[3] It had a political stance to the left of the Labour Party, and was strongly opposed to nationalist positions regarding Northern Ireland.

Journalist Brian Trench claimed the DSP shared "the anti-republicanism and economism" of the 1980s Workers' Party, despite disagreeing with the WP on other issues.

It also held a strongly secularist position, opposing the influence of the Catholic Church on issues such as contraception, divorce and abortion.

Outside of Limerick City its membership was very small, although its positions on Northern Ireland and the Catholic Church attracted members of the British and Irish Communist Organisation (BICO) to it.

The historian John de Courcy Ireland was also a member of the party and a candidate in the 1984 European elections.