New Irish political party seeks to make impact before 2012

forth has been informed of plans to launch a new political party in Ireland. A source close to the party, who has previously worked in politics, says the organisation will be both socially and economically liberal and ready to appear on the ballots by 2012.

“Timing hasn’t yet been considered but it would need to be sometime before the next election,” he said.

The party aims to fill a gap it perceives as existing in the Irish political scene since the now-disbanded Progressive Democrats moved to the right: “The PDs at the time did a very good job, in the 80s and 90s, but as conditions changed neither they nor Fianna Fáil adapted to meet those conditions. As time went on the country and the population became more socially liberal,” he said.

This is at least the third announcement of a new political party in recent months. Unlike Amhrán Nua and the Liberals, however, this party’s founder claims the group will be a serious challenger come election time.

The party plans to become ‘real’ through not only local campaigning but also by attracting high-profile supporters, a process the source says has already begun: “There are several high-profile figures associated. In terms of candidates we’re looking at successful business people.

“We’re going to do something more than put up posters,” he said.

The party’s apparent selling-point is far from unique internationally – Germany’s Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP) appears to be something of a model – but it is uncommon in Ireland.

Historically, the cause of individual rights has belonged to the Irish left. In the past two decades, however, the Irish left has increasingly retreated from civil libertarian positions toward communitarian consensus-building, often framing rights issues as ‘group rights’.

The party’s economic platform, which it claims will be a major attraction, is however, right-of-centre: “Low taxes aren’t necessarily a bad thing but the revenue has to be spent in a way that helps the country’s infrastructure. That’s not what happened – I don’t think it was forced by any particular vested interest but more the mantra of the governing party,” said the source.

“There’s [currently] no focus in creating a sustainable economy. Nama is a gamble. We need to focus on export business and smart business, generating wealth that way,” he said.

The difficulties of funding a new political party have yet to be ironed-out, though it appears donations from individuals and members will be the primary source of money in the initial period.

Claiming to be “a party for Ireland, not Ireland for a party”, the new group intends to get its electoral mandate from current soft Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael supporters as well as a core vote of 25-30 per cent of people it says research indicates would not vote if an election was held at the moment.

By JASON WALSH

PREVIOUSLY ON FORTH:
Jason Walsh looked at the launch of another new party, Amhrán Nua, and asked was there anything to its policies other than not being Fianna Fáil.