New political party to advocate fathers' rights

A new political party has been established to advocate fathers' rights in Irish society.

A new political party has been established to advocate fathers' rights in Irish society.

The "Fathers Rights-Responsibility Party" is registering as an official political party and hopes to run candidates in all 43 constituencies, "even if some candidates double up in a number of constituencies", according to party chairman Liam Ó Gógáin.

Mr Ó Gógáin stood in four previous elections as an independent advocating fathers' rights.

The party is building up a list of candidates and has four definite constituency campaigns so far. Mr Ó Gógáin will run in Dublin South, in Minister for Social and Family Affairs Séamus Brennan's constituency. He will campaign against current social welfare policy, which, the party maintains, is against joint parenting and custody for separated couples.

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Another as yet unnamed candidate is to stand in Dublin Central on the same platform. A candidate will also run in Wicklow, while Luke Martin will stand for the party in Louth. Mr Ó Gógáin stood in the Louth constituency in the 2002 general election.

Marie O'Halloran

Marie O'Halloran

Marie O'Halloran is Parliamentary Correspondent of The Irish Times