de Búrca resignation - Green Party policy must be coherent

Senator Déirdre de Búrca’s resignation from the Green Party and Seanad Éireann yesterday sent shockwaves through Irish politics similar to those caused by the resignation of George Lee from Fine Gael and Dáil Éireann at the start of the week.

While George Lee’s attack on the Fine Gael leader was at least thinly veiled, Senator de Búrca made no effort to hide her disillusionment with Green Party leader John Gormley. “I have lost confidence in you as party leader,” she declared in her open letter of resignation.

“I can no longer support the Green Party in Government,” Senator de Búrca added, “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.