National Progressive Democrats (Ireland)
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The National Progressive Democrats was a small left-wing political party that existed in the Republic of Ireland.
The party was founded on a socialist basis in 1958 by Dr Noel Browne and Jack McQuillan. Between 1958 and 1961, 7 of the 9 motions discussed in Private Member’s Time had been proposed by one of them. In 1961 and 1962 they asked 1,400 parliamentary questions, 17% of the total. Seán Lemass paid them a unique compliment by referring to them as "the real opposition". Both were re-elected at the 1961 general election. In spite of this vigorous role in the Dáil the party won little support. The party was disbanded in 1963 as both Browne and McQuillan joined the Labour Party.
This party has no connection with the later Progressive Democrats, which was founded in 1985.
