'Who else but the Labour Party have changed Ireland?': Aodhán Ó Ríordáin enters leadership race
Dublin Bay North TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has announced he will seek the leadership of the Labour Party, and will face off against Tipperary TD Alan Kelly.
Mr Ó’Ríordáin confirmed that he has been nominated by Louth TD Ged Nash and Senator Ivana Bacik.
Mr Nash had been tipped to contest the post but decided against it.
Speaking to RTE radio, Mr Ó’Ríordáin said Labour needs to position itself as the “party of change”, adding: “People don’t look at the Labour Party and see change.
“Who else but the Labour Party have changed Ireland?” he asked in reference to Labour’s record on LGBT rights and women’s rights, among other issues.
“We need to realise that we have no right to exist.”
'I relish a contest' - Alan Kelly launches Labour leadership bid
Labour Tipperary TD Alan Kelly has formally launched his bid to become the next leader of the Labour Party.
At a press launch at Buswells Hotel, in a show of strength, Mr Kelly was flanked by many party figures including former TDs Jan O'Sullivan, Willie Penrose and Mary Upton, along with party councillors as he addressed the media.
Formally nominated by Duncan Smith, the party's new TD in Fingal, and seconded by Cork East TD Sean Sherlock, Mr Kelly said he would relish a contest if Aodhan O Riordan decided to stand against him.
“I spoke to Aodhan and Ged. I understand Ged is not standing. I relish a contest, it would be good for the party,” he said.
“I expect a government to be formed involving Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens,” said Mr Kelly.
I don't believe we have a mandate to be in government. But we are willing to support specific policies, on a case by case basis.
While he said he felt his party's manifesto was excellent heading into Election 2020, he accepted a large majority of people did not hear its message.
“Our actual documentation and policies were good policies. But too many doors were closed to us, too many minds were closed to us,” he said.
Asked about his links to John Delaney, who said previously he was close with the Labour TD, Mr Kelly said his association extended only to matters in relating to Tipperary.
He added that is was time for the party "to go back to basics”.
“The party was founded to advance the interest of workers. We must rebuild our party, take it back to the grassroots, cover every corner of the country in doing so and regenerate the trust we had with the people of Ireland that, no matter what, Labour puts the people first.
"There is a hard road ahead and it will take time, but the rebuilding of the party must revolve around putting workers and their families at the centre of political discourse.”
Deputy Smith said he looked forward to a "positive and inclusive debate" about the party’s future.
He said: "Working together under a strong and fully inclusive leadership, we will win back the support of former Labour voters and re-establish ourselves as the party of working people. I believe Alan has the capability to achieve this.”
Deputy Sherlock said: “The contest should be a positive and inclusive one and the members will have their say over the future direction of the party. The Labour Party needs to unite and campaign around its core purpose and Alan has demonstrated both the ability and energy to achieve that.”
Mr Kelly concluded by saying that the recent election has shown that the country needs what Labour has stood for, adding: "The realignment in national politics whereby the traditional larger parties are moving inexorably closer has created a void that honest, hard-working and considered social reformists must fill. Labour is the only party that can do that and our hard work begins now.”
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