By Stephen Donnelly

Serving the people of Wicklow and East Carlow as an independent TD over the past four years has been the very highest honour. It is however an inescapable political fact there is a limit on what can be achieved, for the county, and for the country, as an Independent. Over the past four years, I have concluded that Ireland needs a credible, modern, social democratic political party – a party that combines a meaningful social vision with a strong and vibrant economy.

On Wednesday, I launched the Social Democrats with Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall – two TDs of great integrity, who are determined to change Ireland for the better.

There are lots of reasons we’re doing this, why we believe it’s important. For me, the short version is this: If we’re to see a recovery for all, and set the country up for the years to come, we need a new political approach – one that insists on open government, rather than the secrecy we see today; one that understands the needs of businesses, seeking to achieve the same success for Irish businesses as we see in foreign direct investment; one that champions a meaningful social vision, where all children have the opportunity to achieve their potential. That is why I want to stay in politics – to be part of a new, modern, social democratic political party.

The country is beginning to recover. We all know it’s an unequal recovery. But it’s also an unstable one. Why? Because the very things that caused the crash in the first place are still here: An out-dated political system, operating in a culture of secrecy; a short term approach to planning, investment and public services; and a lack of ambition for what our Ireland’s enterprise sector is capable of.

The people of Wicklow deserve more than this, and are demanding more. The energy of the Yes Equality campaign is just the latest example. There is a growing demand for things to be better – better schools and colleges, better healthcare, better jobs and a better society.

And so politics needs to move on – to be in step with the people, rather than huffing and puffing to catch up with them. New vision, fresh ideas, better approaches, need to be put in place – and that, ultimately, is what the Social Democrats are about. The task facing the Irish nation is not just to recover, but to build an equal, prosperous and stable country for ourselves, for our children, and for generations to come.

So how do we do this? Lots can be done in the short term. Things like resolving the mortgage crisis, better supporting local companies, and providing high quality and affordable childcare. And while we’re doing these things, we need to start working on the longer term. We need coherent planning – in areas like healthcare, broadband, infrastructure, housing and pensions. We need a modern approach to implementation – starting with clear objectives, tracking progress, improving and refining as we go. We all know this – now we need a political system that knows it too.

We need to be ambitious, and ask big questions. How do we get a top 5 education system in the next 10 years? How do we ensure local businesses can thrive? How do we create a modern, community-based healthcare system? How do we ensure everyone has sufficient income in retirement? How do we increase the standard of living in Wicklow while at the same time improving our global competitiveness?

None of this is wishful thinking – it’s what other countries have already done. The question is – how do we do it – in Wicklow and across the nation? We build a modern social democracy – one that combines great public services, a thriving economy and strong communities.

This will take time, and it will need a lot of people to get involved. I hope people in Wicklow and East Carlow will join with me, in whatever way works for them. People can contribute ideas and policies. People can volunteer to knock on doors, run events, help me in my local office or simply tell their friends and family what I, and the Social Democrats, are doing. People can donate, or run fundraisers.

We’re looking for people from every town and village, from every walk of life. If ‘more of the same’ isn’t enough for you – if you believe Wicklow deserves better – if you believe Ireland is capable of much, much more then please join us.

Stephen Donnelly is a TD for Wicklow and East Carlow