Wilson was elected in the North Down constituency on the 10th count after polling 2,839 first preference votes. | The party's NI chairperson Brian Wilson was elected in the North Down constituency on the 10th count after polling 2,839 first preference votes. |
| Mr Wilson has been a councillor on North Down Borough Council since 1981, representing Alliance, then as an independent, before joining the Greens. | Mr Wilson has been a councillor on North Down Borough Council since 1981, representing Alliance, then as an independent, before joining the Greens. |
| He said he was thrilled "to have the opportunity of pushing forward Green Party policy in the assembly". | He said he was thrilled "to have the opportunity of pushing forward Green Party policy in the assembly". |
| "We are one of the youngest political parties in Northern Ireland but these elections have shown the level of support out there for our policies, and how quickly this support is growing. | "We are one of the youngest political parties in Northern Ireland but these elections have shown the level of support out there for our policies, and how quickly this support is growing. |
| "It is tremendously rewarding that the Greens will now be a permanent fixture in the political landscape of Northern Ireland," he said. | "It is tremendously rewarding that the Greens will now be a permanent fixture in the political landscape of Northern Ireland," he said. |
| Green Party leader Trevor Sargent, a member of the Irish parliament, said Mr Wilson's election was a breakthrough for the party in the whole of Ireland. | Green Party leader Trevor Sargent, a member of the Irish parliament, said Mr Wilson's election was a breakthrough for the party in the whole of Ireland. |
| "Brian's election, which resulted from extensive cross-community support, means that there is now Green representation at every level of political power on this island," Mr Sargent said. | "Brian's election, which resulted from extensive cross-community support, means that there is now Green representation at every level of political power on this island," Mr Sargent said. |
| Mr Wilson, a member of Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, joined the Green Party three years ago. | |
| He is also a member of North Down District Policing Partnership and a governor of Rathmore Primary School. | He is also a member of North Down District Policing Partnership and a governor of Rathmore Primary School. |