*Roisin Garvey.
FORMER Senator Roisin Garvey has resigned as Deputy Leader of the Green Party and has left the party.
Inagh native Roisin became Deputy Leader of the Greens in June 2024 succeeding Catherine Martin TD (GP) when Roderic O’Gorman (GP) replaced Eamon Ryan (GP) as party leader.
Party members were informed via email on Monday morning that Garvey had resigned from her role. Former Limerick TD, Brian Leddin (GP) has also left the party, he has cited the decision of the Greens to back Catherine Connolly (IND) for the Presidency.
In May 2019, Roisin became the first female councillor elected in North Clare and the first Green elected outside of Ennis to be elected to Clare County Council.
Garvey was unsuccessful in two General Elections. She polled 9.5% of the vote in 2020 with 5,624 first preferences and was the second last candidate eliminated. Her vote dipped for the 2024 General Election when she amassed 6.2% of the vote with 3,770 first preferences but was once again the second last candidate eliminated.
She was appointed to the Seanad in 2020 by Taoiseach Micheál Martin (FF) and remained there for four years.
Since leaving politics, she has done charity work abroad and was heavily involved in Inagh’s application to be named as the greenest village in Ireland.
Efforts by The Clare Echo to contact Garvey for comment have been unsuccessful on Tuesday.
According to a spokesperson for the Greens, Roisin has left her role for a new post she has taken up, this is understood to be in the University of Limerick. The spokesperson said she was a “powerful voice for rural Ireland within the party” who “represented the party with distinction in the Seanad.
“She was a tireless activist for the party and a relentless voice against any division between environmental and rural interests – all in the party will remember her televised battle with Michael Healy-Rae from last year fondly,” the spokesperson added.
