Ireland is at a turning point.
We are launching a new independent political party—founded by ordinary people who believe the system is no longer delivering for the public. Across the country, families are facing rising rents, increasing homelessness, and long waiting times in an overstretched healthcare system.
The Common Rose party is founded by Yvonne Dineen Flanagan, Anthony Barry, and Gerry Tighe—citizens who believe Ireland needs a new direction built on accountability, transparency, and public trust.
Trust in politics has been weakened. Many people feel excluded from decisions that directly affect their lives—from housing policy to national security and emerging issues like digital identification, the right to freedom of expression and data privacy.
Do you believe in a fairer, stronger, and more transparent Ireland?
Do you have a desire to be a good representative for your community?
We would like to hear from you!
Together, we can build the alternative Ireland needs.
Reinstate citizen-triggered referendums in Ireland.
Right now, the people can only vote on changes the government decides to put forward. That's not real democracy — it's permission-based democracy.
We need a system where citizens themselves can:
• Propose constitutional amendments
• Gather signatures
• Trigger a national referendum
This isn't radical — it already works in other countries. It gives power back to the people, increases accountability, and ensures important issues can't just be ignored.
Let the people decide what matters.
Let the people vote.
We support the freedom of speech.
Free speech isn't just a nice idea—it's the foundation of a healthy society.
In Ireland, the right to express ideas freely is protected under Article 40.6.1° of the Constitution. That protection matters most when the speech in question is unpopular, controversial, or challenges the status quo. If only widely accepted opinions were allowed, free speech wouldn't mean much at all.
Open expression allows bad ideas to be questioned, debated, and dismantled in the open. When speech is restricted too heavily, those ideas don't disappear—they go underground, where they can grow without challenge. A society that values free speech trusts its people to think critically, not just follow approved narratives.
That doesn't mean there should be no limits. Laws around direct incitement to violence or harassment exist for a reason. But the line should be drawn carefully and clearly. If definitions become too vague or too broad, people may start to self-censor out of fear, and that weakens public debate.
Free speech isn't about protecting comfort—it's about protecting the space to question, disagree, and speak honestly. Without it, progress slows, accountability fades, and power goes unchecked.
Defending free speech means defending the right to think out loud, even when it's inconvenient.
