Changing tack: Councillor backs McGrath

A FORMER PD councillor who joined Fianna Fáil in 2008 has now pledged his support to independent TD Mattie McGrath for the general election.

Richie Molloy confirmed yesterday he has resigned from Fianna Fáil after being “unhappy for a number of months” with various government decisions.

His new slogan, he said, is “local man for local politics.”

He is now an independent member of his Clonmel Borough Council and South Tipperary County Council and is rowing behind Mr McGrath — another recent defection from FF who is attempting as an independent to retain the Dáil seat he won under the FF banner in 2007.

According to Mr Molloy, Mr McGrath “played a vital role in saving services at South Tipperary General Hospital” after public concern about a HSE reconfiguration of acute hospital services across the south-east.