Déirdre de Búrca
Encyclopedia
Déirdre de Búrca is a Green Party
Irish
politician and a former member of Seanad Éireann
. She had represented the party on Wicklow County Council
and Bray Town Council
from 1999 to 2007 and in the Seanad from 2007 until her resignation from the parliamentary party in 2010.
, she grew up in Loughlinstown
, County Dublin
, where she attended Ursuline Convent, Cabinteely
(now Cabinteely Community School), and Carysfort College
where she qualified as a primary school teacher. She later studied psychology at University College Dublin
and worked for Rehab Ireland as a psychologist.
She was previously an elected member of Wicklow County Council
and Bray Town Council for the Green Party. She was first elected in 1999 for the Bray district, and was returned with an increased vote in 2004, when she was also returned to the Town Council.
De Búrca attracted controversy when it was found she was recording a meeting of Wicklow county council. She claimed the meetings were being held in an undemocratic fashion, and councillors were not sufficiently accountable, particularly in relation to planning and rezoning decisions.
She ran for election to Dáil Éireann
on two occasions but was not elected: at the 2002 general election
for the Wicklow
constituency, and also at the 2007 general election in the same constituency.
She unsuccessfully contested the 2009 European Parliament election
for the Dublin constituency
.
Bertie Ahern
to Seanad Éireann
on 3 August 2007 as part of an agreement made by the Green Party under the Programme for Government. She was also appointed Member of Joint Oireachtas
Committee on European Affairs.
Her expenses were revealed to be more than €200 for every day she worked in 2009 or €20,342 in total.
She unsuccessfully contested the 2009 European Parliament
as the Green Party candidate for the Dublin constituency
. She received 19,086 first preference votes (4.7%) and was eliminated before her former party colleague Patricia McKenna
.
as party leader. The Green Party issued a statement stating that they were disappointed by De Búrca's decision but that the party would continue to implement its policies in government. She said that her failure to get a job in the cabinet
of Irish European Commissioner
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
was a trigger for her resignation from the Seanad but was not the cause of her decision.
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
politician and a former member of Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
. She had represented the party on Wicklow County Council
Wicklow County Council
Wicklow County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Wicklow in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of...
and Bray Town Council
Bray
Bray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
from 1999 to 2007 and in the Seanad from 2007 until her resignation from the parliamentary party in 2010.
Background
Born in County CorkCounty Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, she grew up in Loughlinstown
Loughlinstown
Loughlinstown is a south Dublin suburb. Located in the County of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown it lies on the N11 National Primary Route.Loughlinstown is the location of St. Columcille's Hospital, which serves both south Dublin and north Wicklow...
, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
, where she attended Ursuline Convent, Cabinteely
Cabinteely
Cabinteely is a south-eastern suburb of Dublin in Ireland, in the administrative county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.-History:There is a prehistoric burial tomb known as Brennanstown Portal Tomb, Glendruid cromlech/dolmen, or The Druids’ Altar near Cabinteely....
(now Cabinteely Community School), and Carysfort College
Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort
Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort was an important College of Education in Dublin, Ireland from its foundation in 1877 until its closure in 1988...
where she qualified as a primary school teacher. She later studied psychology at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
and worked for Rehab Ireland as a psychologist.
She was previously an elected member of Wicklow County Council
Wicklow County Council
Wicklow County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Wicklow in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of...
and Bray Town Council for the Green Party. She was first elected in 1999 for the Bray district, and was returned with an increased vote in 2004, when she was also returned to the Town Council.
De Búrca attracted controversy when it was found she was recording a meeting of Wicklow county council. She claimed the meetings were being held in an undemocratic fashion, and councillors were not sufficiently accountable, particularly in relation to planning and rezoning decisions.
She ran for election to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
on two occasions but was not elected: at the 2002 general election
Irish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
for the Wicklow
Wicklow (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Wicklow is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
constituency, and also at the 2007 general election in the same constituency.
She unsuccessfully contested the 2009 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2009 (Ireland)
The 2009 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2009 European Parliament election and was held on Friday, 5 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections...
for the Dublin constituency
Dublin (European Parliament constituency)
Dublin is a constituency of the European Parliament in Ireland. It elects 3 Members of the European Parliament using the single transferable vote form of proportional representation .-History and boundaries:...
.
Senator
She was nominated by the TaoiseachNominated by the Taoiseach
The composition of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas of Ireland, is defined in outline by Article 18 of the Constitution of Ireland, which provides for 11 appointees that are nominated by the Taoiseach...
Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
to Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
on 3 August 2007 as part of an agreement made by the Green Party under the Programme for Government. She was also appointed Member of Joint Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
Committee on European Affairs.
Her expenses were revealed to be more than €200 for every day she worked in 2009 or €20,342 in total.
She unsuccessfully contested the 2009 European Parliament
European Parliament election, 2009 (Ireland)
The 2009 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2009 European Parliament election and was held on Friday, 5 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections...
as the Green Party candidate for the Dublin constituency
Dublin (European Parliament constituency)
Dublin is a constituency of the European Parliament in Ireland. It elects 3 Members of the European Parliament using the single transferable vote form of proportional representation .-History and boundaries:...
. She received 19,086 first preference votes (4.7%) and was eliminated before her former party colleague Patricia McKenna
Patricia McKenna
Patricia McKenna is an Irish independent politician. She served as a Green Party Member of the European Parliament for the Dublin constituency from 1994 to 2004.-Background:...
.
Resignation from the Seanad
Déirde de Búrca resigned from the Green Party parliamentary party and her seat in the Seanad on 12 February 2010. She stated that she believed "that we have gradually abandoned our political values and our integrity and in many respects have become no more than an extension of the Fianna Fail party" and that she had lost confidence in John GormleyJohn Gormley
John Gormley is an Irish politician. He was the leader of the Irish Green Party from 2007 to 2011, and was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South East constituency from 1997 to 2011. He served as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government from 2007–11...
as party leader. The Green Party issued a statement stating that they were disappointed by De Búrca's decision but that the party would continue to implement its policies in government. She said that her failure to get a job in the cabinet
Cabinet (European Commission)
In the European Commission, a cabinet is the personal office of a European Commissioner. The role of a cabinet is to give political guidance to its Commissioner, while technical preparation is handled by the DGs .-Composition:The Commissioner's cabinets are seen as the real concentration of power...
of Irish European Commissioner
European Commissioner
A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn is an Irish politician, and is the current European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science. She previously served as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency from 1975 to 1997...
was a trigger for her resignation from the Seanad but was not the cause of her decision.