The name Aontú was announced at a meeting in Belfast on 28 January 2019.[24] The Meath Chronicle said that the announcement of the name was precipitated by its unexpected publication on the UK Electoral Commission website.[10] Tóibín said the party had sought registration in both jurisdictions, that "Aontú obviously means unity and our major objective is the unity of Irish people north and south".[25] He recalled that Belfast was the birthplace of the United Irishmen of 1798.[26] Aontú would "seek to build an all-Ireland economy to mitigate the worst effects of Brexit, economic justice for all and to protect the right to life."[12][9] Tóibín said he was talking with Sinn Féin, SDLP, and independent representatives in Northern Ireland,[27] and that "people from Sinn Féin, SDLP and Fianna Fáil backgrounds would feel comfortable" in the party.[25]
Aontú fielded 25 candidates in the 2020 Irish general election, including leader Peadar Tóibín (Meath West), deputy leader Anne McCloskey (Sligo-Leitrim) and a number of sitting local councillors.[35] Tóibín was the only successful candidate. As Tóibín was not invited to participate in a televised debate alongside the leaders of other parties, the party threatened a High Court action against RTÉ. The party, however, did not proceed with the action noting that there "was not enough time to have the action heard" before the debate.[36] In the 2020 Seanad election, Paul Lawless contested the Cultural and Educational Panel receiving 2.6% of votes.[37]
In September 2020, Aontú's then deputy leader Anne McCloskey came under criticism for her comments about the effectiveness of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, with party leader Peadar Tóibín defending her right to her view on the topic.[38] McCloskey stepped down as a councillor in October 2020, and was replaced by party member Emmet Doyle.[39][40] She was replaced as deputy leader by Denise Mullen. At the 2022 Ard Fheis, Mullen stepped down from the position of deputy leader and was replaced by Gemma Brolly, Aontú candidate for East Londonderry at the May 2022 Assembly election.
In November 2020, the Standards in Public Office Commission announced that Aontú were one of five political parties who failed to provide them with a set of audited accounts for 2019, in breach of statutory obligations.[41] In response, Aontú released a statement claiming that they had submitted the account statements and apologising for the delay, citing the COVID-19 pandemic.[42]
Party founder and leader Peadar Tóibín has described Aontú as left of centre economically while "socially conservative".[1][56] The party was described by the unionist Belfast News Letter as "Catholic conservative",[57] and by The Times as "socially conservative",[3] while Harry McGee described the party's ideology as "rural conservatism and traditionalism".[58] It is anti-abortion, a stance which Tóibín has described as a "core value" of the party.[9][59][60] Tóibín has expressed opposition to sexually explicit material being taught to children in schools.[61] In 2023, Tóibín introduced a bill in the Dáil Éireann to prevent transgender female prisoners from being placed into women's prisons.[62] Aontú opposed a 2024 proposed expansion of hate speech laws on the grounds that it amounted to censorship.[63]
The Phoenix has described Tóibín and Aontú as possessing a "strong rightward stance" on immigration[64] while Gerald Howlin of the Irish Examiner has described Tóibín's views on immigration as "nativist".[65] Tóibín advocates for "sustainable levels" and "managed" immigration into Ireland and has called for "a nuanced debate that lies neither in walls nor in open borders".[66][67] In 2021 deputy leader Denise Mullen called for greater action during the Afghan refugee crisis and for Ireland to be "a leader in accepting Afghan refugees".[68] The party is Eurosceptic[4][19][69] and opposed the EU Asylum and Migration Pact.[70]
The party holds left-leaning views on economics and climate change.[71][better source needed] As of early 2020, the party's published policies included proposals for a united Ireland, a referendum on a "right to collective bargaining and trade union membership",[72] an end to zero hours contracts,[72] and increased state spending on public housing.[73] Their site states Ireland should model itself on the "best practice in Scandinavian countries".[72] In their 2021 budget submission, they called on changes to the state pension scheme, reducing Leap Card fares and increasing the Banking Levy.[74]
While Aontú was founded in a split from Sinn Féin, Aontú members and elected representatives come from different political backgrounds: two councillors were former members of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, one councillor was a former member of Fianna Fáil, and two other councillors never held political office prior to joining Aontú.[75][76][77][78] The party retains the ideology of Irish republicanism,[79] and related policies; for example, Aontú maintains a policy of abstentionism, which means that while it runs candidates in Northern Ireland in British general elections, should an Aontú candidate be elected, they would not take up their seat in the British parliament.[80]
The Irish Catholic editor Michael Kelly believed the party could "capitalise" on the "abandon[ment] [of] many of the values that were key to a largely Catholic electorate in the North" by "the traditional parties of nationalism".[81]
Aontú's youth branch, Ógra Aontú, was formed in May 2020. Membership of the branch is open to Aontú members aged between 16 and 30.[86]
Footnotes
^The Irish word aontú is the verbal noun of aontaigh, meaning "unite", "agree", "assent". The logo also colours the letters tú separately, forming the Irish word for "you" (singular).[6][7][8] Party founder Peadar Tóibín when announcing its name said it means "unity and consent".[9][10]
^"Ireland's new pro-life party faces a critical test". Catholic Herald. 12 December 2019. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019. Aontú leans undeniably left on issues like economics, migration and climate change. [..] for a genuinely conservative option [..] Aontú is a welcome start
^"Aontu Policy on Housing". Aontu. 24 January 2020. Archived from the original on 9 February 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020. If the state invested €2.2 billion in capital spending a year the 10,000 housing units per year objective of the Oireachtas Housing Committee could be surpassed.
*Co-operative Party candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party. †Sinn Féin have elected members and offices at Westminster, but as abstentionists do not take their seats.