Former presidential candidate Peter Casey has handed in nomination papers to run in the Taoiseach’s constituency in the General Election.
The former Dragon’s Den judge is also running in his home constituency of Donegal.
Handing in his papers today he said he remained committed to Donegal but was running in Leo Varadkar’s Dublin West constituency as a form of protest.
“Donegal needs a strong independent voice and that’s something that has been sadly lacking,” he said.
“My primary goal is to represent my home county of Donegal.
“The people of our county deserve an alternative voice, one which reflects their views.
“They want someone who will get things done in a business-like fashion, someone who will listen to their problems and work hard to deliver real solutions.”
Mr Casey faced criticism during the presidential election for rejecting the ethnic status of the Travelling community and claiming members of the community were ‘turning down luxury houses because they want stables.’
This morning, Dublin West TD Joan Burton said his “message of division and hate” is not welcome in her constituency.
She said Dublin West is “one of Ireland’s most diverse and inclusive communities” and warned that “it would be a shocking thing if a Dail candidate notorious for creating division should use the occasion of this election to sow seeds of disharmony for purely political purposes.”
Peter Casey arrives to hand in his nomination papers as he runs in Dublin West #GE2020 pic.twitter.com/DxRGVotGty
— Andrew Lowth (@AndrewLowth1) January 22, 2020
