US-based Irish businessman to run for office as Independent candidate

Peter Casey, a US-based Irish businessman, has made it known that he intends to run for office as an Independent candidate in the upcoming General Election.

Casey, the founder and executive chairman of global recruitment firm Claddagh Resources, was named by Irish America Magazine as one of the leading Irish American business men in 2007.

Originally from Derry, Casey set up his business in 1995 in Atlanta. He lives in the US with his wife Helen, from Dublin, and their five children, but returns to Ireland once a month.

“I’d be an Independent. I think all the parties have got so much baggage. I don’t think Ireland needs another party. I think Ireland needs the ones it has to operate more entrepreneurially,” Casey told the Irish Times.

Casey is considering contesting the election in either Donegal, where he recently bought a home, or in Dublin, where he is setting up a new business, Claddagh Rivs, a recorded interview video system.

“I’m not going to stand to lose. I’ll do an assessment and make a decision as to where is the best place to have the possibility of success,” he said.

“Donegal would be where my heart and natural inclination would be, but realistically I’m going to be spending a lot of time in Dublin.”

Assessing the current political situation, Casey told the Irish Times that the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government had performed “fairly well” given the circumstances they faced upon entering office.

“Some things they have done badly but overall I’d probably give them a B [grade].

“People seem to have forgotten just how bad things were,” he said.

“In fairness to the current Government I think they have performed fairly well.”