The Labour Party has elected Galway West TD, Mr Michael D. Higgins, as the party's president, replacing Mr Prionsias De Rossa, who has served in the role since the merger between Labour and Democratic Left.
In his first address in the new role, Mr Higgins said Labour needed "courage, commitment and responsibility" to produce the kind of policies necessary to oppose the views of "the riches of capitalism and a monopolised media".
"It is ever more important now to restate the values of socialism for a generation that is carrying the ranks of the legacy of Thatcher-Reaganism with its extreme individualism and greed so well represented by the Progressive Democrats and Fianna Fáil," he said. While left-wing parties such as Labour must acknowledge economic realities, this did not mean that they would "capitulate to the version of the economy or the society which the Right are suggesting is inevitable.
"The Left will be judged much more by its adherence to principle than its competence. Both are important but the principles and vision are the the most important," he declared. Meanwhile, leading party figure, Mr Henry Haughton, was narrowly beaten by Kerry South TD, Ms Breeda Moynihan-Cronin, in the race for the party chairmanship, to replace Mr John O'Brien who is stepping down.
Ms Moynihan-Cronin said her election was "a great honour, particularly in my home town of Killarney".