JUNE 5th POLL:THE CAMPAIGN for the European elections got under way in earnest yesterday with the the close of nominations which saw a total of 44 candidates, including 11 outgoing MEPs, competing for 12 seats across the State.
Fianna Fáil is running eight candidates; Fine Gael, seven; Labour,four; Sinn Féin, five; the Green Party, two; Libertas, three; and the Socialist Party, one. There are 14 Independent candidates.
Voting takes place on Friday, June 5th, but the first count will not be revealed until after 9pm on June 7th, to take account of Sunday voting in most EU member states. All Irish citizens and non-Irish EU citizens resident in this State whose names appear on the register of electors and who are 18 years of age or older, are entitled to vote. Irish citizens in other EU member states may also register to vote in their country of residence and non-Irish EU citizens resident in Ireland may vote in their home countries, according to that country’s rules, but cannot vote in the election both in Ireland and at home.
Would-be voters can check the register at www.checktheregister.ie or at the local public library, post office or Garda station.
A voter whose name does not appear on the register of electors should contact the local city council or county council.
Applications should be received by the councils no later than Monday, May 18th.
More information on voter registration is available from the franchise section of the Department of the Environment at www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/ Voting/
Fianna Fáil is running two candidates in each of the constituencies in the Republic. Three of them – Liam Aylward in Ireland East (formerly Leinster), Brian Crowley in Ireland South (formerly Munster) and Eoin Ryan in Dublin – are outgoing MEPs. The fourth Fianna Fáil MEP, Seán Ó Neachtain (Ireland North West) has withdrawn from the race.
Fine Gael won five seats in the last European election in 2004 and its seven candidates this time include outgoing MEPs Colm Burke, who replaced Simon Coveney in Ireland South when the latter opted for the Dáil, Gay Mitchell in Dublin, Maireád McGuinness in Ireland East, and Jim Higgins in Ireland North West.
Labour is running a candidate in each European constituency, including the party’s outgoing MEP, Proinsias De Rossa, who is again up for election in Dublin; Nessa Childers in East; Senator Alan Kelly in South; and journalist Susan O’Keeffe in North West
The five Sinn Féin candidates include the party vice-president and MEP for Dublin, Mary Lou McDonald, as well as two candidates in the East constituency, Kathleen Funchion and Tomas Sharkey. Toireasa Ferris, daughter of Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris, is a contender in South and Pádraig Mac Lochlainn will run in North West. The Green Party is running Senator Déirdre de Búrca in Dublin and Senator Dan Boyle in South. Libertas is running its party leader Declan Ganley in North West, with Raymond O’Malley in East and Caroline Simons in Dublin. Former Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins is a candidate in Dublin.
Two Independent MEPs are seeking re-election: Marian Harkin in North West and Kathy Sinnott in South. There are 12 other Independent candidates: Dublin, former Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna and Emmanuel Sweeney; East, Paddy Garvey, Micheal E Grealy, Jim Tallon; North-West, John Francis Higgins, Thomas King, Noel McCullagh, Michael McNamara and Fiachra Ó Luain; South, Maurice Sexton and Alexander Stafford.
Donegal South West TD and former minister of state Pat “the Cope” Gallagher only announced his acceptance of a Fianna Fáil nomination early yesterday morning, provoking a sharp reaction from running-mate, former senator Paschal Mooney.
Mr Mooney told RTÉ’s News at One that he had been selected at a convention of more than 700 delegates last month. “There is a great deal of anger out there among all of the people that have been supporting me and continue to support me and I have been overwhelmed and astonished at the decision that was announced this morning, but that is not anything personal.”
Mr Gallagher told The Irish Times: "Paschal, with his long experience in public life, knows full well we found ourselves in uncharted waters resulting from the decision of Seán Ó Neachtain to withdraw. There wouldn't have been sufficient time to reconvene the delegates from the 11 counties in the constituency. However, if there was a convention, I am confident that the grass roots would have selected me to run with Paschal."
