Green failures again criticised by de Búrca

THE GREEN party should withdraw from the coalition with Fianna Fáil “sooner rather than later”, former party senator Déirdre de Búrca has said in a further stinging critique of her former colleagues.

The party had found itself supporting legislation that “conflicts with its fundamental principles”, particularly on Nama, Ms de Búrca claimed.

The party’s failure, as she saw it, to negotiate successfully over even one of its “flagship” issues – such as the Shannon stopover, Tara or the Corrib gas project – had created “an unfortunate public perception that we were willing to trade key policy concessions for high office”.

Writing in the latest issue of Village magazine, Ms de Búrca claims the Green parliamentary party has been “effectively paralysed” by a combination of “weak leadership, an attachment to political office and a morbid fear of provoking an election”.

She resigned last month from the Seanad, where she was a Taoiseach’s nominee, over the failure of her party leadership, as she saw it, to secure an appointment for her to the cabinet of Ireland’s European commissioner, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.

In her article, she acknowledges the Greens have secured some achievements in Government, including the introduction of a carbon tax and new building regulations providing for greater energy efficiency.

Ms de Búrca remains a member of the Green Party, which is due to hold its national convention in Waterford on March 26th-28th.