De Burca Resigns From Senate And Green Party

Ms De Burca was nominated to the Seanad in 2007 when the Green Party entered Government as a coalition parter of Fianna Fáil.

The former Wicklow county councillor resigned her seat and the Green Party accusing party leader John Gormley T.D., of failing to stand up to Taoiseach Brian Cowen T.D. and his party, saying that they had not met their promises of implementing Green Party policies in the Program for Government.

"Any suggestion that we challenge Fianna Fáil, or face it down over important issues, seems to bring up a great fear in us that we will have to leave Government," she said.

"In fact, staying in Government appears to have become an end in itself now for the Green Party.

"While I was always aware that our political inexperience as a party would leave us vulnerable to being manipulated by Fianna Fáil in government, what I hadn't predicted was the strong attachment to office that appears to have developed since we became part of Government."

She also claimed that this process had been damaging the party's support in the country and that clinging to office had become more important to the Party that keeping its political promises.

"We have lost our way as a party and I am sad to say that it has reached a point where I, and most of the people I know, will be unable to vote Green in the next election," she added.

The Green Party's T.D.s and senators issued a statement rebutting her claims which noted that: "We are disappointed by Deirdre's decision. We are aware that she has been unhappy with her situation for some time."

They also denied that the Party was split, insisting that, "the Parliamentary Party is totally united. We will continue to operate in a collegiate way.

"The Green Party is about implementing progressive policies and improving our society. We are serving in Government at a critical time for the country, and we have made tough choices that are vital to the peoples' interests."

The statement also dealt with her message that the Party had abandoned its core values and policies, saying: "In Government we have brought about huge changes in Ireland's energy, planning and enterprise policies. In recent months we have introduced civil partnerships legislation, a levy on carbon and a major program of political reform, including a directly elected mayor for Dublin this year. Our policies have created tens of thousands of new, valuable jobs.

"Our position has remained the same since entering Government in June 2007. We have come to do a job and as long as we are getting that job done we will stay. If we are not making progress, we will think again. Eight out of 10 of our members backed that view in 2007 when they endorsed the Party's entry into Government. Precisely the same number again backed that view in October 2009 when they were presented with the Renewed Program for Government."