Independents’ day? Rise and rise of smaller parties

The establishment political parties have to be constantly looking over their shoulders

From left: Social Democrat candidate for Meath East Aisling O’Neill; Stephen Donnelly; Róisín Shortall; and Catherine Murphy, during the launch of the Social Democrats first manifesto document on O’Connell Street in Dublin Collins
Renua Ireland party leader Lucinda Creighton at the party's General Election 2016 manifesto launch at Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin. Renua Ireland announced it will field 18 candidates in the election

For decades, Irish voters were in two-and-a-half channel land with Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour. But the near wipe-out of Fianna Fáil in the last ...