THE leader of the Northern Ireland Green Party has apologised at his party's annual conference for his handling of an issue which saw a councillor resign from the party.
In a recent radio interview Steven Agnew backed up comments by the Greens' leader in England and Wales, Natalie Bennett, that it should not be illegal to be a member of a terrorist organisation. That led to the resignation of North Down representative Noelle Robinson.
Mr Agnew told his party's annual conference he was sorry that he had not sought advice from party members before giving the interview and that he would learn from the episode.
He said that non-violence was one of the Green Party's fundamental principles and referring to the DUP and Ulster Unionist electoral pact, said his party was opposed to such arrangements.
"To those who say such pacts are not sectarian I say why does your party garner support almost exclusively from only a single religious background?
"But even if we leave aside the sectarian nature of such pacts there is one thing that these parties admit when they make such agreements.
The North Down MLA spoke about the upcoming general election in May describing a "Green surge" that had seen membership of the party treble in Northern Ireland and Britain.
He also announced the party will run five candidates for Westminster.
Mr Agnew will stand in North Down, while councillor Ross Brown will run in East Belfast, and deputy leader Clare Bailey in South Belfast.
Tanya Jones will also stand in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, and Ciaran McClean in West Tyrone.
"We head into the Westminster election in a stronger position than ever, he told delegates.
"The Green surge across the UK has seen our membership treble since our conference last year. This is unprecedented growth in the history of this party. But it is more significant than that. The history of politics in Northern Ireland has meant that party loyalty has been fierce - generations of families all voting for the one party or along constitutional lines. To any different could be seen as an act of betrayal.
He said people "are excited by the Green surge, they are excited by what Caroline Lucas is doing in Westminster, what Patrick Harvey is doing in Holyrood and they are excited by what I am doing in Stormont".
Mr Agnew said his children's bill, which has reached its second stage in the assembly, would impose a statutory duty on government departments to work together to improve outcomes for children.
"We will play our part in delivering the largest ever Green vote in a UK general election - we will help make the poll prediction of an 8 per cent Green share a reality," he said.