A former member of the Green Party's Executive Committee says it is "inevitable" that there will be more resignations from the party.
High-profile councillor Lorna Bogue became the latest politician to leave the Green Party today.
She has been a vocal critic of the party in Government and said she has little confidence in Green Party Ministers.
Councillor Bogue told the Cork Echo the party's handling of the Mother and Baby Homes Bill was the last straw.
She joins the chairpersons of the Young Greens and the Queer Greens in quitting the party in the last week.
Cork city councillor and our colleague of 6 years, @LornaBogue, has announced her resignation from the party.
Thank you, Lorna, for your years of energy and commitment. We'll continue to work together in Cork.
The statement attached was issued by our elected reps this morning. pic.twitter.com/q68W3xI2Cr— Cork Greens (@CorkGreens) October 27, 2020
Aengus Ó Corráin, who was Councillor Bogue's campaign manager in 2016, told The Hard Shoulder there are two key reasons for the string of resignations.
He said: "First, I think because there's been a failure of competence, in particular in regard to the communication from the parliamentary party and the Ministers since we've entered Government and I think that's contributed to massive misunderstandings of our first few policy initiatives.
"Second, I think it's happening because the grassroots and the Councillors below the TDs feel they are being ignored and criticisms they have of how the party does business at the highest level is not being listened to.
"I think it's a sense of frustration more than anything else that Lorna has resigned.
"There's a feeling that there's not receptiveness in leadership towards criticisms be they constructive or otherwise."
Mr Ó Corráin said that Councillor Bogue would have been among the Green Party members who voted against entering Government and he said it would have been based on the climate and social justice issues aspect of the deal.
We as a party should be seriously concerned to lose such able people. @greenparty_ie must do more to try and show seriousness on climate and social justice only that way can we hope to get some of these people back or prevent more leaving. 10/17
— Aengus Ó Corráin (@Aocorrain) October 27, 2020
He added: "The fears that we're now seeing in the resignations are caused by the fact of party members like Lorna seeing those fears realised.
"I don't think I would be betraying confidence to say that Lorna has been struggling with her membership of the party for quite some time."
He said there is an attitude of prevalent among some people in the party of "quashing any criticism without thought, even if that criticism is well-founded".
Mr Ó Corráin said: "There's a feeling that the leadership at the top of the party are unwilling to listen to any concerns and legitimate concerns that are going to be raised.
"I think if the Greens are going to do well in this Government they need to communicate well and they need to be in a position to explain what they're doing.
"I would think [more resignations] would be inevitable unless we see a drastic change in attitude from our leadership and I think they've been found wanting."
