A NEW political party campaigning for Ireland to leave the European Union is to be launched next weekend.
The Irexit Freedom Party will hold its inaugural conference in Dublin on Saturday, September 8 with the goal of emulating Britain's decision to leave the EU.
It plans to run candidates in European and national elections who will argue that Ireland’s EU membership has not been good for the country.
It also supports a united Ireland and hopes to "achieve the consent of voters in the North" to unify the island politically.
However, the new party will undoubtedly have its work cut out given the overwhelming support for EU membership in Ireland.
A poll earlier this year revealed that just 8% of Irish people believe the country should consider leaving the bloc, but the IFP hopes its plans to reduce tax and tackle governmental corruption could attract voters.
Launch
Those involved in the party's establishment include former Irish ambassador Ray Bassett and UCD professor Ray Kinsella.
Hermann Kelly, a former journalist and now head of communications at the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group of MEPs in Brussels, will be the group's spokesman.
Announcing the Irexit Freedom Party's launch, Mr Kelly urged Ireland to follow Britain's example.
"These people have democratically decided to take back control of their own money, their own laws and their own borders," he said.
"Given what our experience has been in the last political union, which was with Britain, didn't fare for us very well, why are we now entering and staying in a political union with the EU?"
He added: "There is now an economic and political imperative for Ireland to take back control of our full law-making powers to work for the best interests of the Irish people.
"Whatever the EU has done for us in the past, going forward it will become a very cold house, with our biggest trading partner leaving, our net EU contributions increasing and our influence waning."
