Lorna Bogue is the latest member of the Green Party to resign

Lorna Bogue highlighted her ill-treatment at the hands of the party in a statement. File picture:

Cork city councillor Lorna Bogue has become the latest member of the Green Party to resign amid fallout from the Mother and Baby Homes controversy. 

Her resignation follows a wave of other departures, amid claims that the party does not listen to internal criticism. 

The leaders of the Young Greens and Queer Greens also resigned last week.

Tiernan Mason, chair of the Queer Greens and Tara Gilsenan, chair of the Young Greens, published an open letter on social media, outlining their reasons for leaving.

They claimed they were "overlooked, left out, ignored, bullied, and harassed" by other Green Party members, including elected officials.

Similarly, Ms Bogue highlighted her ill-treatment at the hands of the party.

"I have frequently pointed out the issue of misogyny in the Green Party, and the need for institutional change, but the active hostility towards women continues," she said in a statement.

"My call to address this was never taken seriously by the leadership, or by head office.

"Fundamentally, my disappointment lies in the fact that the shared values of the organisation that I joined have been devalued by the leadership of the party."

Ms Bogue finally decided to resign last Thursday over the Government's handling of the sealing of the Mother and Baby Homes records for 30 years.

The bill was strongly criticised by survivor groups and opposition parties alike, and the Minister for Children Roderic O'Gorman, Ms Bogue's Green Party colleague, came in for particular criticism.

It is understood the Green Party Leader, Eamon Ryan, has yet to contact Ms Bogue over her resignation.

"I'm not waiting for him to contact me, but it's not professional conduct. I have given a lot of time to the party. Any councillor should expect a phone call as a courtesy," she told the Irish Examiner.

Ms Bogue said the Greens have not yet made public the number of resignations from the party over the past few days.

The outspoken councillor had previously been critical of the programme for government, as well as the Green Party's handling of the Shannon LNG project.

Ms Bogue has represented constituents in the Cork City South East ward since the local elections in May 2019.

She will continue in her capacity as councillor, but as an independent.

In a statement, the Green Party said:

“The Green Party would like to thank councillor Lorna Bogue for her tireless work with the Party over the past years. The Green Party was saddened to receive councillor Bogue’s resignation and wishes her the very best with her work on climate and social justice at local and national level."