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Chris O Leary, Cork Green Councillor and European Election candidate in 2004 resigned from the party today in protest at their role in government.
Chris O’Leary announced the decision this morning, saying he plans to contest next June’s local elections an independent councillor.
Mr O’Leary thanked his constituents for all their support and pledged to continue working for them in
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I’ve known a lot of politicians in my lifetime and I’ve known few, if any, whoever resigned from party or position on a matter of principle. Usually the calculation that is made involves what’s most likely to keep them in with the electorate and secure their position rather than any issue of absolute principle, since compromising your most cherished principles is part and parcel of being in politics anyway, especially if you jooin up iwth any mainstream political party. There are people who also just get tired of the game and want to do something different with their lives, and that’s fine and to be applauded really, and usually they opt completely out of politics anyway.
So if my analysis is correct then many of these resignations on ‘policy’ grounds have nothing whatsoever to do with serving the public. Likely, more to do with self-interest or cowardice or inability or unwillingness to take the heat – in short having no principles at all.
Don’t know about the rest of, but I wouldn’t vote for that kind of person to be my public representative. So goodnight and good luck to them all.
Well said Veronica.
Statement tonight from former MEP, Patricia Mc Kenna:
PRESS STATEMENT BY GREEN PARTY’S PATRICIA McKENNA
Former Green Party MEP and member of the party’s National Executive Committee, Patricia McKenna, has strongly criticised her party’s attitude to the resignation today of its most senor elected representative in Munster.
Ms. McKenna said, “I am quite shocked at the cavalier attitude displayed by the party hierarchy towards the departure of our most important elected representative in the Munster region. Chris O’Leary is a long-time member of the party and our only representative in Cork City Council.
She said, “Statements by Deputy Leader, Mary White TD and Senator Dan Boyle that “his decision to resign was not unexpected beggar belief. Our party is in free-fall and they appear to be in complete denial. Chris O’Leary’s resignation would not have happened if the party had admitted to its failings in Government and had made a commitment to return to its true values. As party Chairperson Dan should be gravely concerned that key figures representing the core values of the party are finding it impossible to remain in the party. Chris was instrumental in getting Dan Boyle elected to the Dail”.
McKenna went on to say, “The suggestion in the party’s press statement that “personal and local reasons were behind his decision” is disingenuous in the extreme. The party leadership knows that Chris would find it impossible to represent a party he no longer has confidence in. Is this the price we must pay for the privilege of doing Fianna Fail’s dirty work? The party are now treating their most important asset, the grass roots, with the same contempt they have displayed to the voters so bitterly betrayed by our election promises.”
“When I challenged John Gormley for party leadership I warned that we the Green Party could be in danger of loosing our identity within a Fianna Fail led government and that appears to be exactly what is now happening. The Party has adopted a head in the sand approach and a mentality of stay in Government regardless of the cost.”
I don’t think that anybody in government is performing to the required standard at the moment, and while I think that Greens need to be more vocal, I can’t help but feel that Chris O’Leary’s defection would have more meaning if he had actually proposed specific, realistic, researched alternative measures to the one’s he proposed. Perhaps, he has and I’m ignorant of them, but
Under normal circumstances, leaving a party pure because of opposition to a policy isn’t a bad thing, but at the moment, things are different. It doesn’t really take much courage to jump off a sinking ship.
No party should ever go into government if they want to be liked.
chris has been complaining for a while… and the greens in cork have always been in a bit of disarray.
been a party member for 4 years almost. and a young green for 5. chris o leary is in my ward. he is going to find it hard to retain his seat. people voted for the green party in my area, not him. he was largely unknown when he got elected. ( i voted for him because he was a green not because i knew who he was).
he also has a bad rep among the youth for being a cranky old man who constantly complain about kids. so he’s lost the youth green vote. which is the primary vote of the green party.
I intend on running to replace him as the green party representative in my ward…. once the green party choose me as a candidate( i do have competition in my ward but hopefully I’m more prepared).
In all fairness Stephen referring to Chris O’Leary as a cranky old man when he has had to put up with the likes of this at his own home is a bit out of order on your part.
http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2007/05/18/story33032.asp
And if you are intent on standing as candidate you will need the support of more than ‘the youth’ to get selected not to mind elected. I wonder if those running against you at the selection convention will pass up the opportunity to advise members of your blasé attitude to anti-social behaviour.
Interesting though that you say you’re more prepared and that your site was registered back at the end of Oct ’08. Was there perhaps the hint of a heave against Chris O’Leary brewing that we should know about? Was this the personal/local matters that Dan Boyle has been alluding to?
The smugness of Green wannabes persists, even in the face of the backlash facing the party. The party will be wiped out in the next few elections, thanks to their betrayal of voters who actually believed they would not be as cynical as the mainstream parties. They’re a disgrace.
well the green vote is mainly the youth according to research done by the green party back in 2002 before the last local elections.
I’d rather not discuss Chris any further to be honest for fear of seeming crankier myself. but i’m just quoting what other people have been saying. its either that or ….who? he has a much better profile nationally than locally.
I myself have little profile either way. so it’ll be a tough battle… should my ward chose me as their green party representative.
lest i remind you he was the only green cllr on cork city council. that’s the real shame. leaving everything to FF and FG.