THE CO-FOUNDER of the Jack and Jill Foundation, Jonathan Irwin, hasn’t ruled out the possibility of joining Lucinda Creighton’s new political party after the pair were spotted having lunch in Leinster House yesterday.
Irwin has already announced plans to contest the next general election and was spotted in the members’ restaurant with Creighton, who has already launched her as-yet-unnamed political party, yesterday afternoon.
The pair dined with Irwin’s wife, Senator Mary-Ann O’Brien, and mutual friends.
Creighton later said she has been friends with the couple for some time and that the prospect of Irwin joining her new party was not discussed.
Irwin later explained that the lunch at Leinster House with Creighton and O’Brien had been a prize-offering at a recent Jack and Jill fundraising event.
However, he was not ruling out the possibility of joining forces with Creighton ahead of the next election.
He told TheJournal.ie: “I’m not committing to anybody at all at the moment. I’m still going to be a grumpy old man running in South Kildare, hopefully.
He added: “I’ve no plans at the moment [to join Creighton's party] but in the autumn we will see how it sorts out.”
Irwin said he admired Creighton and said that her new party has “a long way to go”.
The 72-year-old said the fact that Creighton’s party will not have a whip is an “attractive proposition”, but added: “At the moment I’m just Johnny Irwin running on his own.”
Irwin founded the Jack and Jill Foundation with his wife.
It provides home care for families whose children have brain damage or profound disabilities as well as providing for end of life care.
He announced last October that he would contest the three-seat Kildare South constituency at the next general election which is expected in spring 2016.
The possibility of Irwin joining Creighton’s party could create a dilemma in Kildare South where financial advisor Eddie Hobbs, who is also involved in Creighton’s ‘Reboot Ireland’ movement, is also based.
Hobbs told TheJournal.ie recently that he hadn’t decided whether or not to run at the next election. He said he was focused on developing policy for the party which is set to be formally launched with a name towards the end of this month.
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