One of the Green Party's most senior members said today the party appeared to be in "freefall" and that the party hierarchy appeared to be "in complete denial", following the resignation of a councillor in Cork and the announcement by a Dublin councillor that she was considering her position.
Former MEP Patricia McKenna, who is a member of the party's national executive, said other senior members of the party appeared to be determined to stay in Government regardless of the cost.
Cork City Council councillor Chris O’Leary resigned from the party in protest over its role in Government and Dublin City Council member Bronwen Maher said she was "Very unhappy" and was reviewing her position. She is expected to make an announcement tomorrow.
Announcing his decision this morning, the Cork City Council member said party chiefs seemed determined to stay in government whatever the price.
He said: “I believe the party were following a stay-in-government at all costs agenda. In other words they were keeping their heads down, minding their own portfolios and were afraid to be seen to do anything in case they lost them.”
Mr O’Leary said he first expressed anger last October in the wake of budgetary cutbacks, claiming the vulnerable must be supported in the downturn.
“The Government lacks leadership, they seem to be very much like headless chickens.
"We’ve had crisis after crisis and all they’re doing is knee-jerking to the crisis. It seems that they [the Government] are only bailing out the developers, the bankers and the property speculators,” he added.
Mr O'Leary, who stood in the 2004 European elections and for the Dáil in 2007, has been with the party for almost 20 years. He was co-opted on to Cork City Council to replace now Senator Dan Boyle after Mr Boyle's election to the Dáil in 2002.
Mr O’Leary plans to contest next June’s local elections an independent councillor.
Green deputy leader Mary White said although she was “disappointed” with his decision, Mr O’Leary “always had strong doubts about our participation in Government”.
"I wish Chris well in his career as an independent councillor, but we will also ensure that the people of Cork will continue to have the opportunity to support the Greens,” she added.
This afternoon Dublin City councillor Bronwen Maher also said she would be reviewing her position within the party and she is expected to make an announcement tomorrow.
Speaking on Newstalk radio, she said: “I have been very unhappy and I am reviewing my position. There’s a lot of concern in the Green Party that we’re not achieving in government. We’ve been there for eighteen months, now, what have we achieved?”
Ms Maher said it was time for the party to analyse what has been lost since joining government.
"I could put up with it, if I felt we were actually going to achieve something or had achieved something. The fear a lot of us have is that this is going to be a wasted opportunity,” she added.
Former Green Party MEP and member of the party's national executive committee, Patricia McKenna, said she was "quite shocked" at the attitude displayed to Mr O'Leary's departure by the party hierarchy.
"Statements by deputy leader Mary White 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 OLeary'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 Dáil," she said.
"When I challenged John Gormley for party leadership I warned that we the Green Party could be in danger of losing our identity within a Fianna Fáil-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."