Gogarty resigns as Green spokesman on education [Irish Times]
- Published: 09 March 2009
Source: Irish Times
Green Party education spokesman Paul Gogarty has resigned his position in the wake of decisions on education taken at the party's convention in Wexford at the weekend.
Mr Gogarty has stepped down from the position after a motion, which delegates accepted, to establish a high-level reference group to develop a strategy on education commitments.
Mr Gogarty said the "storm in a teacup" over his position as education spokesman had deflected from the positive message coming out of the Green Party conference.
He said he would also step down as chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Education, if party leader John Gormley "feels it is necessary". He said he had no intention of resigning from the Green Party or from the party whip.
"I have made a personal decision that the role of education spokesperson can't work properly with this motion being passed," he told RTÉ's News at One. "But I'm here to fight this fight on behalf of the Green Party and on behalf of the children in schools around the country," he added.
Before the debate on Saturday, Mr Gogarty said in a statement to delegates that the motion would "have the effect of undermining me as education spokesperson despite my having gone out on a limb for the party".
His motion for a special conference next year to discuss the party's continued participation in Government had a majority of about 55 per cent, but required a two-thirds majority to pass. A similar motion calling for a special conference to be convened if education cuts were not reversed, was also turned down.
Labour party spokesman on education Ruairi Quinn said today's resignation was a "futile gesture".
"Had Deputy Gogarty been prepared to take this stand when his Government was forcing swinging education cuts through the Dail last October it might well have forced his Party to reconsider their support for Batt O'Keeffe's proposals.
"At the end of the day, Deputy Gogarty was prepared to vote for the cuts and it is only a perceived slight to his position, in the form of a motion passed at the Green Party conference, that has now caused him to resign his position."
The president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) Shane Kelly said the group was "delighted" with Mr Gogarty's decision. "Education must be placed at the very centre of any economic recovery plan if Ireland's long term prosperity is to be secured," he said.
"We cannot have a short sighted approach to our education sector, we need a long term strategic vision, and the reintroduction of fees would certainly not deliver that."
