It has been a momentous five days for Irish politics. Last night, Independent TD Shane Ross announced the formation of a new political alliance that will present a coherent platform at the next general election. Several TDs have already pledged their support for the grouping, which Mr Ross says will ‘absolutely uproot politics in this country’.
The announcement on RTÉ’s Prime Time follows the formation of a new political party by former Fine Gael TD Lucinda Creighton and consumer advocate Eddie Hobbes. Both the ‘Reboot Ireland’ party, which does not yet have an official name, and the alliance created by Shane Ross hope to run candidates in all 40 consistencies in the country.
Both Health Minister Leo Varadkar and former Labour leader and Tánaiste Eamonn Gilmore have expressed concern that forming a government in the next Dáil will be difficult with so many political groups.