RTÉ’s Mullooly conf irmed for Independent Ireland party
FORMER RTÉ journalist Ciaran Mullooly will contest the European elections in the Midlands-North-West constituency for Independent Ireland, it was confirmed last night.
The announcement comes after the Irish Mail on Sunday last week revealed that the fledgling party will field 100 candidates in the council elections.
Independent Ireland was formed last year and includes rural-based Independent TDs Michael Fitzmaurice, Michael Collins and Richard O’Donoghue.
In a statement, Mr Mullooly said: ‘For the past 30 years, I have been deeply committed to rural Ireland, through my extensive involvement in a wide range of community development initiatives in the midlands and as a broadcaster at local and national levels.
‘These projects focused on disability, tourism, sports, recreation, suicide prevention and other issues.
‘I have a real appreciation of the challenges facing rural Ireland and I am putting myself before the electorate on June 7 because I want to play my part in bringing about badly needed, long-overdue change.’
Mr Mullooly becomes the latest in a trend of celebrity/ businessperson types without a background in politics to join the European elections.
Former jockey Nina Carberry is running for Fine Gael and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, another former RTÉ host, is running for Fianna Fáil.
Mr Mullooly worked at RTÉ for 27 years and was appointed Midlands Correspondent in 1995. He retired from the broadcaster in 2021.
Independent Ireland was formed last November by Limerick County TD Richard O’Donoghue and Cork South West TD Michael Collins, both members of the Rural Independent Group in the Dáil.
They said many people were frustrated with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael but didn’t want to vote for Sinn Féin, and claimed Independent Ireland would provide an alternative.
Independent TD for Roscommon-Galway Michael Fitzmaurice joined in February.
Speaking to the MoS last week, the turf-cutting advocate and rural campaigner indicated he is firmly focused on growing Independent Ireland into a political force.
Mr Fitzmaurice said, ‘The party are planning to run up to a hundred council candidates across the country.’
Currently, only 20 people (18 men and two women) have declared their candidacy on the party’s official account.
But Mr Fitzmaurice stressed: ‘There is a lot more coming; our intention is up to a hundred and there will be three European candidates.’
He specified there ‘will be 12 in Galway city and county, and three in Roscommon’.
Up to 14 candidates will run in the Cork city and county political heartland of party leader Michael Collins.
Mr Fitzmaurice added: ‘We are talking to a lot of people. There will be candidates in Westmeath, Sligo, Longford.’
He also said the party will stage a series of ‘regional rallies’ to boost its profile in the countdown to the June local and European elections.
‘I’ll play my part in bringing change’