A new political party has been launched, saying it would abolish water charges and repeal the 8th amendment on abortion.

The Social Democrats is a new group founded by TDs Stephen Donnelly, Roisin Shortall and Catherine Murphy.

The party says it will campaign for "high-quality public services, strong communities and a thriving economy".

On its website, the group says: "We aim to provide a space for people to unite and work towards a society where every person has the opportunity to achieve their potential."

"We believe that a strong society requires a thriving economy, high-quality public services and vibrant communities. This means supporting Irish SMEs as well as international businesses in creating good jobs," it adds.

Deputy Shortall spoke to Newstalk Lunchtime today. She discussed their policies on taxation, as well as their election ambitions.

"It would be our ambition to contest as many constituencies as possible," she told Jonathan. "We're thinking big."

Stephen Donnelly has been outlining the party positions to the Pat Kenny Show here on Newstalk.