Criticism of government is “jumped on and stamped down” by internal Green Party “enforcers”, a TD has claimed.

She was speaking on the Independent.ie Floating Voter podcast about Cllr Peter Kavanagh’s statements after he left the party this week, where he stated that criticism of the party by members is viewed as “betrayal”.

“That resonated with me and I think that kind of, people within the party taking up the role as enforcer, that is a genuinely a problem,” she said.

“That doesn’t lead to an atmosphere within the party that’s nice, that’s a nice place to be.”

She said that criticism is sometimes “jumped on”.

“The enforcer mentality - any criticism has to be jumped on and stamped down immediately, for sure,” she said.

“I don’t want to raise the temperature, because that’s what we keep doing.”

She said that she was not interested in a “personal row” with other members of the party.

When asked if she has considered leaving the party, she said that this is “always a conversation” she has with herself.

“From the point of programme for government, which obviously this government does not reflect in my politics, that’s always a conversation that I’m having with myself.

“I am always trying to gauge, am I a more constructive force inside or outside?”

Ms Hourigan said that in her opinion, if you’re not “too comfortable” you’re not “doing your work”.

She also said that there have been votes along the way in her time in government that she has not been “quite happy about”.

Ms Hourigan voted against the government last summer and lost the party whip for a period of time.

“I’m very careful when I dissent, it’s only about very specific things, it doesn’t happen that often.”

She also said on the podcast that CETA was discussed at programme for government negotiations and was not agreed.

She said that this is included in her own notes, which are subject to a non-disclosure agreement.