Independent Alliance (Ireland)

Independent Alliance
Formation 30 March 2015 (2015-03-30)
Type Political group
Location
Chair
 Feargal Quinn[1]
Website www.independentalliance.ie

The Independent Alliance is an Irish political grouping formed in March 2015 by independent politicians. It was founded by Shane Ross and Michael Fitzmaurice. It is not a political party and has stated that it will not impose any whip on elected members, except where the group has agreed to support a government on confidence motions.[2]

Representation

2015

Prior to the 2016 general election, the alliance counted among its members five independent TDs of the 31st Dáil and two senators of the 24th Seanad; within the Oireachtas, it comprised TDs Shane Ross, Michael Fitzmaurice, Finian McGrath, John Halligan and Tom Fleming; and senators Feargal Quinn and Gerard Craughwell.[3]

Councillors who are members of the alliance are represented on South Dublin, Fingal, Louth, Kildare, Galway, Offaly, Donegal, Westmeath and Sligo County Councils, along with a councillor on Cork City Council.

2016

20 members of the alliance ran as independent candidates at the 2016 general election.[4][2][5] 6 candidates were elected: Seán Canney, Michael Fitzmaurice, John Halligan, Finian McGrath, Kevin "Boxer" Moran and Shane Ross.[6]

Gerard Craughwell was re-elected as a senator in April 2016 following the general election, but he announced on 29 April that he had left the group due to being excluded from the group's negotiations with Fine Gael on supporting a government.[7]

Ideology

With no policies or whip and with members from across the right-left political spectrum, the alliance does not have a cohesive ideology. The group's website has set out a list of "principles and priorities" based around general themes of political reform that the alliance has claimed would form a charter for its election candidates. The group regards whips as "a regressive force in Irish politics."[8]

Election results

The Independent Alliance are not a registered party so appear as non-party on the ballot paper. Their collective results are as follows:

Election Seats won ± Position First Pref votes % Government
2016
6 / 158
 Increase1 N/A 88,930 4.2%

References

  1. ↑ http://www.independentalliance.ie/our-chairman-2/
  2. 1 2 "Independent Alliance to field up to 20 candidates in general election". The Irish Times. 29 June 2015.
  3. ↑ "Shane Ross (and others) will finally launch the party that’s not a party next month". TheJournal.ie. 21 March 2015.
  4. ↑ "Candidates by Party – 2016 General Election – Independent Alliance". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  5. ↑ "Independent Alliance hold party think-in in Athlone". RTE News. 19 September 2015.
  6. ↑ http://www.electionsireland.org/party.cfm?election=2016&party=IA
  7. ↑ O'Connor, Niall (29 April 2016). "Prominent senator quits 'Independent Alliance' due to frustration over lack of involvement in Government formation talks". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  8. ↑ http://www.independentalliance.ie/principles-priorities/

External links

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