Councillor resigns from Green Party and will continue to serve as independent politician

Cllr Vanessa Liston has announced she is resigning from the Green Party and will serve her remaining term on Kildare County Council as an independent councillor.

Cllr Liston, who represents the Celbridge-Leixlip Municipal District, said she would like "to explore new approaches to representing and supporting community participation in politics as an Independent."

The politician was elected to the local authority in 2019.

In a statement issued this morning, Cllr Liston said: 

"After careful consideration and consultation, I have resigned from the Green Party and will serve the remainder of my term on Kildare County Council, representing the Celbridge-Leixlip Municipal District, as an Independent Councillor. I would like to use the remaining year of my current term to explore new approaches to representing and supporting community participation in politics as an Independent.

"Since being elected four years ago, I have been immensely proud to work, along with fellow Green Party representatives in Kildare on a number of important projects including: the development of a strong and progressive County Development Plan; measures for stronger protection of our bogs and nature; streamlining climate action across all policies; and supporting an ambitious active travel programme. These are just a few examples of our focus areas in which we have had positive achievements in collaboration with other Council colleagues.

"I continue to have great pride in the achievements of the Green Party nationally and its progress in moving Ireland towards a more socially just, sustainable and carbon-neutral future.  In particular, progress in public transport, sustainable energy, and the protection and restoration of our nature and biodiversity will have lasting positive change for our country. I wish the very best to my Green Party colleagues across the country in their ongoing work. 

"I would like to extend a particularly warm thanks to the members of the Green Party in Kildare, who have supported me in my work as Councillor and have been an immense source of inspiration, ideas, passion and inspiration since I was elected in 2019. 

"I look forward to continuing my work representing the Celbridge-Leixlip Municipal District in Kildare County Council. Listening, engaging communities in shaping change, protecting and restoring nature, supporting opportunities for young people, and social justice will remain core values of my work."