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The Reform Alliance website launched this morning Screengrab via Reform Alliance

‘Everybody will be invited’: Reform Alliance to hold conference at the RDS this month

The alliance consists of five Fine Gael TDs and two senators, most of whom lost the party whip over their vote against abortion legislation last July.

THE REFORM ALLIANCE is to hold its first national conference at the RDS in Dublin on Saturday, 25 January, it has been confirmed this morning.

The grouping of former Fine Gael TDs and senators has launched its website and registration for the event with one member telling TheJournal.ie: “Everybody will be invited”.

The alliance consists of five Fine Gael TDs and two senators, most of whom lost the party whip over their vote against abortion legislation last July.

This latest move, in addition to registering itself as a ‘third party’ with the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) in order to raise funding, will be widely seen as another step by the Reform Alliance towards forming a new political party.

One RA member, senator Fidelma Healy-Eames, told this website that the event later this month will be the first of many, saying: “Our intention was always to engage the Irish people and you’re only going to engage the Irish people by giving them opportunities to do that.”

She said the event in the RDS Concert Hall is being funded by her and other members of The RA but declined to say how much it is costing, saying only that it is “a lot”.

It is hoped that around 300 people will attend with the likes of independent TDs Stephen Donnelly and Shane Ross set to be invited. Smaller events around the country will hopefully be held later in the year, the Galway-based senator said.

The Sunday Independent, which broke the story today, reports that economist David McWilliams and management consultant Eddie Molloy are also due to address the conference with broadcaster Tom McGurk set to chair one of the discussions.

The event is being organised through the office of TD Lucinda Creighton, the grouping’s most high-profile member, who resigned as a junior minister over the abortion issue last July.

The conference will focus on three “key areas of reform” – political reform, the economy and health – and also promises a “live twitter stream” of reform ideas that have been submitted via its website.

“These reforms are necessary in order to rebuild trust, foster enterprise and encourage and inspire participation in the democratic institutions of the State,” the RA’s website says.

“The Reform Conference will be an open conversation: one which gives concerned citizens an opportunity to contribute to and engage with the debate on Ireland’s destiny for this and future generations.”

Although she siad that “everybody will be invited” when asked if invitations will be extended to government ministers and the Taoiseach, Healy-Eames said: “We haven’t sat down and said: ‘Are we inviting Phil Hogan?’ We are really looking at the general public.”

Three other members of the Reform Alliance contacted this morning did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read: Minister Paschal Donohoe hopes for route back to FG for TDs who left party

Read: ‘Beware of false prophets in sheep’s clothing’: FG chairman’s warning to Reform Alliance

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125 Comments
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    Mute Dan Danny
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    Oct 30th 2023, 7:18 AM

    Ya dress up your pet with the cute outfit from Amazon or alibaba and get loads of likes on insta…”Soooooo cute xxx” don’t forgot Xmas outfit too

    88
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    Mute Margaret Ryan
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    Oct 30th 2023, 11:25 AM

    @Dan Danny: hah

    7
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    Mute Paddy Short
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    Oct 30th 2023, 12:30 PM

    Between what they already know about you via the wealth of information that your “smartphone” provides, your internet history, your credit/debit card spending habits, your Tesco Clubcard, the final nail in the coffin will be the European Digital Currency. With that they will know exactly what makes individuals and communities tick and how to best manipulate them. Gone will be the concept of the individual, everything will be reduced to the data. I for one will never spend a single cent of European Digital Currency on principle but it will be up to the younger generation coming through on whether they are happy to be “barcoded” and reduced down to a mere set of digits instead of a human being. Be warned, if you have fears of this system, once implemented, there will be no going back.

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    Mute DJ Bermo
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    Oct 30th 2023, 3:25 PM

    @Paddy Short: Oh, ffs, stick to the topic, and if you’re lucky enough to own a dog, get some fresh air by taking it for a walk.

    44
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    Mute
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    Oct 30th 2023, 11:53 AM

    How about you don’t let off fireworks for two weeks before and two weeks after Halloween, like a scuzzy bucket

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    Mute Marie B
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    Oct 30th 2023, 8:52 AM

    Lol. Look at the image for the daily pole article.

    17
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    Mute Marie B
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    Oct 30th 2023, 12:01 PM

    @Marie B: btw gone now. it was a dog with a white ghost costume over its head

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    Oct 30th 2023, 12:27 PM

    @Marie B: what’s a daily pole?

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    Mute Pato
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    Oct 30th 2023, 7:27 AM

    Why is there so much rubbish about dogs and don’t get me started on cats!

    26
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    Mute Chris Finch
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    Oct 30th 2023, 7:55 AM

    @Pato: Ah go on, tell us a small bit about your contempt for cats on this Bank Holiday Monday morning.

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    Mute Clare Power
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    Oct 30th 2023, 10:16 AM

    @Pato: judging by previous comments yr a women hater, now yr telling us u don’t like animals…wot a bad seed you are!

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    Mute
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    Oct 30th 2023, 11:53 AM

    @Pato: where did the furries hurt you?

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    Mute J M
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    Oct 30th 2023, 1:03 PM

    To much molly coddling, not saying they don’t get a bit worked up. But not as much as the owners do and certain groups. No different than thunder and lightning.

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    Mute
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    Oct 30th 2023, 7:33 AM

    .

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    Mute Athena
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    Oct 30th 2023, 6:39 PM

    What about stop mammy-ing and baby-ing your dogs and expose them to noise and unusual sounds throughout the year?
    I have yet to see a gun dog panicking over fireworks.

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    Mute Martin Mongan
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    Oct 30th 2023, 11:25 PM

    @Athena: wait are you saying that a dog breed specifically for hunting and being around gun shots isn’t put off by loud noises?!? Well colour me shocked

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    Mute Ham Hat
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    Oct 30th 2023, 8:49 AM

    Let Aleeexpress make some money, Yank dude

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    Mute Paul Moloney
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    Oct 30th 2023, 11:06 AM

    If that’s what you are in to do enjoy your self if you’re a bit of a dressing up to

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    Mute Jon Jon
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    Oct 31st 2023, 11:48 AM

    My dog loves dressing up as Kiss from sting , he’s not a good boy

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