Social Democrats (Ireland)

Social Democrats Daonlathaigh Shóisialta
Leaders	Catherine Murphy, TD Róisín Shortall, TD
General Secretary	Brian Sheehan[1]
Founded	15 July 2015 (2015-07-15)
Ideology	Social democracy[2]
Political position	Centre-left[3][4]
Colours	Purple
Dáil Éireann	2 / 158
Seanad Éireann	0 / 60
Local government	4 / 949
Website
socialdemocrats.ie
Politics of the Republic of Ireland Political parties Elections

The Social Democrats (Irish: Daonlathaigh Shóisialta^[5]) 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.

History

The Social Democrats was established with a co-leadership arrangement between its three founding members. Stephen Donnelly first entered politics as an independent TD in the 2011 general election having previously worked as a consultant for McKinsey and Company. 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. During the course of the 31st Dáil, she came to prominent national attention owing to her revelation of irregularities in the dealings of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation and businessman Denis O'Brien. Róisín Shortall is a former Labour Party TD and former Minister of State for Primary Care. She resigned from the role and party in September 2012 due to the actions of then Minister for Health James Reilly, citing lack of support and the lack of an explanation from Reilly as to his decision to locate a primary care centre in his own constituency.^[6] 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.^[7]

Its other public representatives are Jennifer Whitmore of Wicklow County Council^[8] and Gerry Warnock of Longford County Council^[9]

In May 2016, the party formed a technical group within the Dáil with the Green Party.^[10][11]

On 5 September 2016, Stephen Donnelly left the party.^[12]

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.^[13][14][15]

Their manifesto for the 2016 general election listed commitments to "three core areas":

• Policies that support a healthy, inclusive and progressive society.
• Policies that ensure a strong, stable and vibrant economy, and support Ireland’s SMEs with the same vigour that’s applied to the multinational sector
• Policies that make politics and government more transparent and responsive to public, rather than party need.^[16]

It supports Irish membership of the European Union. The party is also in favor of a directly elected mayor of Dublin. ^[17]

Election results

Dáil Éireann

Election	Seats won	±	Position	First Pref votes	%	Government	Leader
2016	3 / 158	3	7th	64,094	3.0%	Opposition	Stephen Donnelly, Catherine Murphy, and Róisín Shortall (jointly)

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.^[18]

     Denotes candidates elected

References

External links

• Official website