How a new Irish political party is challenging the traditional establishment from the right

Cultures · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Formed in late 2023, Independent Ireland has rapidly moved from a small group of rural-focused TDs to a national political force. By positioning itself as a common-sense alternative to the status quo, the party is navigating internal ideological tensions while testing the limits of Ireland's traditional political landscape.

Independent Ireland was established on 8 November 2023 by Michael Collins and Richard O'Donoghue, both former members of the Rural Independents Group. The party aims to provide a comfortable alternative for voters dissatisfied with the established parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, but who remain unwilling to support Sinn Féin. While widely labeled as right-wing by media and academics, the party leadership prefers the term centre-right or common sense. Their platform focuses on rural interests, immigration skepticism, and economic reforms, including calls to freeze the Carbon Tax and abolish the Universal Social Charge for those over 65.

The party's growth has been marked by both electoral success and internal friction. In the 2024 European Parliament elections, candidate Ciaran Mullooly secured a seat in the Midlands–North-West constituency. However, his subsequent decision to join the liberal Renew Europe group sparked significant backlash from party members and conservative commentators who viewed the move as a betrayal. This tension highlights the party's loose structure; it does not operate a strict whip system, allowing members freedom in their voting and public statements. This flexibility has occasionally led to controversy, such as the resignation of councillor Philip Sutcliffe Snr following public scrutiny over his associations with high-profile figures.

Despite these challenges, the party has established a firm foothold in local and national government. By the 2024 general election, the party held four seats in the Dáil, with all three founding TDs re-elected alongside newcomer Kenneth O'Flynn. In the 2024 local elections, the party successfully elected 23 councillors, becoming the third-largest party on both the Galway and Cork county councils. As of January 2025, the party has further solidified its parliamentary presence by forming a technical group with Aontú, signaling a continued effort to influence policy from the opposition benches.

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