exclusive Revealed: Ryan marginally ahead of Martin among Greens' councillors but leadership race on a knife-edge

The Green leadership battle kicked off at the weekend after Ms Martin declared she wanted to oust Mr Ryan as leader, despite the party being in the middle of talks to form a government with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

Mr Ryan, who is broadly in favour of entering government, has come under pressure from some party members in recent weeks who are reluctant to go into coalition with the Civil War parties.

Many of them have nominated Ms Martin, who voted against entering negotiations.

Despite her opposition, Ms Martin is leading the Greens' negotiating team - but Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael believe her announcement at the weekend "destabilised" the ongoing efforts to form a government.

Around 2,700 Green Party members will be eligible to vote when the contest, which party rules dictate must happen within six months of a general election, formally begins next month.

The result of a postal ballot is expected on July 23.

Ms Martin is thought to have over 200 nominations from party members, well ahead of Mr Ryan, but the incumbent leads among councillors, according to this newspaper's survey.

He has the support of 15 councillors, 13 of whom declared their intentions publicly, while Ms Martin has the backing of 14 councillors, 11 of whom declared publicly.

Several Green councillors said the contest was unhelpful in the midst of efforts to form a government.

Clare councillor Róisín Garvey did not declare either way, but said: "I'm puzzled why a leader with a six-fold increase in Dáil seats should face a challenge."

Among Mr Ryan's supporters there is a strong belief that he has served the party well over the past nine years, having taken over at a time when it had no Dáil seats in 2011.

Dún Laoghaire councillor Tom Kivlehan said "the party would be extinct" without Mr Ryan, while Offaly councillor Mark Hackett said Mr Ryan "deserves all the credit" for increasing the number of Green representatives.

Waterford councillor Jody Power criticised the timing of the contest and Ms Martin's decision to declare. "I just feel it's a bit inappropriate at this time to bring up the leadership issue," he said.

Limerick councillor Seán Hartigan said: "I didn't think now was the time for a challenge. I think it could have been left off until after the government was decided.

"I don't think declaring yourself as a candidate is showing leadership."

Westmeath councillor Hazel Smyth said Mr Ryan's "experience and expertise" would be valuable during the impending economic crisis.

Another Ryan backer, Cork city councillor and former senator and party chair Dan Boyle said: "I feel Catherine Martin could be a future Green Party leader. But not now."

Ms Martin's supporters include many councillors who were elected for the first time in last year's local elections.

Wicklow councillor Lourda Scott said: "She is the person to lead the party into the future."

Dublin city councillor Sophie Nicoullaud said it was "good to have a change", while South Dublin councillor Liam Sinclair said Ms Martin is "a more pragmatic person who we need moving forward to take [us] onto the next chapter".

Fingal councillor Daniel Whooley said: "It's a new era for the party and I think Catherine is the woman for that."

Ms Martin's supporters defended her decision to declare her intention to run in an email to some members at the weekend. South Dublin councillor Peter Kavanagh said: "It's a respectful and friendly contest. The timing was as much caused by foot-dragging entering talks by the two other parties."

Cork city councillor Lorna Bogue said her support for Ms Martin was driven by concerns over the imposition of budget cuts in the coming years if the party enters government: "Other parties are wrongly trying to equate tackling climate change with austerity."

Meanwhile, 21 Green councillors had not decided or did not wish to declare publicly.

Four did not respond.