Ex-Social Democrat Stephen Donnelly joins Fianna Fáil

Stephen Donnelly, the Independent TD for Wicklow who had previously founded the Social Democrats party, is to join Fianna Fáil.

It is believed that Stephen Donnelly will be given responsibility for affairs relating to Brexit on the party's front bench.

Mr Donnelly, who was elected as an Independent TD in 2011, founded the Social Democrats in 2015 and was re-elected to the Dail as a Social Democrats TD in 2016.

However, he left the party last summer. In an interview with Hot Press earlier in January, Mr. Donnelly said that he left the party because he believed they wouldn't go into government.

“I believe we should have gone into government, but what bothered me far more was a refusal to even enter talks about government,” he said. "Our election position was clear: we would talk to any party or group interested in social democratic policies. I gave that assurance to over a million people on the Leaders’ Debate. Call me old fashioned – or naïve – but I take that sort of thing seriously.”

He also admits that there was tension and arguments amongst the party’s co-leaders. “Starting a political party is difficult, so naturally there are going to be tensions – particularly with such a diverse team. The Party chose, when I left, to engage in some snide nonsense, but that was their choice. My choice was to stay quiet. I don't believe it serves anyone's interests to air those tensions publicly."

Read the full Hot Press interview with Stpehen Donnelly here.