Independent Senator Ronan Mullen has described his European election campaign in Midlands-North-West as a ‘major positive experience’ and says he will seek a mandate from voters in the West in the near future.
Speaking from the election count in Castlebar, Senator Mullen paid tribute to successful candidates Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Matt Carthy, and Mairead McGuinness and wished them well for their forthcoming term in the European Parliament.
The battle for the last seat between Marian Harkin and Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher is ongoing. “I’m taking a lot of positives from this election campaign and especially from my final result,” Mullen said.
“I got 5.6% of first preference votes on the first count and finished on over 41,000 votes – that’s an impressive vote of confidence from an awful lot of people and I am very grateful for it.” “This was my first time going before the broader electorate. I had a limited profile from being twice-elected to Seanad Éireann by the NUI graduates, and standing before an electorate of 1.2 million people was an important further step for my political work. I am grateful for all the positive feedback I got on the canvass from people, particularly after various media performances which went well for me.”
Mullen said he was particularly satisfied with his 12% showing in Galway City and County as indicated by last Saturday’s tallies in Leisureland. “I am proud to have been the highest polling Galwegian in this election and will consider the implications of those figures,” he said. “The sad part of the campaign for me was not missing out on election. It was the distress I encountered from old and young who felt forgotten by the Government and the political system in this time of economic crisis. It leaves me with an even greater desire to help build up our country, economically and socially, and to give people proper political service again.”
“Though I may not have got a European mandate this time, I am privileged to have my job as a public representative in Seanad Éireann. I will work to the best of my ability from there until the next step whenever it is,” Senator Mullen concluded.