"For the past 30 years, I have been deeply committed to rural Ireland,” stated Mr. Mullooly in a statement. "I have done this through my extensive involvement in a wide range of community development initiatives in the Midlands and as a broadcaster at local and national levels."

"These initiatives addressed a range of topics, including suicide prevention, athletics, tourism, and disabilities.

"I have a real appreciation of the challenges facing rural Ireland and I am putting myself before the electorate on 7 June because I want to play my part in bringing about badly needed, long-overdue change."

After 27 years of employment with RTÉ, Mr. Mullooly was named Midlands Correspondent in 1995.

In 2021, he decided to resign from broadcasting.

Limerick County TD Richard O'Donoghue and Cork Southwest TD Michael Collins, who were both members of the Rural Independent Group in the Dáil, created Independent Ireland last November.

They said that although many people disapproved of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, they did not wish to support Sinn Féin because they believed that Independent Ireland would provide them with a better option.

TD on their own for Roscommon-Galway in February, Michael Fitzmaurice became a part of the group.