Clare FM journalist, James Mulhall is to leave the station and take up a full-time position working for a Clare TD.
Offaly native, Mulhall has been a broadcast journalist with Clare FM for the past three years but The Clare Echo has learned he will leave this role to become parliamentary assistant (PA) to Cathal Crowe (FF).
Mulhall is the holder of a BA in Political Science and Sociology from NUIG while he completed an MA in Journalism at Ulster University. He has presented Farm Focus on the local radio station since May 2017.
Crowe was elected to Dáil Éireann last month and has been finalising arrangements to set up a constituency office in Francis St, Ennis which is ironically on the same street as the Clare FM offices and is expected to employ up to four people.
Edel Carroll who served as constituency secretary to Michael McNamara (IND) during his previous stint in Dáil Éireann while elected as a Labour TD will be his parliamentary assistant.
Two time local election candidate, Ger O’Halloran (FG) continues as PA to Deputy Joe Carey (FG) who also has a constituency office on Francis St in Ennis.
No detail is known as of yet on who will fulfil the task for Violet-Anne Wynne (SF). She has confirmed she does not have a PA in place or a constituency office as of yet.
Parliamentary assistants serve as the primary support to any TD on all legislative, political and administrative matters. They draft speeches on legislation and for specific events, draft media briefings and parliamentary questions, prepare material for events, script press releases and handle co-ordination with the party’s press office in the case of Tds belonging to a party. They also handle representations and queries from the public, represent the TD at meetings and events and organise events in the constituency.
Cllr Pat Daly (FF) worked in the capacity for former Minister Tony Killeen with Martin O’Loghlen acting as PA to Timmy Dooley (FF) and Mary Cusack for ex Junior Minister, Pat Breen (FG).
Mulhall is not the only departure from the Clare FM newsroom in recent times. Producer of Morning Focus, Ben Sweeney is exiting the airwaves and will commence employment with the communications department of Mary Immaculate College in the coming weeks.
