OUTGOING MEPS: Liam Aylward, Avril Doyle, Mairead McGuinness
Liam Aylward
Fianna Fáil
The son of the late senator Bob Aylward joined Kilkenny County Council in 1974 and was first elected to the Dáil for Carlow-Kilkenny in 1977. He served as minister of state in a number of departments and became an MEP in 2004 he retired from the Dáil before the 2007 general election.www.liamaylward.com
Thomas Byrne
Fianna Fáil
First elected to the Dáil in 2007, representing the Meath East constituency. Aged 31, a solicitor and father of two. He is a member of the Oireachtas committees on Justice, European Affairs and the Children's Referendum and a member of the Law Council of the NUI. www.thomasbyrne.blogspot.com
Nessa Childers
Labour Party
The daughter of the late president Erskine Childers and a psychoanalyst in private practice. Ms Childers was originally a Labour Party member before the last local elections in 2004. She switched to the Greens and won a seat. She resigned last year and later rejoined Labour.
www.nessachilders.ie
Kathleen Funchion
Sinn Féin
Aged 27, from Callan, Co Kilkenny. She joined Sinn Féin in 2003 and was an unsuccessful general election candidate for Carlow-Kilkenny in 2007. She has a degree in Behavioural Science and is an organiser for Siptu, working with community partnerships. www.sinnfein.ie/elections
Mairead McGuinness
Fine Gael
She topped the poll when she ran for election with sitting MEP Avril Doyle in June 2004. Before getting involved in politics, she was a journalist and broadcaster and presented the Ear to the Ground farming programme on RTÉ television. From Ardee, Co Louth, she has four children. www.maireadmcguinness.ie
Ray O'Malley
Libertas
Aged 57, he is a farmer from Ardee in Co Louth, who is also a director of Biogreen Energy Products and a fertiliser importing group named Tradeway. He is a former Co Louth chair and beef chairman of the Irish Farmers Association. He announced he would run for Libertas in March. www.libertas.eu
John Paul Phelan
Fine Gael
The 30-year-old Kilkenny Senator is running for the seat left vacant by retiring MEP Avril Doyle. He is Fine Gael Seanad spokesman on enterprise, trade and employment. He was elected to Kilkenny County Council in 1999. He joined the Seanad in 2002 and was re-elected in 2007.
www.johnpaulphelan.com
Tomas Sharkey
Sinn Féin
Aged 33, the Co Louth native completed a degree in Celtic Studies and qualified as a teacher at NUI Maynooth in 1999. He was elected to Louth County Council in 2004 and has campaigned for the closure of the Sellafield nuclear plant. www.sinnfeineu.com
OTHER CANDIDATES WHO DECLARED YESTERDAY
Paddy Garvey,Drogheda, Co Louth, retired - Independent
Micheál E GrealyBallina, Co Mayo, pensioner - Independent
Jim Tallon, Arklow, Co Wickow, farmer - Independent