Kilkenny election candidates turn to crowdfunding to back their campaigns

General Election campaigns are not cheap to run and even more difficult for the candidates in Kilkenny who are not members of the big party machines.

Because of this some of the candidates have turned to the public in an effort to level the funding playing field in an effort to get their faces into the public’s heads.

Three candidates have turned to a very modern phenomenon to raise cash to tun their campaigns– Crowdfunding, and to varying degrees of success so far.

People before Profit candidate and Carlow County Councillor Adrienne Wallace launched a GoFundMe page seven days ago hoping to raise a target of €500. She has exceeded this, reaching €545 so far.

Cllr Wallace’s page says: “It’s time to Break the Cycle of Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil rule and elect a rebel to the Dáil.”

Kilkenny Councillor and Green Party candidate in the upcoming election Malcolm Noonan also has a GoFundMe page to assist in funding his campaign.

The page has been disabled after raising €1,595 since January 13. A note on the page says the fundraising campaign has moved to a new, more transparent platform.

The page says: “Due to unprecedented donations and our need to transparently comply with the Standards in Public Office (SIPO) requirements on political donations we are suspending this GoFundMe campaign in favour of the Green Party recommended platform, DonorBox.”

Already the page on the DonorBox platform has raised €823 of a €2,000 goal.

The Irish Freedom Party’s candidate, Melissa O’Neill has also launched a campaign fundraiser on GoFundMe under the title “IFP_Carlow_Kilkenny_General_Election_Campaign.”

On the page Ms O’Neill says: “My main goals with The Irish Freedom party are protecting Irish sovereignty, neutrality, free speech, rectifying healthcare, and protecting our culture, heritage, and environment.”

So far, she has raised €130 on a target of €2,500.