Patricia McKenna

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Patricia McKenna (Castleshane, 13 March 1957) is an Irish Green Party politician. She became the first Green Party candidate in Ireland to be elected to European Parliament. She was elected to the European Parliament in the 1994 election and was re-elected in the 1999 election but lost her seat in the 2004 election. She acted as one of the Dáil advisers to Ireland's first Green Party Teachta Dála (TD), Roger Garland.

McKenna has been involved in many campaigns as an MEP and politician. She is perhaps best-known for her victory in the Supreme Court in 1995, in which she argued successfully that it was unconstitutional for the Irish government to spend taxpayers money promoting only one side of the argument in referendum campaigns which led to the setting up of the Referendum Commission.

She is also well-known for her opposition to nuclear power, genetically-modified crops, and United States-led military aggression in various parts of the world.

McKenna also campaigned against the Irish government's plan to join NATO's "Partnership for Peace". She is a strong advocate of Irish neutrality and the Shell to Sea campaign and is widely associated with the Eurosceptic wing of her party.

McKenna failed to be elected as Green Party candidate at the 2007 general election in the Dublin Central constituency. She also strongly opposed the 2007 Programme for Government between the Green Party and Fianna Fáil. After the election, she declared herself a candidate for the leadership of the Green Party, but was defeated for the position by current leader John Gormley. She was elected to the Green Party National Executive in April 2007^[1].

[edit] References

1. ^ The Green Party / Comhaontas Glas

[edit] External links

• http://www.greenparty.ie
• A transcript of a speech against software patents, with a statement from McKenna
• RTÉ – Candidate profile
• [1] Copy of email from Patricia McKenna seeking nominations for leadership

v • d • e « 1994–1999 «   Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (1999–2004)   » 2004–2009 » Connacht-Ulster †Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (FF / UEN) • Joe McCartin (FG / EPP–ED) • Dana Rosemary Scallon (IND / EPP–ED) Dublin Niall Andrews (FF / UEN) • Mary Banotti (FG / EPP–ED) • Proinsias De Rossa (LAB / PES) • Patricia McKenna (GP / Greens–EFA) Leinster Nuala Ahern (GP / Greens–EFA) • Avril Doyle (FG / EPP–ED) • Jim Fitzsimons (FF / UEN) • Liam Hyland (FF / UEN) Munster Gerard Collins (FF / UEN) • Pat Cox (IND / ELDR) • Brian Crowley (FF / UEN) • John Cushnahan (FG / EPP–ED) †Substituted by Seán Ó Neachtain (FF / UEN) in June 2002.

v • d • e « 1989–1994 «   Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (1994–1999)   » 1999–2004 » Connacht-Ulster Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (FF / UFE) • Mark Killilea (FF / UFE) • Joe McCartin (FG / EPP) Dublin Niall Andrews (FF / UFE) • Mary Banotti (FG / EPP) • Bernie Malone (LAB / PES) • Patricia McKenna (GP / G) Leinster Nuala Ahern (GP / G) • Jim Fitzsimons (FF / UFE) • Alan Gillis (FG / EPP) • Liam Hyland (FF / UFE) Munster Gerard Collins (FF / UFE) • Pat Cox (IND / ELDR) • Brian Crowley (FF / UFE) • John Cushnahan (FG / EPP)