Parting company with the party

PREVIOUS DEFECTIONS:A number of other high-profile Greens have left the party in recent months.

Patricia McKenna: She left the party in May 2009, accusing the Greens of "selling out". Her comments prompted then senator Déirdre de Búrca to claim Ms McKenna had offered the Greens nothing but criticism.

Ms McKenna had represented the Green Party in the European Parliament for two terms. She went on to stand unsuccessfully as an Independent in last year’s European elections, securing more votes than Ms de Búrca.

Chris O'Leary: The only Green on Cork City Council, Chris O'Leary announced he was leaving the party in January of last year because of a "stay-in-government-at-all-costs" agenda. He is now an Independent councillor.

Bronwyn Maher: A day after Mr O'Leary's announcement, Dublin City councillor Bronwyn Maher resigned from the Greens citing "irreconcilable differences" on equality and social justice policy and the direction of the party leadership. She went on to join the Labour Party.

Neil Clarke: resigned from the party and Letterkenny Town Council in December 2008. He said he had become disillusioned and felt he could not go before voters again as a Green.