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New political party calling for Irish EU exit launches in Dublin

A new all-Ireland political party has launched in Dublin, calling for an Irish exit from the Euro...
Newstalk
Newstalk

10.13 8 Sep 2018


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New political party calling fo...

New political party calling for Irish EU exit launches in Dublin

Newstalk
Newstalk

10.13 8 Sep 2018


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A new all-Ireland political party has launched in Dublin, calling for an Irish exit from the European Union.

The 'Irexit Freedom' party says it plans to run in the European and national elections with "a full programme of political principles".

Among its principles, the party states: "As no nation has a future without children, as a patriotic party we are pro-natalist and supportive of stable families for the procreation, education and rearing of children".

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It also says: "As Irish people have no land to call their home but Ireland, we believe in the protection of the Irish language, culture and the natural environment.

"We hold that Ireland is our home, not an economic hostel, and that the Irish diaspora has a special part to play in building up our country."

A conference at Dublin's Bonnington Hotel was addressed by former Irish ambassador Ray Bassett and UCD Professor Ray Kinsella.

Mr Bassett spoke about the benefits of leaving the EU and its Customs Union, while Prof Kinsella argued that leaving the EU is essential for Ireland's military neutrality.

The Irish Tricolour and EU flag fly in Dublin | Image: Artur Widak/SIPA USA/PA Images

The spokesman for Irexit Freedom is Hermann Kelly - head of communications for the Eurosceptic EFDD Group of 40 MEPs.

Speaking ahead of the launch, he said: "The EU has given us the good, the bad and the ugly - €44bnm in cash since we joined, an unjust €64bn bank debt on the taxpayer, and taken 200 billions worth of fish out of Irish waters.

"That is not a good deal, and going forward it will get worse, with our biggest trading partner leaving the EU, and the European Commission imposing a hard border to comply with EU Custom Union rules. We will be better off out of the EU."

He added: "Ireland now hands over €2.7bn to the EU every year, and is now a net contributor to the EU budget.

"It is a crazy idea to pay people you did not elect and whom you cannot get rid of; to impose a large part of the laws directly applicable in Ireland".

The same group hosted former UKIP leader and Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage as a guest speaker back in February.


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