Former RTE Midlands Correspondent Ciaran Mullooly has hit the ground running as an Independent Ireland candidate for June’s European Parliament Elections in the Midlands-North West constituency.
The constituency which spans 15 counties from Donegal to Kildare and across to Galway is the geographically largest constituency. With the return of Laois and Offaly to the constituency following their movement to the South constituency in 2019, Midlands-North West will be electing 5 MEPs in June up from 4 in 2019.
Speaking on Saturday, Mullooly said he is delighted to announce that he will be a candidate for Independent Ireland in the upcoming European elections, and my goal is to take a seat in the Midlands-North West constituency so that I can bring into focus the laundry list of issues which need to be highlighted in the European Parliament.
For the past 30 years, Mullooly has been deeply committed to rural Ireland, be it as a broadcaster at local and national levels or through his extensive involvement in a wide range of community development initiatives across the Midlands:
“These projects focused on disability support, tourism promotion, sports and recreation, suicide prevention and many more issues that are near and dear to people of Rural Ireland.
“As RTE Midlands Correspondent, I witnessed the growing frustration of rural communities. Rural Ireland has been grossly neglected and I am prepared to stand up and shout stop, to quote another man from the world of journalism – the great rural champion, John Healy.
Mullooly emphasized his appreciation of the challenges facing rural Ireland: “I am putting myself before the electorate on June 7th because I want to play my part in bringing about badly needed, long-overdue, positive change.
According to Mullooly, the decision to join Independent Ireland was an easy one for him to make: “The party’s focus on local issues, grassroots activism and tangible solutions to real problems resonates with my values and convictions. Together, we will work tirelessly to ensure that the concerns of rural Ireland are not just heard but acted upon.
“Those who know me know that I am not a shrinking violet. When Michael Fitzmaurice TD, invited me to join Independent Ireland, I made it clear I would not be a mouthpiece for anything or anyone. My sole concern was a truly progressive plan for the regeneration of our rural communities, an ambition I know Michael shares and has shared over his time in activism and politics.
“We have agreed on a clear strategy for progress in urban and rural settings, with the cooperation of party members, the region’s fantastic voluntary sector and the progressive new communities dotted all over the constituency.
“Now is the time for change. Now is the time for the communities of rural Ireland to reclaim their power and shape their individual and collective destinies. I am confident I can win a seat in the European Parliament and continue to work to deliver for the people of this constituency.
