Exclusive: 'Little confidence in cabinet members', Cork councillor resigns from Green Party 

Cork City councillor Lorna Bogue has announced her resignation from the Green Party.

In a statement issued to The Echo this morning outlining her reasons, Ms Bogue who has previously highlighted concerns about the party, indicated that the party's handling of the controversial Mother and Baby Homes Bill was the final straw for her.

"On Thursday the 22nd of October I formally resigned from the Green Party – An Comhaontas Glas.

"I did so because it became very clear to me that the leadership of the Green Party lacks the competence to make a substantive difference to the way that the Irish State treats its most mistreated groups – as evinced by the handling of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission Bill," she began.

Ms Bogue said that whilst she believed the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O'Gorman was “coming from a well-intentioned position” she disagreed with how the matter was handled.

“I cannot say to my constituents in Cork City South East, who live in the shadow of Bessborough Mother and Baby Home, that the Green Party engaged on this issue with a full understanding of its seriousness, nor with the close attention and careful handling that it deserves,” she said.

Ms Bogue also highlighted further reasons for her resignation from the party and claimed there was "active hostility" towards women in the party. 

“I have frequently pointed out the issue of misogyny in the Green Party, and the need for institutional change, but the active hostility towards women continues.

“My call to address this was never taken seriously by the leadership, or by head office,” she said.

“Fundamentally, my disappointment lies in the fact that the shared values of the organisation that I joined have been devalued by the leadership of the party.

“I continue to share and espouse these values.

“I will continue to work with the Cork Green Party councillors on Cork City Council, as they have been very supportive of me and my criticism of the party throughout our time in government.

“I still believe the party is full of people who are well-intentioned and are doing their best, however, I have little confidence in the ability of the Green Party cabinet members to govern nor in the structures of the Party to hold them to account,” she continued.

Ms Bogue will now act as an Independent councillor within Cork City Council.

“My resignation is a matter between myself and my constituents, and as such I am informing them that I will be continuing in my role, but as an Independent councillor.

“I have made the anger and hurt caused by the Green Party to my constituents known at the highest levels of the Party. I hope that this is heeded.

“To best serve my constituents I must place my energies into advocacy and improving their wellbeing, rather than holding back the worst excesses of a small cohort in a small political party.

“I hope that the Green Party will identify the systemic origins of this and other issues within the organisation before further damage is done to the real lives of real people,” she said.