Jane Mullins enters election fray
The political bombshell of the weekend in Kildare South was the announcement that Newbridge journalist Jane Mullins is to go forward as a Progressive Democrats candidate in the coming general election.
Senator Dardis unsuccessfully contested Kildare South for the PDs in 2002. The constituency is currently a three-seater with two Fianna Fail and one Labour representatives to Dail Eireann.
Jane Mullins is well-known not just throughout the constituency -- where as a journalist she has worked for the Kildare Nationalist, the Leinster Leader, and latterly as Editor of the Kildare Post -- but nationally as a founder member of the Hepatitis C lobby group Positive Action.
In Kilcullen she became a familiar figure in her early days of journalism when the then village was part of her 'beat' for the Kildare Nationalist. She has always maintained an interest in what goes on in what is now a rapidly growing town with the potential to be a political fulcrum in the Kildare South constituency.
As Chairperson of Positive Action she spearheaded an uncompromising and highly articulate campaign to achieve justice and compensation for the many women infected with Hepatitis C through the blood product Anti-D Immunoglobulin. The campaign led to the establishment of the Finlay Tribunal of Inquiry and a health care package.
In 1997 she was presented with a national Person of the Year award for her work with Positive Action. She was appointed to an Expert Group in the Department of Health by then Minister for Health, Brian Cowen, in September 1997. In 2004 she was appointed to the Board of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service Board, a position she currently holds.
"The constituency needs a strong, committed voice to pursue the numerous issues that are not being tackled politically," she says. "I bring to the campaign my personal record of achievement both national and locally, my integrity and my experiences of living, raising a family and working in Kildare South."
Jane is stepping down from her position as Editor of the Kildare Post to go forward to the Progressive Democrats Kildare South selection convention in Newbridge on Thursday, 12 April.
Brian Byrne.
