On Sunday 28th January, members of the National Party’s recently elected National Directorate formally met and decided upon several items detailed below.
The new National Directorate was elected at the Party’s Annual General Meeting (Ard Fheis) on 16th December 2023 in Portlaoise, County Laois. At this meeting, 13 candidates presented themselves for election to the National Directorate; at which 9 were elected to fill the total number of elected positions. In accordance with the Party’s constitution, elected members of the National Directorate took office a month after their election.
At the National Party’s 2023 AGM, several motions were passed by the members present, including an endorsement of the decisions taken at the meeting of the National Directorate held on 14th July 2023 and the amendments made to the Party’s constitution.
A summary of decisions taken at the National Directorate meeting of 28th January 2024 include:
- The election of party leader. James Reynolds was elected as party leader.
- The election of party deputy leader. Patrick Quinlan was elected as party deputy leader.
- The appointment of 3 additional members of the National Directorate by the party leader.
- That the National Directorate be re-named the Ard Comhairle going forward.
- That a new Constitution of the National Party in keeping with the party’s constitutional republican principles be drafted and presented to the membership for consideration.
- That the party commits to fielding candidates in the upcoming European and local elections in June 2024.
Speaking after his election, National Party leader James Reynolds said:
“I’m very pleased by the confidence expressed in my leadership by the ordinary membership of the Party and by members of its executive. At long last the Party’s constitution is being taken seriously and we now have a functional Ard Chomhairle capable of seeing us through this election year. The Ard Chomhairle is now, both in practice and in theory, the supreme governing body of the party. We have abandoned the extraconstitutional ‘Leadership Principle’, whereby one man dominates all decision-making. I see my role as a chairman who can oversee and help the Party achieve its targets during this important election year, drawing on my experience of over thirty years in political activism and campaigning.”
Speaking after his election, National Party deputy leader Patrick Quinlan said:
“It’s an honour to have been elected as deputy leader of the National Party. My focus is on leading activism in Dublin and to assist in the expansion of the party across the 32 counties. This year, with local and European elections in June and the potential of a general election at the drop of a hat, all nationalists need to work together to offer the electorate a clear alternative which puts Irish interests first and is firmly opposed to mass-immigration.”
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