Patricia McKenna to Quit Greens and Run as Independent
Read more about: Features, Green Party 
For Europe, an effort to get back into parliament. @Deirdredeburca probably won’t be happy. She also dishes the dirt in a Hot Press interview.
Former MEP Patricia McKenna has confirmed she is to quit the Green Party and run in the forthcoming European elections as an Independent candidate.
Ms McKenna said she took the decision to leave the party because of its performance in government.
In an interview with Hot Press magazine, to be published tomorrow, she brands her Green Party colleagues in the Dáil as “nothing but hypocrites.”“I feel embarrassed about being a member of the Green Party because of what we said in the past and the promises we made, which we failed to deliver on,” she said. “I just knew that I couldn’t run under a Green Party ticket and pretend that everything was alright because I’d be lying.”
She accused the party of “selling out” and said they would probably “be glad to get rid of me because I keep reminding them of the promises they have reneged on.”
She claimed Minister for the Environment John Gormley has lost all credibility and accused Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan of abandoning key Green campaigns. “I really don’t know how Eamon can live with himself after all his promises,” she said.
Deirdre de Burca has a robust response.
“The pity about Patricia McKenna’s move is that she did not do it at least a year ago and spare herself and her party colleagues a lot of time-wasting and strife. It has been increasingly clear that she does not share the same views on many issues with Green Party members,” Senator de Burca said.
Senator de Burca said Patricia McKenna had remained in the party for a very long time, offering little beyond constant criticisms which proved very undermining for her colleagues.
“In my view she is addicted to the politics of opposition and appears reluctant to move beyond that comfort zone,” she said. “The Green Party is committed to the constructive politics of engagement and bringing about real change from within.”
The Green Party Senator said extracts from a magazine interview with Ms McKenna, which offer specific criticisms of the two Green Party ministers, are misleading and quite simply wrong.
Deirdre vs. McKenna might liven up the Dublin campaign.
Ah now in fairnees deBurcas entire time in Wicklow was ONLY “the politics of opposition”
Ah Wicklow CC – the haven of the corrupt and the idiotic. Zone more land for housing without facilities – why not! Good kind of opposition there Ian.
Angry and bitter woman. She just can’t accept her lunatic fringe extreme green ideology and ceaseless consipracy theory mentality is rejected by the majority of the population and the majority of her own party.
Patricia
decision to run as idependent candidate is to be welomed. along with Mary Lou mc Donald, Joe Higgins, they stood with the people to oppose the bully boy and brown envelope brigade to oppose the neo liberal politics of Europe. by opposing the Lisbon treaty. Patricia is a person true to her beliefs
if we believe in accountability and justice I would have no problem in recommending that people vote for these three candidates in the upcoming euro eections.
Well done Patricia.
The green party are nothing short of a disgrace to the members who voted for them and their policies, which they have totally abandoned for seats of power in the most obnoxious (Final fail) government any where in the democratic world.
Lets remind ourselves that Fina Fail bullied its way to power all those years ago; it was not capable then of negotiating terms to a civilized independence and it is still not capable or to be trusted now in our present economic climate.
They are a shower of nasty, corrupt bullies, dictators.
If we don’t realize this by now; then we deserve them.
If this despicable Fina Fail party had its way it would sell our country for a fist full of money.
Lets get them out of power and get them out NOW. They are a philistine party. MORAL LEPERS EVERY ONE OF THEM.
I’ll be voting for you Patricia and if there is anything I can to do help you in your campaign then I will. I’ll find a way to contact you.
Well done and Best of Luck in you’re campaign to represent us in Europe.