*Cathal Crowe TD (FF) and James Mulhall. Photograph: Clare FM/Soundcloud
EX CLARE FM reporter James Mulhall is leaving his role as parliamentary assistant to Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF).
A member of Deputy Crowe’s team since April 2020 following his election to Dáil Éireann in February of that year, James is departing the role in the coming weeks.
The Clare Echo understands that the Offaly native is relocating to Co Cork where already has a new post lined up.
With several media figures in the county already throwing their names in the ring for a role as communications officer with Clare County Council, many of the same applicants are likely to consider taking on the job as PA to Deputy Crowe.
Crowe confirmed that he is already working on filling the vacancy. Cllr Pat Daly (FF) and Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) are understood to have had initially expressed an interest in the role following Crowe’s election, they are some of the political figures that may be linked to the job along with Rachel Hartigan (FF) who is running as a candidate in the Shannon Municipal District and previously completed an internship in the constituency office.
Announcing his departure, Mulhall said he had “more than four great years” as the parliamentary assistant to the Meelick native. He outlined that he was moving on with
“very mixed feelings leaving such a great job and great office, but excited for the next opportunity. I’ve learned bucket loads in this role that’ll stand to me going forward in my career and will miss Cathal and our office, we’re a small team that puts a huge amount of work in to get the job done.
“I’ve every confidence that all of this hard work will pay off come General Election time! I’ll be starting a new role in a new location in the coming weeks and am looking forward to the challenge but until then, myself, Cathal and the entire team are still working away so it’s business as usual,” he added.
Mulhall had been a reporter with Clare FM for three years and presented Farm Focus on the local radio station. He is the holder of a BA in Political Science and Sociology from NUIG and he completed an MA in Journalism at Ulster University.
Deputy Crowe paid tribute to his departing colleague whom he described as a “fantastic parliamentary assistant”.
He stated, James has been an amazing colleague and friend and we will hugely miss him in our office team. James will continue to work in my constituency office on Francis Street, Ennis for the next few weeks and soon after that a new parliamentary assistant will be appointed. No ‘ball’ will be dropped during this transition period and I can assure all constituents that the ‘flat-out’ work that I and my office team undertakes daily on your behalves will not change one bit”.
Fellow Clare TD, Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) is still in the process of trying to hire a PA following the resignation of Kilkee native Mike Taylor in April.
