List of Irish politicians who changed party affiliation

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This is a list of members of Dáil Éireann, Seanad Éireann and Irish Members of the European Parliament who changed their party affiliation (that is abandoning a previous party membership to take up a new one) or who resigned from, were suspended from or were expelled from their previous party affiliation, making them independents. This list does not include the Ceann Comhairle, who resigns from their previous party affiliation on election to the position.

TDs who changed party affiliation

More information Dáil, Date ...
Dáil Date TD Loss Gain Constituency Reason
4th 25 January 1926 William Magennis CnaG CÉ National University Joined party on its foundation
4th 25 January 1926 Pádraic Ó Máille CnaG CÉ Galway Joined party on its foundation
4th 25 January 1926 Christoper Byrne CnaG CÉ Wicklow Joined party on its foundation
4th 16 May 1926 SF FF Split in Sinn Féin, with majority of TDs joining new party led by Éamon de Valera
4th September 1926 William Redmond Ind. NL Waterford Joined party on its foundation as leader
4th September 1926 James Cosgrave Ind. NL Galway Joined party on its foundation
4th May 1927 Denis Gorey FP CnaG Carlow–Kilkenny Selected as candidate for Cumann na nGaedheal[1]
5th 26 July 1927 Patrick Belton FF Ind. Dublin County Took Oath of Allegiance in contravention of Fianna Fáil policy
6th July 1931 William Redmond NL CnaG Waterford Party dissolution
6th July 1931 James Coburn NL Ind. Louth Party dissolution
6th 24 October 1931 Richard Anthony Lab Ind. Cork Borough Expelled for voting for Constitution (Amendment No. 17) Act 1931[2]
6th 24 October 1931 Daniel Morrissey Lab Ind. Tipperary Expelled for voting for Constitution (Amendment No. 17) Act 1931[2]
6th 1932 Michael Heffernan FP CnaG Tipperary Selected to run for Cumann na nGaedheal for forthcoming election
6th 1932 Michael Jordan FP CnaG Wexford Selected to run for Cumann na nGaedheal for forthcoming election
6th 1932 John White FP CnaG Donegal Selected to run for Cumann na nGaedheal for forthcoming election
7th 15 September 1932 James Dillon Ind. NCP Donegal Joined new party on foundation
7th 15 September 1932 Frank MacDermot Ind. NCP Roscommon Joined new party on foundation
7th 15 September 1932 Timothy O'Donovan FP NCP Cork West Joined new party on foundation
7th 15 September 1932 John O'Shaughnessy FP NCP Limerick Joined new party on foundation
7th 15 September 1932 Daniel Vaughan FP NCP Cork North Joined new party on foundation
8th 8 September 1933 All 48 TDs CnaG FG New party formed on merger
8th 8 September 1933 Richard Holohan NCP FG Carlow–Kilkenny Joined new party on merger
8th 8 September 1933 Patrick McGovern NCP FG Cavan Joined new party on merger
8th 8 September 1933 Timothy O'Donovan NCP FG Cork West Joined new party on merger
8th 8 September 1933 James Dillon NCP FG Donegal Joined new party on merger
8th 8 September 1933 Patrick Rogers NCP FG Leitrim–Sligo Joined new party on merger
8th 8 September 1933 Jack Finlay NCP FG Leix–Offaly Joined new party on merger
8th 8 September 1933 Charles Fagan NCP FG Longford–Westmeath Joined new party on merger
8th 8 September 1933 Frank MacDermot NCP FG Roscommon Joined new party on merger
8th 8 September 1933 Richard Curran NCP FG Tipperary Joined new party on merger
8th 8 September 1933 Nicholas Wall NCP FG Waterford Joined new party on merger
8th 8 September 1933 William Kent NCP Ind. Cork East Became Independent on formation of Fine Gael[3]
8th October 1935 Frank MacDermot FG Ind. Roscommon Resigned from party
10th 1942 James Dillon FG Ind. Monaghan Left party in opposition to Irish neutrality
11th July 1943 William Sheldon CnaT Ind. Donegal East Resigned from party
11th 7 January 1944 James Everett Lab NLP Wicklow Joined party on its foundation as leader
11th 7 January 1944 Thomas Looney Lab NLP Cork South-East Joined party on its foundation
11th 7 January 1944 Dan Spring Lab NLP Kerry North Joined party on its foundation
11th 7 January 1944 James Pattison Lab NLP Kilkenny Joined party on its foundation
11th 7 January 1944 John O'Leary Lab NLP Wexford Joined party on its foundation
13th April 1951 Noël Browne CnaP Ind. Dublin South-East Resigned from party
14th May 1952 James Dillon Ind. FG Monaghan Rejoined party
14th 28 October 1953 Noël Browne Ind. FF Dublin South-East Joined party
14th 28 October 1953 Michael ffrench-O'Carroll Ind. FF Dublin South-West Joined party
14th 28 October 1953 Patrick Cogan Ind. FF Wicklow Joined party
16th 16 May 1958 Noël Browne Ind. NPD Dublin South-East Joined party on its foundation as co-leader
16th 16 May 1958 Jack McQuillan Ind. NPD Roscommon Joined party on its foundation as co-leader
17th 27 October 1963 Noël Browne NPD Lab Dublin South-East Party dissolution
17th 27 October 1963 Jack McQuillan NPD Lab Roscommon Party dissolution
17th 27 October 1963 Seán Dunne Ind. Lab Dublin County Joined party
18th 1 November 1967 Patrick Norton Lab Ind. Kildare Resigned from party
18th 22 February 1969 Patrick Norton Ind. FF Kildare Joined party
19th 19 September 1971 Seán Sherwin FF AÉ Dublin South-West Joined party on its foundation[4]
19th 5 November 1971 Des Foley FF Ind. Dublin County North Resigned party[5]
19th 17 November 1971 Neil Blaney FF Ind. Donegal North-East Expelled from parliamentary party[6]
19th 17 November 1971 Paudge Brennan FF Ind. Wicklow Expelled from parliamentary party[6]
20th 28 April 1976 David Thornley Lab Ind. Dublin North-West Lost party whip after appearing on Sinn Féin platform during Easter Rising commemorations[7]
20th 2 February 1977 David Thornley Ind. Lab Dublin North-West Readmitted to parliamentary party[8]
23rd 28 October 1982 Michael O'Leary Lab Ind. Dublin Central Resigned as leader and party member[9]
23rd 3 November 1982 Michael O'Leary Ind. FG Dublin Central Joined Fine Gael[10]
24th 18 May 1984 Desmond O'Malley Ind. FF Limerick East Lost whip after support for New Ireland Forum Report[11]
24th 18 February 1985 John O'Connell Ind. FF Dublin South-West Joined party[12]
24th 21 February 1985 Seán Treacy Lab Ind. Dublin South-West Expelled after voting against Health (Family Planning) (Amendment) Bill 1985
24th 27 November 1985 Mary Harney Ind. FF Dublin South-West Lost whip after voting for the Anglo-Irish Agreement[13]
24th 21 December 1985 Desmond O'Malley Ind. PDs Limerick East Joined party on its foundation as leader
24th 21 December 1985 Mary Harney Ind. PDs Dublin South-West Joined party on its foundation
24th 20 January 1986 Pearse Wyse FF PDs Cork South-Central Joined party[14]
24th 23 January 1986 Bobby Molloy FF PDs Galway West Joined party[15]
24th 9 April 1986 Michael Keating FG PDs Dublin Central Joined party[16]
24th 9 December 1986 Alice Glenn FG Ind. Dublin Central Resigned ahead of motion to expel her in response to sectarian controversy[17]
25th 20 April 1988 John Donnellan FG Ind. Galway West Expelled from parliamentary party after criticising party leader[18]
26th 1 May 1990 Jim Kemmy DSP Lab Limerick East Party dissolution and merger
26th 22 February 1992 Proinsias De Rossa WP DL Dublin North-West Formed new party as leader (initially called New Agenda)
26th 22 February 1992 Eric Byrne WP DL Dublin South-Central Formed new party (initially called New Agenda)
28th 22 February 1992 Eamon Gilmore WP DL Dún Laoghaire Formed new party (initially called New Agenda)
26th 22 February 1992 Pat McCartan WP DL Dublin North-East Formed new party (initially called New Agenda)
28th 22 February 1992 Pat Rabbitte WP DL Dublin South-West Formed new party (initially called New Agenda)
28th 22 February 1992 Joe Sherlock WP DL Cork West Formed new party (initially called New Agenda)
27th 31 March 1993 Michael J. Noonan FF Ind. Limerick West Loss of whip after criticism of party leader and Taoiseach[19]
27th 5 September 1994 Martin Cullen PDs FF Waterford Changed party[20]
27th 18 January 1995 Michael J. Noonan Ind. FF Limerick West Whip restored[21]
27th 3 October 1995 Michael J. Noonan FF Ind. Limerick West Loss of whip after abstaining on divorce amendment[22]
27th 14 May 1997 Michael J. Noonan Ind. FF Limerick West Whip restored[23]
28th 13 October 1998 Michael Bell Lab Ind. Louth Resigned from parliamentary party
28th 30 November 1998 Michael Bell Ind. Lab Louth Rejoined the parliamentary party
28th 24 January 1999 Proinsias De Rossa DL Lab Dublin North-West Party merger
28th 24 January 1999 Pat Rabbitte DL Lab Dublin South-West Party merger
28th 24 January 1999 Eamon Gilmore DL Lab Dún Laoghaire Party merger
28th 24 January 1999 Liz McManus DL Lab Wicklow Party merger
28th 24 February 1999 Beverley Flynn FF Ind. Mayo Resigned party whip
28th 3 November 1999 Beverley Flynn Ind. FF Mayo Rejoined the parliamentary party
28th 9 February 2000 Denis Foley FF Ind. Kerry North Resigned from parliamentary party
28th 7 June 2000 Liam Lawlor FF Ind. Dublin West Resigned from party
28th 11 April 2001 Beverley Flynn FF Ind. Mayo Expelled from parliamentary party
29th 27 September 2003 Michael J. Collins FF Ind. Limerick West Resigned from party
29th 5 May 2004 Beverley Flynn FF Ind. Mayo Expelled from parliamentary party
29th 22 September 2004 Liam Twomey Ind. FG Wexford Joined party
29th 26 July 2006 Niall Blaney IFF FF Donegal North-East Joined party
30th 28 November 2007 Ned O'Keeffe FF Ind. Cork East Resigned from parliamentary party
30th 27 February 2008 Ned O'Keeffe Ind. FF Cork East Rejoined the parliamentary party
30th 8 April 2008 Beverley Flynn Ind. FF Mayo Rejoined the party[24]
30th 17 October 2008 Joe Behan FF Ind. Wicklow Resigned from party[25]
30th 13 November 2008 Jim McDaid FF Ind. Donegal North-East Lost party whip after abstaining in a vote on a health issue
30th 5 August 2009 Jimmy Devins FF Ind. Sligo–North Leitrim Resigned party whip in protest at cuts in cancer services at Sligo General Hospital
30th 5 August 2009 Eamon Scanlon FF Ind. Sligo–North Leitrim Resigned party whip in protest at cuts in cancer services at Sligo General Hospital
30th 20 November 2009 Noel Grealish PDs Ind. Galway West Party dissolution
30th 20 November 2009 Mary Harney PDs Ind. Dublin Mid-West Party dissolution
30th 29 June 2010 Mattie McGrath FF Ind. Tipperary South Lost party whip after voting against a bill to ban stag hunting
30th 13 January 2011 Eamon Scanlon Ind. FF Sligo–North Leitrim Rejoined the parliamentary party[26]
30th 25 January 2011 Jimmy Devins Ind. FF Sligo–North Leitrim Rejoined the parliamentary party[27]
31st 7 July 2011 Denis Naughten FG Ind. Roscommon–South Leitrim Lost party whip for opposing closure of Roscommon County Hospital emergency department[28]
31st 15 November 2011 Willie Penrose Lab Ind. Longford–Westmeath Resigned party whip over the closure of an army barracks[29]
31st 1 December 2011 Tommy Broughan Lab Ind. Dublin North-East Lost party whip after voting against the Government on a vote relating to the Bank Guarantee Scheme[30]
31st 6 December 2011 Patrick Nulty Lab Ind. Dublin West Lost party whip after voting against the VAT increase in the 2012 budget[31]
31st 31 August 2012 Clare Daly SP Ind. Dublin North Resigned from party[32]
31st 26 September 2012 Róisín Shortall Lab Ind. Dublin North-West Resigned party whip and as Minister of State at the Department of Health[33]
31st 13 December 2012 Colm Keaveney Lab Ind. Galway East Lost party whip after voting against part of the 2013 budget[34]
31st 25 April 2013 Joan Collins PBP Ind. Dublin South-Central Left the People Before Profit Alliance and formed the United Left but remained an independent TD[35]
31st 2 July 2013 Peter Mathews FG Ind. Dublin South Lost party whip for voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013[36]
31st 2 July 2013 Billy Timmins FG Ind. Wicklow Lost party whip for voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013[36]
31st 2 July 2013 Brian Walsh FG Ind. Galway West Lost party whip for voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013[36]
31st 2 July 2013 Terence Flanagan FG Ind. Dublin North-East Lost party whip for voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013[36]
31st 11 July 2013 Lucinda Creighton FG Ind. Dublin South-East Lost party whip for voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013 and resigned as Minister of State for European Affairs[37]
31st 12 July 2013 Peadar Tóibín SF Ind. Meath West Suspended from parliamentary party for voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013[38]
31st 7 October 2013 Willie Penrose Ind. Lab Longford–Westmeath Rejoined the parliamentary party[39]
31st 3 December 2013 Colm Keaveney Ind. FF Galway East Joined Fianna Fáil[40]
31st 12 January 2014 Peadar Tóibín Ind. SF Meath West Rejoined the parliamentary party after a six-month suspension for voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013
31st 30 April 2014 Brian Walsh Ind. FG Galway West Rejoined the parliamentary party[41]
31st 10 February 2015 Anne Ferris Lab Ind. Wicklow Lost party whip for voting in favour of providing for abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities
31st 13 March 2015 Lucinda Creighton Ind. Ren Dublin South-East Joined party on its foundation as leader[42]
31st 13 March 2015 Billy Timmins Ind. Ren Wicklow Joined party on its foundation[42]
31st 13 March 2015 Terence Flanagan Ind. Ren Dublin North-East Joined party on its foundation[42]
31st 29 May 2015 Michael McNamara Lab Ind. Clare Lost party whip for voting against the sale of the state's stake in Aer Lingus[43]
31st 15 July 2015 Stephen Donnelly Ind. SD Wicklow Joined party on its foundation as co-leader[44]
31st 15 July 2015 Catherine Murphy Ind. SD Kildare North Joined party on its foundation as co-leader[44]
31st 15 July 2015 Róisín Shortall Ind. SD Dublin North-West Joined party on its foundation as co-leader[44]
31st 16 July 2015 Anne Ferris Ind. Lab Wicklow Rejoined the parliamentary party[45]
31st 16 September 2015 Michael McNamara Ind. Lab Clare Rejoined the parliamentary party[46]
31st 26 September 2015 Eamonn Maloney Lab Ind. Dublin South-West Resigned from party[47]
31st 24 November 2015 Seán Conlan FG Ind. Cavan–Monaghan Resigned from party[48]
32nd 26 July 2016 Tommy Broughan I4C Ind. Dublin Bay North Left party
32nd 5 September 2016 Stephen Donnelly SD Ind. Wicklow Left party
32nd 2 February 2017 Stephen Donnelly Ind. FF Wicklow Joined party
32nd 22 March 2018 Carol Nolan SF Ind. Offaly Suspended for voting against the bill on repealing the Eight Amendment before it was put to a referendum.[49] She resigned from Sinn Féin in June 2018.
32nd 2 October 2018 Peter Fitzpatrick FG Ind. Louth Resigned from party[50]
32nd 15 November 2018 Peadar Tóibín SF Ind. Meath West Resigned from party[51]
32nd 28 January 2019 Peadar Tóibín Ind. Aon Meath West Joined party on its foundation as leader[52]
33rd 31 May 2020 Joan Collins I4C RTC Dublin South-Central Joined party on its foundation as leader[53]
33rd 15 September 2021 Marc MacSharry FF Ind. Sligo–Leitrim Resigned party whip to vote no confidence in Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney.[54] He left the party in November 2022.[55]
33rd 25 February 2022 Violet-Anne Wynne SF Ind. Clare Resigned from party[56]
33rd 19 May 2022 Patrick Costello GP Ind. Dublin South-Central Suspended after breaking whip on motion on ownership of the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin
33rd 19 May 2022 Neasa Hourigan GP Ind. Dublin Central Suspended after breaking whip on motion on ownership of the National Maternity Hospital
33rd 6 July 2022 Joe McHugh FG Ind. Donegal Resigned whip to vote against Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022[57]
33rd 23 November 2022 Patrick Costello Ind. GP Dublin South-Central Regained party whip[58]
33rd 23 November 2022 Neasa Hourigan Ind. GP Dublin Central Regained party whip[58]
33rd 23 March 2023 Neasa Hourigan GP Ind. Dublin Central Suspended after voting against government on eviction ban[59]
33rd 10 November 2023 Michael Collins Ind. II Cork South-West Joined party on its foundation as leader[60]
33rd 10 November 2023 Richard O'Donoghue Ind. II Limerick County Joined party on its foundation as General Secretary[60]
33rd 12 February 2024 Michael Fitzmaurice Ind. II Roscommon–Galway Joined party
33rd July 2024 Neasa Hourigan Ind. GP Dublin Central Regained party whip
33rd 9 October 2024 Patricia Ryan SF Ind. Kildare South Resigned from party[61]
34th 10 December 2024 Eoin Hayes SD Ind. Dublin Bay South Suspended from party[62]
34th 25 July 2025 Eoin Hayes Ind. SD Dublin Bay South Readmitted to party
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Senators who changed party affiliation

More information Seanad, Date ...
Seanad Date Senator Loss Gain Panel Reason
21st 14 January 1999 Brendan Ryan Ind. Lab National University Took Labour whip
21st 14 June 2000 Helen Keogh PDs FG Nominated by the Taoiseach Switched party
22nd 29 April 2004 Michael Brennan FF PDs Nominated by the Taoiseach Resigned from party
22nd 28 March 2007 Liam Fitzgerald FF Ind. Labour Panel Resigned from party
22nd 4 April 2007 Margaret Cox FF Ind. Industrial and Commercial Panel Resigned from party
24th 7 February 2012 Eamonn Coghlan Ind. FG Nominated by the Taoiseach Joined Fine Gael[63]
24th 21 December 2012 James Heffernan Lab Ind. Agricultural Panel Lost the parliamentary Labour Party whip
24th 16 July 2013 Fidelma Healy Eames FG Ind. Labour Panel Lost the party whip for voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013[64]
24th 16 July 2013 Paul Bradford FG Ind. Agricultural Panel Lost the party whip for voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013[64]
24th 21 December 2014 Mark Daly FF Ind. Administrative Panel Lost the party whip on Water Services Bill[65]
24th 3 February 2015 Mark Daly Ind. FF Administrative Panel Re-gained party whip[66]
24th 13 March 2015 Paul Bradford Ind. Ren Agricultural Panel Joined Renua on its foundation[42]
24th 26 March 2015 Jim Walsh FF Ind. Agricultural Panel Resigned party whip in opposition to the Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015 and the Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015[67]
24th 25 May 2015 Averil Power FF Ind. Industrial and Commercial Panel Resigned from party[68]
24th 3 September 2015 James Heffernan Ind. SD Agricultural Panel Joined the Social Democrats[69]
25th 30 November 2017 Trevor Ó Clochartaigh SF Ind. Agricultural Panel Resigned from party
26th 4 November 2024 Eugene Murphy FF Ind. Agricultural Panel Resigned from Fianna Fáil to contest the 2024 general election as an independent.[70]
27th 9 February 2025 Martin Conway FG Ind. Administrative Panel Resigned from Fine Gael[71]
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MEPs who changed party affiliation

More information Date, Parl. ...
Date Parl. MEP Loss Gain Constituency Note
22 February 1992 3rd Des Geraghty Workers' Party Democratic Left Dublin Joined new party (initially called New Agenda)
5 April 2013 7th Nessa Childers Labour Independent East Resigned from parliamentary party[72]
24 June 2014 8th Brian Crowley Fianna Fáil Independent South Loss of whip on joining European Conservatives and Reformists[73]
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See also

References

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