Déirdre de Búrca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Déirdre de Búrca
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De Búrca in 2008
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| Senator | |
| In office 13 September 2007 – 12 February 2010 |
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| Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 October 1963 Cork, Ireland |
| Political party | Green Party |
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Déirdre de Búrca (born 22 October 1963) is an Irish former politician. She was a member of the Green Party. She served as a Senator from 2007 to 2010. A Senator is like a member of a second house of parliament in Ireland. She was chosen by the Taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister) to be a Senator.
Before becoming a Senator, she was a local politician. She was a member of Wicklow County Council and Bray Town Council from 1999 to 2007.
Early Life and Career
Déirdre de Búrca was born in Cork, Ireland. She grew up in Loughlinstown, County Dublin. She went to Ursuline Convent in Cabinteely for school.
After school, she studied at Carysfort College. There, she trained to be a primary school teacher. Later, she studied psychology at University College Dublin. She then worked as a psychologist for an organisation called Rehab Ireland.
Local Politics
Déirdre de Búrca became involved in local politics with the Green Party. She was elected to Wicklow County Council and Bray Town Council in 1999. She was re-elected in 2004 with even more votes.
During her time as a councillor, she believed that some meetings were not fair or open. She thought that councillors were not always held responsible for their decisions. This was especially true for decisions about planning and changing land use. To show this, she recorded some council meetings.
She also tried to become a member of Dáil Éireann, which is the main Irish Parliament. She ran in the general elections of 2002 and 2007 for the Wicklow area, but she was not elected. In 2009, she also ran for the European Parliament in the Dublin area but was not successful.
Becoming a Senator
On 3 August 2007, Bertie Ahern, who was the Taoiseach at the time, chose Déirdre de Búrca to be a Senator. This was part of an agreement that allowed the Green Party to be part of the government.
As a Senator, she also became a member of the Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs. This committee looks at how Ireland works with other countries in Europe.
Leaving Politics
Déirdre de Búrca resigned from the Green Party and her job as a Senator on 12 February 2010. She explained that she felt the Green Party was not sticking to its original values anymore. She believed the party had become too similar to another political party, Fianna Fáil. She also said she had lost trust in the leader of the Green Party at that time, John Gormley.
The Green Party said they were sad about her decision. They stated that they would continue to work on their policies while in government.
