Rural Ireland Organisation leader announces candidacy in local elections

THE leader of the Rural Ireland Organisation has announced that he will stand in the upcoming Mayo County Council elections.

Gerry Loftus will stand in the Castlebar Local Electoral Area as an Independent candidate in the local elections, which are scheduled to take place on June 7.

Mr Loftus said he had been approached by a number of political parties to run on their ticket but has declined, saying that it ‘would interfere with the workings of The Rural Ireland Organisation’.

He also stated that he is ‘gravely concerned with the calibre of politicians’ standing in the Midlands North West constituency in the European elections.

“We need people on that ticket to represent country and rural Ireland, small- to medium-sized farmers, our heritage and our culture. In my view, the calibre of person or persons we need is not on the ticket,” he said.

Mr Loftus was recently part of a successful campaign to reinstate a GP in the North Mayo village of Lahardane.

He has recently spoken out against the development of forestry in Craggagh and the proposed route for the new section of the Clew Bay Greenway.

Mr Loftus received 574 first preference votes when he ran as an Independent in the 2020 general election.