The recently-formed Independent Ireland Party will be trying to form a coalition government after the next general election, party leader Michael Collins has said.
Speaking to Gript in the wake of the local and European elections, the Cork South-West TD said that the party performed “incredibly well” on its first electoral outing since being formed last year, coming away with 23 local council seats. He said that going into the election the party had intended to leave with a new total of between 20 and 25 seats, meaning he is “very happy” that they achieved their goal.
Looking to the future, Collins said that despite senior government figures’ repeated insistence that there would be no early general election before next year, he believes a series of upcoming by-elections will “probably” trigger a general election, at which point Independent Ireland will be ready to run Dáil candidates.
“Certainly, many of our 23 councillors will be challenging for the Dáil,” he said.
“I’m focusing on between 10 and 15 TDs, and it looks like that’s achievable.”
Asked if, all going according to plan, he would be willing to consider going into government coalition with another party, Collins said he would.
“Absolutely,” he said.
“We’ll sit around the table with everybody and speak to everyone and see if our policies marry into whoever wants to form a government. If it does, we’ll see where it goes. If it doesn’t, we will become an extremely strong opposition.”
Gript put it to Collins that the party’s lack of structure and lack of a whip system could make them an unattractive coalition partner, as some might argue that a group of Independents couldn’t be trusted to hold together on key votes within a government.
“If you go into government, you have to have a whip on the Programme for Government and a whip on the Budget,” he said.
“So if we’ve agreed to a Programme for Government, we will stand over that, and we will whip that.
“You also have to agree on the Budget once a year, and you have to vote on the Budget. So if we’ve agreed with our partners on the Budget, then we will whip on that Budget.”
However, he said that on “moral issues”, he would not see his TDs subjected to the whip.
“We’re not going to have a situation where TDs go into the Dáil with an issue of conscience and force them to vote against their conscience – we’d give them a free vote on that,” he said.
“Lots of parties across Europe have a whip structure like that, and that’s the model we’re looking at.”
Asked to give an example of such a “moral issue”, Collins said: “There are so many, it would be wrong of me to list issues now.
“You know, most of the people joining Independent Ireland would probably align on most issues, but people do differ, and you have to respect their differences. We’re not going to have a situation where people are being made to vote for something they are totally morally opposed to.
“But as I say: if it’s in the Programme for Government, and we’ve agreed on the Programme for Government, then we will whip on that, and we will whip on the Budget.”
Asked what was a red-line issue that the party would be insisting to include in any potential Programme for Government, Collins said “Well, there’s a lot.”
“I’m not happy with the way farmers are being treated at the moment,” he said, adding that he would like to see a standalone Ministerial portfolio created for fisheries as an example of something he’d be asking for, because “the industry is being wiped out” and “should be looked after properly”.
“But all of our policies aren’t going to win through here. We’re going to have to go into negotiations and ensure that enough of our policies go through to have a positive effect to the best of our ability.
“We’re not going to win all battles, because we have to form a government and we have to do better for the country. And if we can’t form a government, then we will be a very, very strong opposition.”
Asked if there was a risk of getting “lost” or diluted by going into government with a bigger coalition partner and having to compromise too much, Collins said that was an understandable concern that some members would no doubt raise.
“It all depends on how strong we are at the negotiating table, and how strong we are at pushing our policies forward,” he said.
“Being in politics and being in government is not all going to be a rose garden. But you might be able to deliver for the country and for your area in a way you couldn’t before.
“There will be concerns, there’s no doubt about that, but we’ll be able to address those concerns when we can go to people and show them the meaningful change we can effect.”
What about running Niall Boylan for O’Riordans seat. Niall is from the area and he put up a hell of a fight in the euros. Other nationalists should give him a clear run if he is willing to try.
Excellent , that’s the kind of pragmatism we need to see for the way forward !
Well, he’s right to be ambitious. But I don’t think the current Uniparty that seems to consist of most sitting TDs would even cast a look at Independent Ireland. More important would be for the other right wing parties to form one party, so that Independent Ireland have a fellow traveller that the public can recognise and, if so inclined, give them their no. 1 and 2.
” lack of a whip system” is a strong positive.
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The use of the party whip to ensure government victory in Dail votes is unconstitutional, it subordinates the Dail to the Gov, in violation of the Constitution, according to which the Gov is supposed to be subordinate to the Dail!
There is a glimmer of hope here……
Never heard of them before
The leaders are 3 excellent sitting TDs. They formed a new party recently with goid calibre candidates
Present yourself for deportation Dr shit