Cox eyes TD race after FF split
The Galway businesswoman said she had no fear standing up for her beliefs and hit out at several leading ministers after handing in her letter of resignation.
The assertive senator insisted she would not be afraid of speaking out against Fianna Fáil, while also admitting that maybe no party suited her.
“I was never in Fianna Fáil to get favours, I was in the party to represent people of Galway west. I tried to stay inside the party, I tried to raise the issues internally in the party. It didn’t seem like I was getting the message through and for that reason I had to move outside to make them listen to me.”
Following her father, Tom Cox, Ms Cox became involved in politics in 1995 and was elected senator in Galway west in 1997. In 2002, not getting a Dáil seat, she was re-elected as senator.
She has controversially spoken out on health issues, including cancer screening and maternity leave, as well objecting to the recentFinance Bill.
Her party did not nominate her to the Fianna Fáil ticket for the upcoming General Election this year.
She denied begrudging them this yesterday, but was frank about her disappointment with ministers.
The 43-year-old criticised Finance Minister Brian Cowen’s allocation of funds for the west.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Ms Cox said: “I had issues in relation to childcare and Minister McDowell’s approach to childcare.
“In relation to health, can I say very clearly, the issue of breast check sat on (Health Minister) Mary Harney’s desk for six months, from September to March, before it was moved forward in any meaningful way and that six months has cost people’s lives in the west of Ireland. I find that difficult to accept.”
In a statement, Fianna Fáil said it was “surprised” by her resignation. It defended recent infrastructure and employment growth in the west.
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