Former Irish Times columnist John Waters has announced that he will contest the European Parliament elections as an independent candidate in the Midlands-North-West constituency.
In recent years, Mr Waters was a prominent campaigner against the Government's Covid restrictions.
In 2022, a challenge by Mr Waters and Gemma O'Doherty to the constitutionality of Covid-19 legislation was dismissed by the Supreme Court.
In a statement, Mr Waters said his core values are life, family and community.
"On life - Protect life from conception to natural death. On Family - Make all legislation family friendly as outlined in the constitution. On Community - Make legislation ratified in the EU and Dáil Éireann relevant and effective for all the people in the Midlands-North-West Constituency and promote balanced regional development."
Mr Waters said that his "hope is that, when elected, I shall be able to take these battles to the belly of the beast - the EU Parliament - and become a voice for those decent and hard-working Irish people who have been treated with contempt by those to whom we foolishly entrusted our country".
The European elections will take place alongside the local elections on Friday 7 June.
