Big news...
The Social Democrats have announced that their co-leader and sitting TD Stephen Donnelly will leave the party.
In a statement released by the party today, the Social Democrats said: "We are disappointed that he has decided to walk away from the project, we undertook, to establish and build a party."
Donnelly won a lot of praise from the public in the recent General Election when he performed strongly at the Leader's Debate held in the University of Limerick.
"This is a long term project which requires dedication, hard work, long hours and a major commitment from all involved including our elected representatives," the party added.
"The levels of dedication required for such a major undertaking can be overwhelming for some.
"However our elected councillors, our staff team and our volunteers are passionate about our project and we will now get on with the job of building our party."
Donnelly's exit from the party means that the combination of the Green Party and The Social Democrats no longer qualifies for automatic speaking rights in the Dáil.
Main image via Twitter
