MAYOR of Galway Mike Cubbard has confirmed he will stand as an independent candidate in the upcoming Galway West by-election.
The electoral contest is for the seat held by Catherine Connolly before she was elected President of Ireland.
A date has yet to be set for the election, but Mayor Cubbard has today confirmed his intention to run for the TD role and said his campaign would centre on a ‘Galway First’ message.
Mr Cubbard said being an Independent TD would allow him to “deal directly with Government on funding and projects” and “back what is right for your area and push back on what is not”.
He added: “If the Government asks for my support, I will judge every decision on whether it is good for Galway.
“If it is, I will back it. If it is not, I will not support it.”
Galway West Independent candidate Mike Cubbard (Pic: Paddy Finn)Councillor Cubbard was elected at the Mayor of the City of Galway in June 2025, a position he has held twice before in 2019 and 2020.
The 40-year-old native of Westside, who has links to the Claddagh, Moycullen and Carna, has represented Galway City Central since 2014.
Councillor Mike Cubbard has announced his intention to stand in the by-electionIf elected to Dáil Éireann, he said a key priority would be securing greater central government funding for local authorities.
“The council’s ability to invest in roads, housing and public services depends heavily on Government funding,” he said.
“As a TD, I will use every bit of influence I have to maximise funding for Galway so we can expand social and affordable housing and deliver vital infrastructure, from our road network and community facilities to tourism projects and access to our offshore islands.”
He added: “I believe in fair public services and strong support for families and communities.
“Anyone who knows my work will tell you I will work with anyone if it means delivering results.”
Everything from irishpost.com and the print edition is available on the Irish Post App — plus more! Download it for Android or Apple IOS devices today.
