Independent Ireland has announced they will be running candidates in Dublin in the upcoming local elections.
On Wednesday, the party announced their first candidate, Linda de Courcy, will be running in the Clondalkin constituency in June.
The party, which has 3 TDs in the Dáil and has secured 9 county councillors across Ireland, will now run candidates in Dublin.
Independent Ireland was formed last November by 3 former independent TDs from Limerick, Roscommon and Cork.
Former independent TDs Richard O’Donoghue, Michael Fitzmaurice and Michael Collins formed the party last November, with Collins serving as party leader.
The party states they want to be an alternative to the current Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael – Green coalition, but are also uneasy with the prospect of a Sinn Féin-led government.
While other right-wing parties have made noise about their electoral prospects, only Independent Ireland has been successful in securing defections from major political parties and securing the services of independent politicians.
Earlier this month, it was announced that two Fianna Fáil councillors from Galway were defecting to the party after expressing displeasure with Fianna Fáils stance on immigration issues.
De Courcy is the first candidate declared to run in Dublin, and stated she will be running on a policy of opposing pedestrianisation works in Clondalkin village stating “I am running to fight this as it is against the will of the people who live in the area, and I believe our wishes should be acted upon.”
“The most recent issue coming up in Clondalkin is plans by SDCC to pedestrianise parts of the village, making most journeys 3 times as long, clogging up some residential roads and unnecessarily increasing travel times, traffic and stress along with petrol usage for locals.”
De Courcy stated she will be running on a traditional conservative platform such as “opposing necessary taxes, reducing dependence on the state” as well as having “major concerns about the immigration crisis.”
“I am proud to support Linda de Courcy as an Independent Ireland candidate for the Clondalkin LEA,” said Michael Collins, leader of Independent Ireland.
“Her dedication to her community and her commitment to addressing both local and national issues make her an excellent candidate to represent the people of Clondalkin.”