Cllr Aisling Moran will continue to ‘disrupt the applecart’ despite Laois election loss

Independent candidate Aisling Moran has expressed her disappointment in her loss in the recent election, having been eliminated on the eighth and final count. 

The Dáil Éireann hopeful has thanked her supporters and campaign crew, and has promised to continue to ‘disrupt the applecart’ as a Laois County Councillor for the Portarlington/Graiguecullen municipal district.

“I am very thankful to everyone who has voted for me, it was a fantastic campaign and I couldn’t have asked for more,” Cllr Moran said. 

“We started at four councillors, Ben Brennan, James Kelly, Tommy Mulligan and myself. Then we grew to a team of over 75. 

“There was great energy and positivity from the team, and from everyone on the doorsteps,” she said.

Pictured: Ballylinan based Independent election candidate Aisling Moran

“I’m just disappointed that we are going back to the same old same old. Whilst people say they want change, unless they vote for it, they ain’t gonna get it, and I keep saying that.

“We are where we are now, and we just have to move on,” Cllr Moran said.

“I’m still a councillor, so I will still be disrupting the applecart. Hopefully now I’ll get a bit of relaxation over the next day or two, before I’m back out working again.”

Having previously told the Leinster Express/Laois Live of her intention to ‘shake up the smug cosy consensus of the same old, same old,’, the candidate has hinted that she may run again in the future.

“Yes I probably would run again, I’d have to think about it,” she said.

“It is a lot of work and a lot of stress, but I enjoyed it. I love people, and I love working with people, so we will just have to wait and see how it goes,” she said.

Pictured: Laois' four independent county councillors: Ben Brennan, Aisling Moran, Tommy Mulligan and James Kelly.

Cllr Moran has hit out against the lack of gender equality amongst Laois’ elected candidates, hoping that Laois will someday elect a woman.

“One thing I need to say is that we have never had a female TD in Laois, and I think we are probably one of the only counties in Ireland that haven’t,” said Cllr Moran.

“That’s not a great reflection on Laois, because what is the reason? I hope we aren’t turning into the US, where they just don’t want women,” she said.

“When a woman is put on a committee, or introduced into something, they give so much, and they give a completely different perspective. 

Watch below: Cllr Aisling Moran speaks with the Leinster Express / Laois Live at the count centre in Laois.

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“We have a little bit more empathy. We need men and women, but I think that Laois should really think about this. We need to start looking at voting in women.”

The councillor has thanked her family and friends for their fantastic support over the course of the campaign.

“My wife Fiona has been my rock, she took every bit of stress off me and organised the whole lot. The kids have been brilliant, Charlie, Alex and Millie,” Cllr Moran said.

“I have had such a brilliant team, Gavin Deering, John Whelan, Aisling Kitely, Sinead Quinn, there are just so many to talk about.

“But a few in particular I have to mention, Marion Walsh my aunt, she came out with us every single day, and I have to say a massive thank you to her,” she said.

“It has been a fantastic campaign and a great learning curve, we’ll have to go from here. 

In the future, if you want change, you’ve got to vote for it,” Cllr Moran finished.