Independent Ireland | |
---|---|
Leader | Michael Collins |
General Secretary | Richard O'Donoghue |
Chairperson | Ken O'Flynn [1] |
Founders |
|
Founded | 10 November 2023 |
Ideology | |
Political position | Right-wing |
European affiliation | European Democratic Party [3] [4] [5] |
European Parliament group | Renew Europe |
Slogan | Forward Together |
Dáil Éireann | 4 / 174 |
Local government | 23 / 949 |
European Parliament | 1 / 14 |
Website | |
independentireland | |
Independent Ireland is a right-wing [10] political party in Ireland. It was formed on 8 November 2023 by former independent TDs Michael Collins and Richard O'Donoghue. [11] [12] Their elected representation was subsequently boosted by the joining of TD Michael Fitzmaurice, formerly an independent, and by the success of Ciaran Mullooly in winning a seat for the party in the European Parliament in the 2024 elections.
Collins has said that the party seeks to provide "a comfortable alternative" to voters unhappy with the Fianna Fáil–Fine Gael–Green Party coalition but unwilling to vote for Sinn Féin. [13]
Collins is the leader of the party in Dáil Éireann, while O'Donoghue serves as general secretary. Following the formation of the party in 2023, O'Donoghue told the Irish Examiner that he and Collins hoped to encourage members of the Rural Independents Group in the Dáil to join. [14] Both Collins and O'Donoghue had been members of the Rural Independents Group prior to founding the party.
Michael Fitzmaurice became the party's third TD in February 2024. [15] In the same month, Councillors Shane P. O'Reilly and Declan Geraghty joined the party and announced their intention to contest re-election to Cavan County Council and Galway County Council respectively. [16] In March 2024, John O'Donoghue of Limerick City and County Council, [17] Noel Larkin and Declan Kelly of Galway City Council, Kenneth O'Flynn of Cork City Council, and Nigel Dineen of Roscommon County Council all announced they would run for Independent Ireland in the 2024 local elections. [18] [19] [20] [21]
On 5 April 2024, the party announced that former RTÉ correspondent Ciaran Mullooly would be standing for Independent Ireland in the 2024 European Parliament election in the Midlands–North-West constituency. [22] [23] In the same month, Councillors Séamus Walsh and Noel Thomas of the Galway County Council, Paul Hogan of the Westmeath County Council, and Danny Collins of the Cork County Council announced they would run for Independent Ireland in the 2024 local elections. [24] [25] On 22 April 2024, Ireland's Classic Hits Radio presenter Niall Boylan announced he would be running for the party in the 2024 European Parliament election in the Dublin constituency. [26]
On 1 May 2024, the general secretary of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA), Eddie Punch, who earlier in the year said that he would run as an independent candidate at the European election, announced he had joined Independent Ireland and would be running in the South constituency. [27] Also in May 2024, John Cassin of the Carlow County Council and Joe Bonner of the Meath County Council announced they would run as Independent Ireland candidates in the 2024 local elections. [28]
In the European election, Independent Ireland's three candidates received 108,685 first-preference votes, coming fourth behind Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Sinn Féin. Ciaran Mullooly was elected in Midlands–North-West, with Niall Boylan coming fifth on the last count in the four-seat Dublin constituency. [29] [30] In the local elections, the party ranked seventh in first-preference votes, with 51,562 votes, and elected 23 of its 61 candidates. The party elected six councillors to Galway County Council and four councillors to the Cork County Council, and became the third largest party on both councils. Of its thirteen incumbents, eleven were re-elected.
Ciaran Mullooly, Independent Ireland's sole member of the European Parliament, joined the liberal Renew Europe parliamentary group on 3 July. [31] [32] Mullooly identifies as a centrist and has distanced himself from the more hardline stances of some party colleagues. [33] [34] [35] Independent Ireland had previously taken part in a December 2023 conference organised by the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR). [36] Mullooly's decision to join Renew, which includes Fianna Fáil, attracted significant criticism, [37] with fellow candidate Niall Boylan stating he would have joined the ECR if elected, [38] and conservative commentator John McGuirk arguing that it was a "betrayal" of voters' trust.[ citation needed ]
On 7 July, party chairwoman Elaine Mullally resigned her position, claiming Independent Ireland no longer aligned with her values. [1] [39] On 10 July, Independent Ireland put out a 2,500-word statement defending the decision, in which leader Michael Collins dismissed as "quite laughable" that, by joining Renew, the party would be "supporting silly stuff like men being allowed to use women’s public toilets and that we would be advocating car-free streets". [37]
Independent Ireland has been widely described as right-wing by journalists and academics. [40] Independent Ireland officeholders have often rejected the "right-wing" label, instead describing the party as "common sense". [41] [42] In a July 2024 statement, Independent Ireland characterised itself as "centre-right". [43] The party has also been described as representing rural or farmers' interests. [44] [45] Independent Ireland has stated it does not operate a strict party whip system and allows its members freedom to speak and vote on key issues. [46]
Both Independent Ireland and Aontú advocated for a No/No vote in the 2024 Irish constitutional referendums. [47] [48] Collins has said that he's "against abortion. Full stop." [49] Collins and O'Donoghue were co-sponsors of a 2021 bill that would have required pain relief for foetuses being aborted. The Dáil overwhelmingly defeated the bill. [50] Collins and O'Donoghue have both been alleged to have questioned the efficacy of vaccines against COVID-19, [51] [52] though both have since stated that they are not anti-vaccine and they have expressed a willingness to take a COVID-19 vaccine. [53] [54]
The party is critical of immigration and opposes "open borders", arguing that these are promoted by profiteers at the expense of the taxpayer. [55] The party has pledged to enact planning reform, establish emergency modular housing schemes, and eradicate the issue of families living in emergency accommodations. [55] It aims to reduce the cost of living by freezing and reforming the Carbon Tax. It also wishes to end the Property Tax and abolish the Universal Social Charge for people over the age of 65 to avoid taxation of pensions. [55]
In the 33rd Dáil, the party had three TDs, all of whom were elected as independents but later switched to Independent Ireland. They were Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County), Michael Collins (Cork South-West) and Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon–Galway). All three were re-elected in the 2024 general election, and they were joined by Kenneth O'Flynn, who was elected as an Independent Ireland TD for Cork North-Central.
The party has one member of the European Parliament, Ciaran Mullooly, who was elected at the 2024 European Parliament election to represent the Midlands–North-West constituency. Mullooly won the fifth and final seat in the constituency on the 21st count. [56]
Independent Ireland contested its first local elections in 2024. Prior to those elections, the party had 13 councillors that had switched to Independent Ireland. Of those 13, eleven were re-elected and a further twelve were elected under the party name, for a total of 23 elected councillors. The party performed well in the elections to the Galway and Cork county councils, electing six and four councillors respectively, and becoming the third largest party on each council. [57] In October 2024, it was announced that Sligo councillor, Michael Clarke, had joined the party. [58]
On 23 November 2024, Councillor Philip Sutcliffe Snr quit Independent Ireland after controversy arose over Sutcliffe's association with Conor McGregor following McGregor being found liable for assault. [59] Another issue was Sutcliffe's reported interest in meeting criminal Gerry "The Monk" Hutch. A general election candidate for Dublin South-Central, Sutcliffe faced criticism from party leadership, who deemed his actions and public statements inconsistent with their commitment to law and order. Richard O'Donoghue stated that Sutcliffe resigned before a second meeting with the party executive, where disciplinary measures were expected to be discussed. While acknowledging Sutcliffe’s contributions to boxing, O’Donoghue emphasised that the party could not condone his connections. Sutcliffe has not provided public comment on the matter. [60] [61]
Election | Leader | 1st pref votes | % | Seats | ± | Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Michael Collins | 78,276 | 3.55% (#7) | 4 / 174 | 1 | Opposition |
Election | Seats won | ± | First pref. votes | % |
---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | 23 / 949 | 23 | 51,562 | 2.8% |
Election | Leader | 1st pref Votes | % | Seats | +/− |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Michael Collins | 108,685 | 6.23% (#4) | 1 / 14 | New |
The Green Party is a green political party that operates in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It holds a pro-European stance. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and adopted its current English language name in 1987 while the Irish name was kept unchanged. The party leader is Roderic O'Gorman, the deputy leader is Senator Róisín Garvey and the cathaoirleach (chairperson) is Pauline O'Reilly. Green Party candidates have been elected to most levels of representation: local government, Dáil Éireann, the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the European Parliament.
The Progressive Democrats, commonly referred to as the PDs, was a conservative liberal political party in Ireland. The party's history spanned 24 years, from its formation in 1985 to its dissolution in 2009.
John O'Donoghue is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann from 2007 to 2009, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism from 2002 to 2007, Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 1997 to 2002 and Minister of State at the Department of Finance from 1991 to 1992. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kerry South constituency from 1987 to 2011.
The Socialist Party is a political party in Ireland, active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Internationally, it was affiliated to the Trotskyist International Socialist Alternative until 2024.
Noel Grealish is an Irish independent politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway West constituency since the 2002 general election.
Noel O'Flynn is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork North-Central constituency from 1997 to 2011.
Colm Keaveney is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician. He was elected as a Labour Party Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway East constituency at the 2011 general election, He sat as an Independent TD after losing the Labour whip in December 2012. He resigned from the party in June 2013, and joined Fianna Fáil in December 2013. He is a former chairperson of the Labour Party. He lost his seat at the 2016 general election and was elected to Galway County Council in 2019.
Ciarán Cannon is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway East constituency from 2011 to 2024. He previously served as a senator for the Progressive Democrats and was the last elected leader of that party. He served as a Minister of State from 2011 to 2014 and again from 2017 to 2020. He served as a Senator from 2007 to 2011, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.
Joan Collins is an Irish Right to Change politician who was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-Central constituency from 2011 to 2024.
The 2016 Irish general election to the 32nd Dáil was held on Friday 26 February, following the dissolution of the 31st Dáil by President Michael D. Higgins on 3 February, at the request of Taoiseach Enda Kenny. The general election took place in 40 Dáil constituencies throughout Ireland to elect to elect 158 Teachtaí Dála to Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas. There was a reduction of eight seats under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2013. Fine Gael were returned to government as a minority administration.
The 31st Dáil was elected at the 2011 general election on 25 February 2011 and first met at midday on 9 March 2011 in Leinster House. The members of Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland, are known as TDs. It sat with the 24th Seanad as the two Houses of the Oireachtas.
The Social Democrats are a social democratic political party in Ireland. Led by Holly Cairns since March 2023, the party was launched on 15 July 2015 by three independent TDs: Catherine Murphy, Róisín Shortall, and Stephen Donnelly. It promotes the Nordic model of political economy and pro-European views.
Michael Collins is an Irish politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork South-West constituency since the 2016 general election. Collins is the leader of the Independent Ireland political party, which was founded in November 2023.
The Healy-Rae family is a political and business family based in the Kilgarvan area of County Kerry in Ireland. The patriarch was Jackie Healy-Rae (1931–2014).
A by-election was held in the Dáil Éireann Dublin Fingal constituency in Ireland on Friday, 29 November 2019, to fill the vacancy left by the election of Independents 4 Change TD Clare Daly to the European Parliament.
A by-election was held in the Dáil Éireann Wexford constituency in Ireland on Friday, 29 November 2019, to fill the vacancy left by the election of Independents 4 Change TD Mick Wallace to the European Parliament.
Richard O'Donoghue is an Irish politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limerick County constituency since the 2020 general election. Originally in Fianna Fail, he was elected as an independent TD, and in 2023 he joined the newly formed Independent Ireland party.
The 2024 Irish general election to elect the 34th Dáil took place on Friday, 29 November 2024, following the dissolution of the 33rd Dáil on 8 November by President Michael D. Higgins at the request of Taoiseach Simon Harris. Polls were open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m UTC. It elected 174 Teachtaí Dála (TDs) across 43 constituencies of between 3 and 5 seats to Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's legislature. Under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023, the number of TDs was increased from 160 to 174, making it the largest Dáil in the history of the state, with an increase in the number of constituencies from 39 to 43. The main issues in the campaign were the cost of living, housing affordability and availability, immigration and asylum management, and economic stability amid external trade uncertainties, reflecting voter concerns despite the country's strong overall financial health.
Ciaran Mullooly is an Irish Independent Ireland politician who has served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Midlands–North-West constituency since July 2024. A former journalist, he worked for RTÉ from 1993 to 2021, where he was the RTÉ News Midlands correspondent for 26 years.
Despite attracting significant criticism for effectively throwing his lot in with Fianna Fail after running on a "common sense" platform, Mullooly's party defended his decision in an extraordinary nearly 2,500-word statement issued on Wednesday.