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Almost famous
Shane Ross thinks there's a problem with 'celebrity' election candidates
The independent TD hasn’t spoken to David McWilliams or Fintan O’Toole, but would welcome talks.
SHANE ROSS HAS not approached potential so-called celebrity candidates such as Fintan O’Toole or David McWilliams to become part of his nascent ‘independent alliance’, but he would welcome talks with them.
The Dublin South TD was previously part of the ‘Democracy Now’ movement which included journalist and economist McWilliams, Irish Times commentator O’Toole, and Eamon Dunphy.
But plans to contest the 2011 general election nationwide were aborted, reportedly due to time constraints, with Ross ending up running – and winning a Dáil seat – as an independent.
Of those events in 2011, Ross told TheJournal.ie recently: “My guess is they were a bit wounded last time and they decided in the end not to run at the very last minute.
“I would be very, very pleased to talk any of them again. The problem last time was the timing was too late. We went too late and we weren’t prepared and I jumped and the rest of them decided to pull back.”
But Ross added that there are difficulties with ‘celebrity’ candidates:
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