*Dinny Gould speaking during the recording of The Electoral Chair election debate for the Kilrush LEA. Photograph: John Mangan
ONE of the leading Independent candidates in Clare for the local elections is still a member of Fine Gael.
Cree’s Dinny Gould (IND) is one of the thirteen candidates bidding to win a seat in the Kilrush local electoral area.
Duagh native Dinny has lived in West Clare since 1979 and has garnered strong support since announcing to The Clare Echo that he was going forward as an Independent candidate in the middle of April.
Speaking on The Electoral Chair’s election debate for the Kilrush LEA, Dinny confirmed that he had yet to terminate his membership of Fine Gael but that he intended to do so.
Despite this, he maintained the electorate would still be backing an independent if they were to give him a vote. “They are voting for a fella that is fully independent”.
He has not set a date for when he plans to terminate his membership but said it would be done “shortly” and “maybe” before the election on June 7th.
Dinny has been a member of Fine Gael since the 1980s and previously admitted to The Clare Echo that he would have ran for the party in this election if an offer to do so was extended to him. “I thought I might be added to the Fine Gael ticket, I’m a member of Fine Gael for the last thirty years, I’m a personal friend of Joe Carey’s, I’ve worked with him and canvassed with him, I thought I had something to offer, I didn’t get on the Fine Gael ticket, I wasn’t asked nor I didn’t look to go on, I just said I’d have a go on my own as an Independent and see what happens from there”.
A bookie, Gould is strongly tipped by political pundits to secure one of the five seats on offer in the Kilrush LEA. Should such a scenario transpire it will leave Fine Gael chiefs in the county red-faced and under pressure for failing to add the Cree man to their ticket.
