Former RTE presenter Valerie Cox is to stand as an independent candidate in Wicklow.
The journalist, author and campaigner for older people made the announcement yesterday, less than 24-hours before today’s deadline.
Her entry is expected to shake up the hotly-contested battle in the five-seat Wicklow constituency, where all sitting TDs will compete to return to the Dáil.
In a statement her campaign manager said: “As a journalist for over 40 years, Valerie is well-known for highlighting injustices and the struggles of people across Ireland, with her outrage at the treatment of older people in Ireland leading to her becoming a high-profile voice for their rights.
“Her relentless battle to expose the plight of older people, deprived of their pensions, exploded the issue onto the national agenda back in 2016, forcing it as a major election issue across all main party candidates.
“Valerie is now hoping to become a voice for the voiceless in her election bid and is unafraid to go straight to the top and demand that no individual go without.
She said her campaign will focus on issues including the current situation where people coming to retirement age are forced to sign on the dole and the plight of older people being forced to wait for treatment on hospital trolleys.
The statement added: “Whilst some younger people may think the issues affecting older people aren’t a major concern for them, they should be because we are a rapidly ageing country and in the next two decades the number of over-65’s is set to double to 1.2 million people. The rights of older people affect us all.”
