Hollymount cllr Patsy O’Brien has officially announced that he will be standing in the upcoming General Election in Mayo as an Independent candidate.

Cllr O’Brien was re-elected to Mayo County Council in June, topping the polls in Claremorris.

He was re-elected after the first count with a first preference vote of 2,738.

 In a statement released this afternoon, cllr O’Brien stated that since he was re-elected, he has been “inundated with requests” to run for General Election.

The next General Election is expected to take place by March of next year, which will see five elected TDs in Mayo.

There are currently four, and the Dáil is guaranteed at least two new faces from Mayo following Fine Gael TD Michael Ring announcing that he won’t be running after 30 years as a TD.

Dara Calleary (Fianna Fáil), Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Féin) and Alan Dillon (Fine Gael) will all be seeking re-election.