Maureen Ward to run as Aontú candidate in Offaly

Tullamore human rights activist Maureen Ward is to run for Aontú in Offaly in the upcoming general election.

On Saturday, the party's leader, Peadar Tiobin, announced Maureen's candidacy on social media.

"Comhgairdeas ollmhór to Maureen Ward, who has been selected to run for Aontú in the great county of Offaly," wrote Mr Toibin.

At the beginning of this year, Ms Ward was one of the faces of a national anti-ageism campaign which sought to challenge some of the barriers older people encounter in everyday life.

Also, in May of this year, she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at a Traveller Pride awards ceremony in Dublin.

Maureen is Interim Co-ordinator of Minceirs Whiden, which in Cant, the Traveller language, means Travellers Talking, a national organisation based in Athlone.

She is also a trained and approved foster carer with TUSLA based in the Midlands.