Claiming his former party had “lost touch with people”, the newly Independent Cllr Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran announced this week that he will officially launch his general election campaign next week.
After 24 years of party membership, Cllr Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran hung up his Fianna Fáil boots last week, announcing his intention to run in the forthcoming General Election as an Independent candidate.
He explained this week that the main reason for his decision was a sense that Fianna Fáil had become preoccupied with a power struggle in the party’s upper echelons and had lost touch with the electorate.
“It was a number of things. I was not happy with the way the party was moving. When I stood for the party it was because it was looking after people, but I feel the party has lost touch with people,” he said.
“In recent months at national level there has been a lot of talk about power, and the ordinary people are lost in this. This talk is filtering down to society, and people are finding it very difficult.”
Admitting that running in a general election would be “a whole new game”, Cllr Moran said he was very much looking forward to the challenge.
“I feel the people of Athlone and Longford-Westmeath deserve a candidate who will speak on their behalf. I have been working on the ground very hard for 12 years, and I understand what people are going through. I am a family man myself, and I don’t want my kids to go through what people are going through now.
“People ask what can I do for them. The four names we voted in at the 2007 election are still there - ask yourself what they have done for you since they were elected. In the last local election I got 2,000 votes. Why? Because I am a hard worker and I deliver. Give me one chance, let me prove myself to you.”
Magnanimously he added, “I wish Fianna Fáil all the best, and I wish all the candidates the best of luck.”
Cllr Moran is to officially announce his support team and launch his general election campaign next week. He intends to hold “a couple of functions” to contribute to his campaign funding.
“I would like to thank people for the support I have received since my decision, both locally and from far away,” he added.
