Английская Википедия:Independent Ireland

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Independent Ireland is a right-wing political party in Ireland. It was formed on 8 November 2023 by former independent TDs Michael Collins and Richard O'Donoghue. Collins said that the party seeks to provide "a comfortable alternative" to voters unhappy with the Fianna Fáil–Fine Gael–Green Party coalition, but are unwilling to vote for Sinn Féin.

History

Collins is the leader of the party in Dáil Éireann, while O'Donoghue serves as general secretary. O'Donoghue told the Irish Examiner that he and Collins hoped to encourage members of the Rural Independents Group in the Dáil to join. 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. 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. John O'Donoghue joined Independent Ireland in March 2024 while standing for re-election to the Limerick City and County Council. Later that month, Noel Larkin of Galway City Council, Declan Kelly of the Galway County Council, and Kenneth O'Flynn of Cork City Council announced that they would run as Independent Ireland candidates in the 2024 local elections.

Policies

In December 2023, the party took part in a meeting called "The family of European Conservatives is expanding" organized by the European Conservatives and Reformists.

Independent Ireland were one of two parties represented in the Dáil to advocate a No/No vote in the March 2024 Irish constitutional referendums; the other party to advocate a No/No vote was Aontú.

Collins has said that he's "against abortion. Full stop." 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.

Collins and O'Donoghue have both been alleged to have questioned the efficacy of vaccines against COVID-19, though both have since stated that they are not anti-vaccine and they have expressed a willingness to take a COVID-19 vaccine.