By David Telford
DOWNPATRICK councillor Cadogan Enright has quit the Green Party.
He has revealed he's taken the decision to become an Independent councillor in order to pursue a "new political path" on Down Council.
Councillor Enright — who was last year temporarily suspended from the Green Party over a funding dispute — was co-opted to Down Council six years ago to replace Bill Corry.
Mr. Corry was the first Green Party councillor to be elected in Northern Ireland, with Councillor Enright retaining the party seat at last year's local government elections.
Councillor Enright was one of only three Green Party councillors in Northern Ireland and the only one in South Down, but has now decided to go it alone
He has described his decision to become an Independent councillor as one that had been taken after "careful reflection and no little soul searching."
He continued: "This has been a tough decision to take, given my commitment to Green Party ideals over the years and the fact that I have many friends in the organisation. But the decision has been amicable and I retain strong support and friendship from other local Greens.
"While I still identify strongly with the core principles of the Green Party from a personal perspective, I simply felt that the time had come for me to articulate a wider political philosophy."
Councillor Enright, who joins Rowallane councillor Terry Andrews as Down Council's second Independent member, said it is no secret that at times over the past 18 months, "there have been well documented instances of certain differences" between him and some members of the Green Party Executive in Northern Ireland.
"In any democracy, the expression of strongly held views on all sides is a healthy indication of the evolution of a proper political dynamic," he continued.
"Internal debates have become time consuming and this has brought home to me that I would be better able to represent the people of Down District and indeed the wider South Down constituency at this stage in the electoral cycle if I was able to follow a path separate from the Green Party."
Councillor Enright said he has already informed Down Council chief executive Mr. John Dumigan of his decision and will enter the debating chamber next month as an Independent councillor.