Creighton and Hobbs unveil party’s plan to ‘reboot’ Ireland

Rebel ex-minister Lucinda Creighton has promised a different type of politics where TDs will be free to vote with their conscience, as she outlined plans for a new party.

The Independent TD is seeking high-profile backing for the project ahead of its formal launch in two months.

TV personality and financial pundit Eddie Hobbs joined the former minister of state for European affairs in announcing the as-yet unnamed party as they vowed to transform politics.

Sitting before a banner that read #RebootIreland, Ms Creighton said she expected the party to field at least one candidate in every constituency at the next general election.

Ms Creighton, who was expelled from the Fine Gael parliamentary party for voting against X-Case legislation in 2013, said she had not spoken to former Progressive Democrat tánaiste Michael McDowell about joining the party in recent weeks but would happily “welcome him to the fold”.

The ex-minister said the party would only apply the whip to TDs on a limited number of issues, such as finance bills, and would be guided by four key principles on encouraging entrepreneurs, reforming the public sector, making politics more accessible, and measuring Government performance.

After accusations that the proposed party would be socially conservative, she shifted her stance on same-sex marriage, saying she would “probably” vote in favour in the May referendum.

Ms Creighton said she would hold a series of public meetings over the next eight weeks. “We are launching a political movement that intends to radically change a political system that is a generation past its sell-by date,” she said.

Mr Hobbs said he became involved due to a growing disillusionment with Irish politics, but side-stepped questions on whether he would stand for the Dáil.