Patricia McKenna

Patricia McKenna
Spokesperson of People's Movement
Former MEP for the Green Party

A former MEP Patricia McKenna was elected to the European Parliament in 1994. She stood as a Green Party candidate and became Ireland’s first Green MEP. Patricia McKenna has been actively involved in local and national politics for more than twelve years. She is a major figure in Ireland's Green Party and has helped it gain an important place in Irish politics. Her work as an MEP for the Green Group has made her one of the most active Irish MEPs and she has left an impressive record of achievements on key issues. A keen activist McKenna has campaigned against the Irish Government's plan to join NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP), arguing that it would have a detrimental effect on Irish neutrality. In 1998 she campaigned for a "No" vote in the referendum on the Amsterdam Treaty which failed to protect Irish neutrality. In 1995 Patricia secured a Supreme Court Ruling, that stated the Government's use of taxpayers' money on one-sided referendum campaigns was unconstitutional. As one of the leading activists in the 1992 anti-Maastricht campaign in Ireland, Patricia brought a High Court case against the Irish Government over the use of public money to fund a one-sided information campaign. She argued that this was in breach of the democratic principles laid down in Bunreacht na hƒireann, Ireland's Constitution. Though the case proved unsuccessful, Patricia went on to contest the general election in the Dublin Central constituency.