DISCUSSIONS AIMED at forming a new and united left-wing political party in Ireland are "ongoing" and such a group may be assembled in time to contest next year's local and European elections, a prominent left-wing activist has said.
Richard Boyd Barrett of the People Before Profit Alliance said the success of a broad coalition of left, anti-war and trade union movements in securing a No vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum highlighted the potential for an established left movement, and he is working to form a new left choice for Irish voters.
"I think the Lisbon Treaty vote clearly demonstrates the need for a new left because the entire political establishment, including the official left in Ireland - the Labour Party - backed an agenda for Europe which was rejected by the majority of Irish people," he said.
"This shows a massive gap between the political establishment and the aspirations of the majority of people in this country, and it is in that space we believe a new left is required, and now is the time to grasp the opportunity."
Mr Boyd Barrett said Ireland currently had an "active but fragmented left" and he would like to see, for example, members of the Socialist Party, Socialist Workers Party, Independent left TDs and like-minded trade unionists joining in such a development.
Mr Boyd Barrett said such a party would oppose privatisation and neo-liberalism, and fight for workers' rights and a democratically planned economic system.
He said he would like to see the new group in place in time to contest the local and European elections next summer, and indicated that "voting pacts" and "a broad manifesto" would be agreed upon between those involved.
Joe Higgins, a former Socialist Party TD, said that for a long time his party has seen a vacuum in the left-wing movement and a need for a new mass workers' party.
However, he said the difficulty lay in how such a grouping would come about and over the past 10 or 15 years conditions for the formation of a new left-wing movement had not been favourable.
"Unless the conditions are correct it would be wrong to launch a new left party . . . We always co- operate in campaigns with groups from the left and community groups and in the run-up to the elections next summer we will discuss the possibilities of co-operation, and what could be achieved."
