Green Party senator resigns from party

Senator Deirdre De Burca has resigned from the Green party and the Seanad.

In a letter posted on her website, Ms De Burca said she was doing so because she believes the party has become no more than an obedient "add-on" to Fianna Fáil.

In a letter to party leader John Gormley, the senator accused him of having done a disservice to the party and its members in allowing a drift to occur.

“I regret to say that I can no longer support the Green Party in Government as I believe that we have gradually abandoned our political values and our integrity and in many respects have become no more than an extension of the Fianna Fáil party,” she said.In a letter to Mr Gormley, the senator accused him of having done a disservice to the party and its members in allowing a drift to occur.

The Green Party has said her resignation is disappointing but not unexpected.

Deirdre De Burca was nominated to the Seanad in 2007 when the Green Party entered Government with Fianna Fáil.

The former Wicklow county councillor has now resigned from her seat and the party saying she could no longer support the Greens in Government.

In a letter to the party leader, Ms De Burca said she believed they have abandoned their political values and integrity.

Ms de Burca accused Mr Gormley of not being able to take a stronger line with Taoiseach Brian Cowen and his Fianna Fáil party, who she claimed were not cooperating in implementing policy initiatives agreed in the Programme for Government.

"Any suggestion that we challenge Fianna Fail, 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 maintained this had been slowly haemorrhaging party support.

Ms de Burca said it appeared holding on to office and seats had become more important to the party than holding on to its fundamental political purpose.

“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.

She also directly questioned Mr Gormley's leadership of the party.

"It is with regret also that I must also inform you that I have lost confidence in you as Party leader," she said.

"Despite the fact that you have been asked on many occasions over the past few months by the Parliamentary Party to take a stronger line with Brian Cowen and the Fianna Fáil party in relation to certain core issues, you have clearly been unable, or unwilling to do so."

"I believe that in your role as Party leader you have done a disservice to the Green Party and to its members in allowing this ‘drift’ to occur."

The Green Party leadership has faced severe criticism from its members and supporters since it entered into a coalition government in 2007.

Just over a year ago three councillors quit amid claims of a growing split between the leadership and grassroots.

When Letterkenny town councillor Neil Clarke resigned in December 2008 he said he had become disillusioned with the party chiefs and felt he could not go before voters again as a Green.

Within weeks, Cork city councillor Chris O’Leary and Dublin representative Bronwen Maher left the party.

Mr O’Leary, who had been one of the most senior party figures in Munster, said he believed the Greens had followed a “stay in Government at all costs” agenda.

Ms Maher accused the leadership of unethical conduct and criticised its failure to speak out at Budget cuts.