Portarlington’s Elaine Mullally is running in the General Election

Laois woman Elaine Mullally is delighted with the feedback she has received since announcing her intention to run as an Independent in the General Election.  The Portarlington businesswoman is hoping people will get behind her so that she can challenge the government on housing, cost of living and immigration. She is planning a series of public meetings in Laois with the first taking place in Portlaoise on Tuesday, September 3.  

She believes the government is not listening to the concerns of voters in Ireland. She described the cost of housing in Ireland as “astronomical” and said it is unaffordable for young people starting out.

She said she understands the struggle for small businesses having run her own business for the past 16 years.  

Mrs Mullally also questioned the cost of living, pressure on services and availability of rent, stating that there were only six properties to rent in Laois when she last checked. 

A conversation over whether or not log cabins could be placed in her back garden for her children-as it appeared the only way they would get their own property- prompted Mrs Mullally to get into politics and she became one of the founding members of Independent Ireland. The party’s better known members include TD Michael Fitzmaurice and MEP Ciaran Mullooly. 

However, Mrs Mullally left the party when Mr Mullooly joined a left leaning grouping in Europe as she believed Independent Ireland was losing its way. 

“The elephant in the room here for everybody is immigration,” she said. 

“The problem with immigration is not immigration, it is the government’s mishandling of the situation,” she said. 

“If anybody asks a question, they are labelled. That is a really good way of shutting the conversation down,” she said. 

Mrs Mullally said the government isn’t listening to the genuine concerns of the electorate. 

She acknowledged that it was going to be “a tough battle” and said she is being motivated to run by “pure frustration” at the government.  

While acknowledging the challenge ahead, Mrs Mullally was encouraged by the support she received. 

“The feedback so far has been absolutely phenomenal,” she said. 

“A lot of people out there, they are fed up with the way this country is being run,” she said. 

Mrs Mullally believes she can be the voice for those people who she says feel they aren’t being listened to.

She will begin a series of public meetings around the county in September where she hopes to get some feedback from the electorate. 

The first meeting is taking place in the Portlaoise Parish Centre on Tuesday, September 3 at 8pm. 

Published in The Leinster Express/Laois Live – 14th August
Journalist – Eoghan MacConnell