Ivana Bacik has confirmed her intention to run for leader of the Labour Party following the resignation of Alan Kelly last week.
In an email sent to local representatives, the Dublin Bay South TD asked for their backing and expressed appreciation for the leadership of Mr Kelly.
In her statement, Ms Bacik's said she had been elected as a TD by “seeking radical change for social and economic equality”.
Ms Bacik continued: “These are the socialist and social democratic values that have been at the centres of my political life, from the days when I began campaigning for a woman’s right to choose as a student in Trinity College, to last week when I was proud to chair the first public meeting of the Oireachtas committee on gender equality.”
“Regardless of the outcome of the forthcoming electoral process, I look forward to working with Alan, my other parliamentary party colleagues, Councillors, area reps, members and supporters across the country, to advance Labour’s agenda for equality, solidarity and fairness.”
Nominations for a new leader of the Labour Party will close at 12pm on Thursday the 24th of March. Ms Bacik is widely expected to become the next leader.
If there is a contested election, the date for close of polling will be Friday the 22nd April and voting will be by postal ballot.
However, other candidates like Duncan Smith and Aodhan O'Riordan have said they will not contest the leadership.
'Stagnation'
Ms Bacik has also said that a discussion on who would lead the party was not made prior to the meeting with outgoing leader Mr Kelly.
“No, things don't develop in that way, and nor should they. Things took a very sudden turn last week,” she told RTÉ radio’s News at One.
It was a “collective and unanimous” decision to approach Alan Kelly to express concern about the “stagnation” of the party in opinion polls and the result of internal polls on “issues”.
It had been a difficult time for him to be leader of the party, but it was important that the party unite. Now more than ever there needed to be a Labour voice in Irish politics, she said.
When asked about concerns from some members of the Labour Party over the way in which Mr Kelly was removed, Ms Bacik said “we would have liked to have more time, Alan would have liked more time, but that's how things happened”.
Ms Bacik said that in advance of announcing her decision to run for the leadership, she had written to all the party’s local representatives to ensure that her message had got across.
The Labour Party would provide a third alternative voice.
It had been difficult for the party to “shake off the legacy” of the 2011 to 2016 Government which had brought Ireland back from the brink of financial ruin, from bankruptcy, she said.
Labour now had to look at shaping the future and to ensure that the Labour message of equality was heard.
-Additional reporting by Vivienne Clarke
