Julie Smirnova has stepped down as head of the Trinity branch of the Young Greens, citing the parliamentary party’s decision-making since entering government.
In a statement to The University Times, Smirnova said: “As Chair of the TYGs I tried to platform our progressive policies, and the representatives who could implement those in government. But seeing vote after vote come in where we were forced to go against party policy, particularly on housing, was even more demoralising than I thought it would be.”
“The lack of critical voices in the Parliamentary Party, or even just explanations, made me feel like the grassroots were defending a party whose leaders couldn’t be bothered to do the same”, she added. “I couldn’t justify representing the party anymore, as an affiliate Chair or as a member.”
In a post on the Trinity’s branch of the Young Green’s Instagram page, the group thanked Smirnova for her work in her six months as its Chair and commended her for her “great passion for environmental issues, thoughtful leadership and strong commitment to the running of the society”, adding that “we are sorry to see her go”.
The Young Greens will hold an EGM to replace Smirnova on November 3rd.
News of Smirnova’s resignation comes in the wake of a stream of high-profile resignations from the Green Party in response to Minister for Children and Green Party TD Roderic O’Gorman’s proposal of an act allowing a database containing information collected by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes to be sealed for 30 years.
President Michael D Higgins signed the act into law today.
Smirnova said that the events following the act had made her “feel really, really awful and complicit”.
“While I do respect Roderic and I’m confident that he will try do right by the survivors of [Mother and Baby] homes in the end, the anxiety and anger that we’ve already put them through just made me feel so guilty by association.”
“That wasn’t a consequence of coalition, that was down to a lack of communication and engagement on both Roderic’s and the [parliamentary party’s] side – and those things were completely avoidable and indefensible.”
“I have nothing but respect for everyone who wants to stay and push for change internally, but I’m just exhausted and feel that I can spend my time and energy in a more productive way.”
Chair of the Young Greens Tara Gilsenan – a Trinity student – and Queer Greens Chair Tiernan Mason both resigned from the party on Saturday afternoon.
In a strongly worded letter posted on Twitter, the pair expressed their disappointment in the parliamentary party’s voting record since entering Government and warned its “hierarchy” that “history will not be kind to the Green Party as it stands, especially if you continue to drive away the people who rebuilt the party after you burned it down the last time”.
Trinity Young Greens was re-established in 2019 after a number of years of inactivity. In a comment to The University Times at the time, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said its growth was “a sign that people across the country are up to the massive challenge ahead of us”.
The act in question will move tens of thousands of records from a five-year investigation into the Mother and Baby homes over to Tusla. According to a 2004 act, information gathered by a commission must be sealed for 30 years.
O’Gorman told Newstalk yesterday that the 2004 act ensured that the record were sealed and that the act was “not morally feasible anymore”.
“People deserve information about their early life”, he said, adding that he would work to find a legislative solution to the problem.
“I’m determined to ensure we can give people access to early life information. That’s the very least that survivors of mother and baby homes deserve.”
