National Progressive Democrats

The National Progressive Democrats was a small socialist political party in Ireland, active between 1958 and 1963.

[1] Its founders were Noël Browne (former Minister for Health) and Jack McQuillan, former members of the social democratic wing of Clann na Poblachta.

Taoiseach Seán Lemass paid them a compliment by referring to them as "the real opposition".

Both were re-elected at the 1961 general election, but the party won little support as it fielded only one other candidate.

[2] However, both Browne and McQuillan lost their seats in the next election contesting for the Labour Party.