THE decision of Independent Ireland to replace their Cork North West candidate, Walter Ryan Purcell, with a female candidate was due to gender balance quotas, according to party leader Michael Collins.
The tour operator of Walter’s Way Tours, the former Mizen resident Ryan Purcell was recently selected to run for the party in Cork North West.
However, he is now running as an non-party candidate, while Ellen Barry, from outside Skibbereen, who works as a personal assistant, has been selected instead to run for the party.
Speaking to The Southern Star, Michael Collins said they had come to an agreement with Walter beforehand that they would need another female candidate to run for the party.
‘He said he knew a woman who was willing to run for us in Donegal and that was agreed upon. However, several days later, she was told she would lose her job if she ran for a political party,’ said Michael.
‘So we had to withdraw Walter from the race and nominate Ellen instead. He is a great candidate and has a passion for serving his community and it is of course disappointing for him.’
Meanwhile, Walter Ryan-Purcell has insisted that there is ‘no bad blood’ between him and Independent Ireland bosses.
‘It was completely down to gender balance quotas, and I understand that,’ he said.
However, many of his posters around the constituency still have him categorised as an Independent Ireland candidate.
‘I’m now running as a non-party candidate and have been putting up posters and doing social media posts to get my name out there. I’m enjoying the canvassing too.’
Voters however may be confused to see that some of the posters erected for him are Independent Ireland posters, which were put up before he had to withdraw running for the party.
Meanwhile, another candidate, Philip Sutcliffe, in Dublin South Central, has quit the party over his support for MMA fighter Conor McGregor, who was found guilty, by a civil jury, of raping Nikita Hand.
Philip Sutcliffe, a serving Dublin city councillor who was previously a coach to McGregor, is understood to have quit the party ahead of a meeting with party bosses about his support for mixed martial arts sportsman.
He attended the High Court last Friday in support of McGregor and is now running as a non-party candidate.
A spokesperson for Independent Ireland said that Cllr Sutcliffe is no longer a member of Independent Ireland, after tendering his resignation.
