Déirdre de Búrca (born 22 October 1963) is an Irish former

Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as environmentalism and social justice. Green party platforms typically embrace Social democracy, social democratic economic policies and fo ...

politician who served as a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

from 2007 to 2010, after being

Nominated by the Taoiseach A candidate, or nominee, is a prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position. For example, one can be a candidate for membership in a group or election to an office, in which case a ...

. She was a

Wicklow County Council Wicklow County Council () is the local authority of County Wicklow, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning an ...

lor and a Bray Town Councillor from 1999 to 2007.

Background

Born in

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

, she grew up in

Loughlinstown Loughlinstown () is a southern Dublin suburb, located in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, on the N11 national road. Loughlinstown is the location of St. Columcille's Hospital, which serves both south Dublin and Wicklow. The European Foundation for ...

County Dublin County Dublin ( or ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and holds its capital city, Dublin. It is located on the island's east coast, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Until 1994, County Dubli ...

, where she attended Ursuline Convent,

Cabinteely Cabinteely () is a suburb of Dublin's southside. It is in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, County Dublin, Ireland. The population of all electoral divisions labelled as Cabinteely was 15,864 as of the 2022 census. Geography Cabinteely lies around t ...

(now Cabinteely Community School), and

Carysfort College Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort (commonly known as Carysfort College) was a ''College of Education'' in Dublin, Ireland from its foundation in 1877 until its closure in 1988. Educating primary school teachers, and located in a parkland cam ...

where she qualified as a primary school teacher. She later studied psychology at

University College Dublin University College Dublin (), commonly referred to as UCD, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...

and worked for Rehab Ireland as a psychologist. She was a member 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

Council A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...

lors were not sufficiently accountable, particularly in relation to planning and rezoning decisions. She ran for election to

Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( ; , ) is the lower house and principal chamber of the Oireachtas, which also includes the president of Ireland and a senate called Seanad Éireann.Article 15.1.2° of the Constitution of Ireland reads: "The Oireachtas shall co ...

on two occasions but was not elected: at the 2002 general election for the

Wicklow Wicklow ( ; , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; ) is the county town of County Wicklow in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located on the east of Ireland, south of Dublin. According to the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had ...

constituency, and also at the 2007 general election in the same constituency. She unsuccessfully contested the

2009 European Parliament election The 2009 European Parliament election was held in the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) between 4 and 7 June 2009. A total of 736 Member of the European Parliament, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were elected to represent s ...

for the

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

constituency.

Senator

She was

nominated by the Taoiseach A candidate, or nominee, is a prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position. For example, one can be a candidate for membership in a group or election to an office, in which case a ...

Bertie Ahern Bartholomew Patrick "Bertie" Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, and as Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008. A Teachta Dála (TD) from 1977 to 2011, he served ...

Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann ( ; ; "Senate of Ireland") is the senate of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (defined as the house of representatives). It is commonly called the Seanad or ...

on 3 August 2007, as part of an agreement made by the Green Party under the Programme for Government. She was also appointed as a member of Joint

Oireachtas The Oireachtas ( ; ), sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of the president of Ireland and the two houses of the Oireachtas (): a house ...

Committee on European Affairs. She unsuccessfully contested the 2009 European Parliament as the Green Party candidate for the

constituency. She received 19,086 first preference votes (4.7%) and was eliminated before her former party colleague

Patricia McKenna Patricia McKenna (born 13 March 1957) is an Irish Independent politician (Ireland), independent and former Green Party (Ireland), Green Party politician. She served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Dublin (European Parliament ...

Resignation from the Seanad

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

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil ( ; ; meaning "Soldiers of Destiny" or "Warriors of Fál"), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (), is a centre to centre-right political party in Ireland. Founded as a republican party in 1926 by Éamon de ...

" and that she had lost confidence in

John Gormley John Gormley (born 4 August 1959) is an Irish former Green Party politician who served as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government from June 2007 to January 2011, Leader of the Green Party from June 2007 to May 2011 and Lor ...

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 or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filin ...

of Irish European Commissioner

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn Máire Geoghegan-Quinn (; ; born 5 September 1950) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science from 2010 to 2014, ...

was a trigger for her resignation from the Seanad but was not the cause of her decision.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:De Burca, Deirdre 1963 births Living people 20th-century Irish politicians Alumni of Carysfort College Alumni of University College Dublin Green Party (Ireland) senators Irish schoolteachers Members of Wicklow County Council Members of the 23rd Seanad 21st-century women members of Seanad Éireann Politicians from County Cork Politicians from County Dublin Nominated members of Seanad Éireann Green Party (Ireland) candidates in Dáil elections Green Party (Ireland) local councillors 20th-century Irish women politicians