*Matthew Moroney (IND) and Kevin Hassett (IND). Photograph: John Mangan.
NO VOTING PACT has been agreed by two former Independent Ireland candidates and Eddie Punch.
In June, Matthew Moroney (IND) and Kevin Hassett (IND) both contested the local elections under the Independent Ireland banner as did Eddie Punch (II) for the European elections in Ireland South.
Neither of the trio prevailed in their respective campaigns but Moroney and Hassett subsequently left the grouping which was founded by three TDs, Michael Fitzmaurice, Michael Collins and Richard O’Donoghue.
Of the trio, Punch is considered the strongest candidate but Moroney put up a fight in a very traditional Killaloe Munciipal District.
2020 candidate, Joseph Woulfe (IND) has come on board in an advisory capacity for Moroney and Hassett.
There is no voting pact in place between the three men for the November 29th General Election in Clare.
Punch told The Clare Echo, “There isn’t any voting pact but they would have a lot of similar ideas and similar constituency to me so I would imagine that if somebody voted for me, they might transfer to them or if they voted for Matt Moroney or Kevin Hassett potentially they should transfer to me. I can’t speak for their agenda but their background is somewhat similar”.
He said he did speak with both Moroney and Hassett before they joined the field of twenty candidates in Clare. “It didn’t come as a huge surprise to me, I know that Kevin in particular wasn’t sure whether he was going to run or not but I think Matthew always had it in his head that he was going to run, they both got a taste of it in the Council elections, neither of them got elected but they got a taste for it anyway so I guess they have a sense they have built up a core of support and I guess they would want to be building on that. We all have to paddle our canoe, it might be a good profile piece for them, they might get elected who knows”.
When asked if there is some arrangement in place with Moroney and himself, Hassett stated,
“Not really. We won’t say no to anyone giving us a one and a two”.
Matthew explained, “There’s no voting pact. Myself and Kevin we often speak, I’m not going to do any harm to Kevin Hassett, he’s not going to do any harm to me, I’d welcome his number twos if they come and I’m sure he will welcome mine, there’s no voting pact. Joseph Woulfe has come in behind us to give us a hand on both sides which has been very fair of him, he’s well known in the county from his time in the Beef Plan and from running himself so that’s a great boost”.
