General Secretary Brian Sheehan Ideology Social democracy | Chairperson Glenna Lynch | |
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Founded 15 July 2015 (2015-07-15) Political position Centre-left / Left-wing | ||
The Social Democrats (Irish: Daonlathaigh Shóisialta) is a political party in Ireland. The party was launched on 15 July 2015 by three independent TDs, Stephen Donnelly, Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall.
Contents
History
The Social Democrats was established with a co-leadership arrangement between its three founding members. Róisín Shortall is a former Labour Party TD and former Minister of State for Primary Care. She resigned from the role and Labour in September 2012 citing lack of support and the lack of an explanation from then Minister for Health James Reilly, on his controversial decision to locate a new primary care centre in his own constituency. Catherine Murphy was successively a member of the Workers' Party, Democratic Left and the Labour Party before being elected as an independent TD in 2005. She became widely known for her work as a TD in 2014 when she revealed irregularities within bad bank, the IBRC, in its dealings with businessman Denis O'Brien. Stephen Donnelly first entered politics as an independent TD in the 2011 general election having previously worked as a consultant for McKinsey and Company. Both Murphy and Donnelly were members of the Technical Group in the 31st Dáil, with Murphy having served as its Chief Whip.
The party ran fourteen candidates in the 2016 general election including its three incumbent TDs, former Labour Party Senator James Heffernan, and County Councillors Gary Gannon and Cian O'Callaghan.
Its other public representatives are Jennifer Whitmore of Wicklow County Council, Joe Harris of Cork County Council and Gerry Warnock of Longford County Council.
In May 2016, the party formed a technical group within the Dáil with the Green Party.
On 5 September 2016, Stephen Donnelly resigned as joint-leader and left the party, stating that he was doing so “with great sadness, having vested so much together with my parliamentary colleagues, Catherine and Roisin, a small core team and many volunteers across the country, into the establishment of the Social Democrats over the last 20 months”, but referring to his relationship with his fellow leaders, that "some partnerships simply don't work".
In February 2017, it was announced that Cork County Councillor Joe Harris had joined the party.
Ideology
At the party's launch, its three TDs stated their support for the Nordic model of social democracy, backed the repeal of the Eighth Amendment and the Official Secrets Act, and stated their opposition to domestic water charges.
Their manifesto for the 2016 general election listed commitments to "three core areas":
It supports Irish membership of the European Union. The party is also in favour of a directly elected mayor of Dublin.
2016 general election candidates
The party received 3% of first preference votes nationally with its three leaders re-elected on the first count in their respective constituencies.
Denotes candidates elected