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Irish Democratic Party

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Irish Democratic Party
FoundedOctober 2013
DissolvedNovember 2020
Split fromDirect Democracy Ireland
IdeologyParticipatory democracy
Colours  Blue
Website
irishdemocraticparty.ie

The Irish Democratic Party (IDP) was a minor Irish political party formed in 2013, as a result of a split with Direct Democracy Ireland. Another minor party of the same name but different ideology[clarification needed] and leadership had been established in 2010 but was later dissolved.

The party advocated the introduction of participatory democracy in the Republic of Ireland. The IDP ran two candidates in the 2016 general election,[1] the party chairperson Ken Smollen ran in Offaly.[2][3] He received 2.2% of the first preference votes and was eliminated on the second count.[4] Smollen was elected to Offaly County Council for Tullamore in the 2019 local elections on the eighth count. He received 1,054 votes and 9.5% of the first preferences.[5] Mark Keogh, who was a candidate in the 2016 general election in Limerick, ran unsuccessfully as a Direct Democracy candidate in the 2019 local elections.

Smollen was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2020 general election in the Laois–Offaly constituency. Since November 2020, the IDP is no longer a registered political party.[6] Smollen became an independent councillor.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Irish Democratic Party Announces Offaly Candidate". Offaly Independent. 8 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Candidates for the 2016 General Election (by constituency)". Irish Elections: Geography, Facts and Analyses. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2021. Ken Smollen will be contesting this constituency for the Irish Democratic Party
  3. ^ "Confirmed Irish Democratic Party candidates for the next General Election". Irish Political Maps. 15 June 2015.
  4. ^ "General election 2016: Offaly". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Results from the 2019 local elections". RTÉ News. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Register of Political Parties" (PDF). Iris Oifigiúil. 2020 (92). 17 November 2020.
  7. ^ "An Bord Pleanala approve €20m Offaly retail project". Offaly Express. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.