He may be a new name on the national stage, but Mr Seamus Healy is no overnight political success.
He is a full-time public representative, and his Workers' and Unemployed Action Group has been a major force on the local political scene for a decade and currently holds four of the 12 seats on Clonmel Corporation.
The group was founded in the mid-1980s by a number of people disenchanted with the prevailing left-wing political scene.
Mr Healy had canvassed for the then Labour TD, Mr Sean Treacy, in the 1970s but became disillusioned with the party over its decision to join Fine Gael in a coalition government.
Another founder member of the group, Mr Pat Neill, said the new TD was the hardest worker he has ever seen.
"He has a ferocious appetite for work. I have never met anyone with so much energy in my life. He believes passionately in what he does and has so much commitment it is unbelievable.
"I've been with him for 15 years and I wouldn't do this for any other group or organisation," said Mr Neill, a member of the national executive of the ATGWU.
Mr Healy has also been an active trade unionist and worked as a hospital administrator before going into full-time politics.
From Clonmel, he was the first member of the action group to run for election and secured a seat on the corporation in 1985. Electoral success followed for colleagues, and the group now has seven seats on three local authorities.
Critics of the group say its politics do not extend beyond opposing whatever is proposed by those in power and Mr Healy will be unable to deliver a positive programme for the constituency as a member of the Dail.
He denies this. "The fact we have seven local authority seats means we have a track record of achievement. If looking for jobs for Carrick-on-Suir, for Tipperary town, for Cashel is negative I don't know what positive is."
He would not, he said, enter a pact with any government. "We won't be a pawn for any government or any opposition.
"I'll be dealing with issues as they arise on the basis of how they affect South Tipperary and how they affect ordinary people throughout the country, because I think the Celtic Tiger has bypassed 50 per cent of the people.
"I'll be different from other Independents and in that we'll have the twin pressures of [our presence in] the Dail and local authorities. I believe those twin pressures will deliver for the county."
Aged 49, he is married with four daughters aged from eight to 21.
