There exist two opposing discourses concerning the progression of the Aontú party. The first articulates a rapid gain in popularity and expansion of membership throughout the nation, attributed to the party’s solid positioning during the family and care referendums. The second narrative paints a stark contrast, portraying a party struggling to make considerable headway on a national scale, due to its equivocal stance on both left and right-leaning issues.
These contrasting observations, while at odds, are both accurate. Following the referendums, Tóibín, who fervently advocated for the No No vote, saw an influx of new members, around 400 in total, expanding the party’s total membership to nearly 2,000.
During the party’s Ardfheis held in Maynooth, delegates delivered impassioned speeches highlighting concerns over the health service, the escalating housing crisis, and the increasing cost of living. The primary focus of the gathering, it appears, was the discussion of “bread-and-butter issues”.
Ensconced in the Glenroyal Hotel, attendees were greeted by brochures condemning “abortion on demand” and berating the Government for attempting to normalise abortion in Irish society. The party deemed itself the embodiment of “common sense”, introducing motions to object to the contentious hate speech legislation and the issue of assisted dying.
Tóibín, during a press briefing, reiterated his call for stronger control over immigration. He proposed a policy that would subject asylum seekers travelling from Northern Ireland to the same passport controls as Irish airports and seaports, effectively creating an “Irish Sea border in terms of people”. This statement dovetails with the recent revelation that over 80 percent of asylum applications in Irish are coming from the UK via the land border with Northern Ireland.
Furthermore, Tóibín criticised individuals he perceived as rogue actors seeking to sow discord in the nation, intending to “take advantage of the discontent present within the State”.
Tóibín has encouraged people to refrain from participating in harmful activities, and instead engage in peaceful, democratic pursuits. Over the previous Friday’s radio discussion, he denounced the rising tendency of “ethnonationalism” as observed during the recent unrest in Newtownmountkennedy. Some right-wing extremists on social media were provoked by these remarks, accusing Tóibín of progressing an agenda against them.
Aontú, on earlier occasions too, has found itself in the cross hairs of far-right elements. Recently announced local election candidates, including Fayiz Alsani, Tinko Tinev, and Jose Syriac, faced online harassment after Aontú revealed their nominations. In some cases, Aontú had to disable online comments on posts featuring these candidates, insisting on distancing itself from all forms of racism.
On the previous Saturday, Aontú advocated for a compassionate and sensible immigration policy, which rejects any discrimination based on an individual’s skin colour. It further suggested a sustainable, yet stricter immigration policy that reduces processing times to a maximum of four months. This aligns with the government’s current immigration stance, who have promised to execute deportations and bolster regulations, although Aontú does not endorse the EU migration pact.
Aontú has also demanded deeper public engagement in these matters. Taoiseach Simon Harris recently acknowledged that the government should avoid commandeering the last standing hotel of a community without prior consultation, and instead a more forward-thinking policy should be adopted. Aontú has suggested a communal benefit for those accommodating large numbers; the government has responded by establishing a community recognition fund. According to Aontú, the asylum application process is distressingly slow – a view that the government has implied agreement with by announcing intent to quicken processing times.
The party’s stance on immigration is not likely to significantly boost its vote count in the imminent months. Individuals inclined to vote against the Government due to immigration issues might find themselves leaning towards Independent candidates.
In the following weeks before election day, Aontú plans to extensively leverage the referendum results, branding itself as a party with an ear to the ground, echoing the statement made by Tóibín.
The party will represent itself as an antagonist to both the Government and occasionally to other opposition parties. It plans to make disparaging remarks towards other lesser parties, like the Green Party. Over the weekend, Tóibín stated that amidst the Green Party’s concerns about global collapse, the majority of individuals stress about monthly income. The truth is, a significant number of people worry about both issues.
Aontú is rallying against the carbon tax, a solid Sinn Féin field.
Aontú’s communication will convey that they are the “party of pragmatism”. However, the issue is that pragmatism can carry different interpretations for varying individuals.