Eddie Punch is first Independent Ireland candidate for upcoming general election
Eddie European Candidate Election Punch
Eddie Punch, the former general secretary of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA), has been named as the first Independent Ireland candidate for the upcoming general election.
Mr Punch, who received 20,000 votes in the Ireland South European constituency for the party, will run in Clare.
In a statement, Mr Punch said he is "particularly concerned about the marginalisation of Shannon Airport in favour of Dublin Airport", which he sees as detrimental to tourism and economic growth on the west coast.
"Of the 39m passengers handled by Irish airports in 2023, 85% went through Dublin and just 5% through Shannon.
"This imbalance is devastating for tourism in Clare and the west of Ireland.
"We need strong voices in the Dáil to challenge the mindset that 'Dublin is all that matters'."
He also expressed concerns about the "overuse" of hotel accommodations in Clare for refugees and criticised the Ennis 2040 vision for "its lack of consideration for the needs of local businesses".
“We have spent the last few years with carbon tax being progressively hiked, being told to use public transport and in the past few weeks, parents are exhausted fighting to retain a decent school bus service in Sixmilebridge, Cratloe, and Newmarket on Fergus.
"There is a feeling that the Government is focused on trying to fix the world's problems, but cannot deliver something as simple as a bus service for school children, we return our focus on getting these important things right for parents and families and that is what I intend to do."
Party Leader Michael Collins said Mr Punch is "a passionate advocate for rural Ireland".