Gormley denies that Fianna Fáil is 'running rings' around the Greens

GREEN PARTY leader John Gormley has insisted the party is united and is not having difficulties with its Coalition partner Fianna Fáil.

Mr Gormley was speaking after Deirdre de Búrca announced her resignation from the party and the Seanad saying she had lost confidence in Mr Gormley, claiming Fianna Fáil had “run rings” around the Greens.

Mr Gormley said his party was exerting significant influence in Government and he dismissed as “entirely without foundation” the criticisms outlined in Ms de Búrca’s letter of resignation.

“You only have to look at what we’re implementing over the last week. For example, the Dublin mayoralty, endorsement of our waste policy . . . only this week we had members of Fianna Fáil saying we had too much influence in Government,” he said.

“We are united as a parliamentary party, we are united as a Green Party.”

Ms de Búrca failed in her bid to become an MEP in the European elections last June. She was nominated to the Seanad in 2007 by then taoiseach Bertie Ahern after two unsuccessful attempts to become a TD.

Mr Gormley confirmed Ms de Búrca had recently expressed an interest in becoming a member of Máire Geoghegan-Quinn’s cabinet but the new European commissioner had “said that wasn’t possible”. He did not know if this was the reason why Ms de Búrca had resigned her position, adding that this was not reflected in her letter.

Green Minister of State Trevor Sargent had earlier said Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Mr Gormley both backed Ms de Búrca for the position. “Even though our leader John Gormley and the Taoiseach Brian Cowen were supportive of a proposal it is a matter for the commissioner, an independent office, to make her decision,” Mr Sargent told RTÉ Radio One’s News at One programme.

Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan insisted Mr Gormley was a strong and capable leader who had the support of the parliamentary party.

Mr Ryan said he had a fundamental difference with Ms de Búrca in terms of her analysis of the party’s achievements in Government. He believed the party was doing the public a service in Government and was “greening” the country.

He said he had not lobbied for Ms de Búrca to become part of Ms Geoghegan-Quinn’s cabinet.

Dublin West TD Paul Gogarty said Ms de Búrca had made “outrageous” and “inaccurate” accusations, in what he said was an attempt to deflect attention from the “real reason” for her departure. He would not comment on what he believed that reason was.

The party’s deputy leader Mary White, TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, said the Greens were saddened by Ms de Búrca’s decision. “We wish her well. As a parliamentary party we’re standing here today very united. We’re pleased with the way we’re working in Government,” Ms White said.

Referring to Ms de Búrca’s European election defeat last June, Ms White said she knew from personal experience it was “difficult to pick yourself up” after such events. The Greens had done a huge amount “to represent women and try and have good gender balance”, she added.

Asked if the parliamentary party had been meeting every day to discuss difficulties getting Fianna Fáil to co-operate on implementing agreed policy, as Ms de Búrca alleged, Dún Laoghaire TD Ciarán Cuffe said “no we haven’t” but Mr Ryan said “we are”.

The Green Party’s TDs and Senators issued a statement yesterday morning saying they were aware Ms de Búrca had “been unhappy with her situation” for some time.

“Our position has remained the same since entering Government in June 2007. We have come to do a job and as long as we are getting that job done we will stay. If we are not making progress, we will think again.”

The statement said eight out of 10 party members endorsed the Greens’ entry into Government in 2007 and the same number backed that view in October 2009 when they were presented with the renewed programme for Government.