New party reaches out to public

The new All Ireland Movement initiated by Peadar Tóibín TD is to hold a public meeting in the Hotel Kilmore this evening (Thursday) January 17. The event is part of a nationwide tour.
Local councillor Sarah O’Reilly says they have been “inundated” with interest from the public about the new group.
“People are seriously frustrated with the political establishment. They are angry with a political system that sees politicians continuously say one thing and do another, where politicians are more loyal to the political parties than the citizens that they serve. They [the people] are frustrated that so few will stand against the prevailing winds of the establishment,” Cllr O'Reilly said.
Representatives of the party targeted mass goers at locations around the county last Sunday handing out flyers and telling people they were “a party for Christians”.
The Bailieborough councillor said the All Ireland Movement is attracting a broad range of support: “People are coming to us from all the political parties but most especially from SF and FF backgrounds. There is a realignment happening in Irish politics that is long overdue. Many people realise that they are in the wrong political party. They realise that their political party is doing damage to their core values.”
Cllr O'Reilly acknowledges that change is a slow process: “Some people are obviously reluctant to change. The bonds of friendship and tradition run deep. When you realise that your political party is dropping core principles and is going in the opposite direction to yourself on so many issues, it is time to seek change.”
Establishing a grass roots base for the party is first on the agenda. “The first new Cumann will be up and running in Bailieborough on Tuesday January 15. If there are people out there who feel that they no longer have a voice and who want to push economic justice back up the priority list and who seek the unity of the Irish people north and south I would urge you to reach out and get involved,” Cllr O'Reilly concluded.