A number of Independent Dáil deputies are to canvass for Dr Kieran Deeny, who is contesting the West Tyrone constituency in the Westminster elections.
This was was revealed yesterday by Independent Mayo TD Dr Jerry Cowley, who is a strong advocate of more co-operation between Independent public representatives in the North and South.
Dr Cowley told The Irish Times there was a North-South dimension to the Dr Deeny's work. "We want to get away from tribal politics and offer people a genuinely independent voice."
A public meeting, attended by Dr Deeny and the TDs, will be held in Strabane, Co Tyrone, next Monday.
Among those expected to join Dr Cowley in supporting Dr Deeny are Tony Gregory, Dublin Central, Finian McGrath, Dublin North Central, Paudge Connolly, Cavan-Monaghan, Marian Harkin, Sligo-Leitrim, and Catherine Murphy, Kildare North.
Dr Deeny, a rural GP, topped the poll in West Tyrone in the Northern Assembly elections.
In what was hailed at the time as a significant break from traditional Northern Irish voting patterns, Dr Deeny topped the poll with 6,158 votes.
This compared with 6,019 first-preferences polled by Sinn Féin's Pat Doherty, the only other candidate elected in the first count.
Dr Deeny had stood on a "health issues" ticket, opposing what he described as the downgrading of Tyrone County Hospital in Omagh in favour of the Erne Hospital in Co Fermanagh.
Health issues also featured in the election of Dr Cowley, Mr McGrath, Mr Connolly and other TDs.
Dr Cowley has been pressing his colleagues to form a formal alliance which would include Dr Deeny. Dr Deeny has met the Independent TDs in Leinster House.
Within the Dáil, Dr Cowley envisages a formal "Independent alliance" which would hold the balance of power after the next general election.
He has drafted a document which suggests that it is "within the power of the electorate to return sufficient Independent TDs to hold the balance of power and decide the formation of the next government".
Dr Cowley refers to the deal made by Mr Gregory with the minority Fianna Fáil government in 1982.
He also refers to the influence enjoyed by Kerry South Independent Jackie Healy-Rae and other Independents in the last government, as well as the manner in which the Progressive Democrats have influenced government policy "above and beyond their Dáil numbers".
The election of Ms Murphy in the Kildare North by-election was a major boost to Dr Cowley and his colleagues, who had campaigned for her.
Health, social welfare, older people community services, disability, education, environment, roads and infrastructure, tourism and justice have been identified by Dr Cowley.
He believes these are areas in which the Independents could collectively have an impact on policy.
