FF campaign: The director of Fianna Fáil's European election campaign, Mr John O'Donoghue, has publicly rebuked Mr Brian Crowley MEP over his refusal to implement the party's canvassing strategy in the South constituency.
Mr O'Donoghue, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, said that Mr Crowley's refusal to divide the constituency with Mr Gerard Collins MEP was jeopardising the party's chances of retaining two seats in the three-seater.
"I have appealed to him. I am disappointed that he has refused to respond positively to my request, but I'm not in a position to follow him around," Mr O'Donoghue said yesterday.
He was responding to the findings of the latest Irish Times/TNS/mrbi opinion poll which suggests that the disability rights campaigner, Ms Kathy Sinnott, will be in contention for the final seat in the constituency against Mr Collins.
The poll suggested that Mr Crowley will top the poll on 32 per cent but it put support for Mr Collins at 14 per cent. Mr Simon Coveney TD, of Fine Gael, is at 23 per cent while the Ms Sinnott is at 15 per cent.
Mr O'Donoghue said the imbalance between Mr Crowley and Mr Collins meant that Fianna Fáil might lose a seat in the South.
"At 46 per cent, we're entitled to take two seats in a three-seater, which is very hard to do, but we can't do that if there's an imbalance."
The Minister said was appealing over the head of Mr Crowley to Fianna Fáil supporters to implement the strategy agreed by a democratic vote of the party's national executive.
Fianna Fáil supporters should vote for Mr Collins in Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary North and Co Waterford, he added.