Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice has stated that he plans on outlining over the week whether he will join a political party and run in the next general election or bow out of politics entirely.

Last year, the Roscommon-Galway TD claimed that he would not run in the next general election as an independent candidate, but was open to running if he joined a rural-focused party.

Fitzmaurice has since spoken with the new Independent Ireland party established in November 2023 by Limerick’s Richard O’Donoghue TD and Cork south-west’s Michael Collins TD.

“I said I wouldn’t be running as an independent, I made that very clear. I said it would be one way or another if I was leaving politics or not. I think over the next two to three weeks, it will be one way or the other,” Fitzmaurice told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“I have said already that I have been meeting with Richard O’Donoghue and Michael Collins. I have met them a good few times.

“I will be meeting them again over the next week or two.

“We’ll see how things go but I know from their plans, they’re looking at having candidates right around the country and having candidates for Europe as well,” he said.