The Labour Party will win four European Parliament seats in the Republic, party leader, Eamon Gilmore said today.
Launching Labour’s European campaign, he said the June 5th elections are “the most important elections to the European Parliament we have ever had”.
Proinsias De Rossa is running in Dublin, Nessa Childers in East, Senator Alan Kelly in South and former World in Action TV journalist, Susan O’Keeffe in the North West constituency.
Urging voters to back Labour, Mr Gilmore said: “Parties have to show that they are not just different from Fianna Fáil. They have to show how they are different”.
He repeatedly targeted Fine Gael for criticism, pointing out that both it and Fianna Fáil are making “the one argument” on the actions necessary to end the banking crisis.
“Fine Gael is lining up on the Fianna Fail side. This is a very real issue for the public. Fianna Fail’s actions are going to beggar this generation, our children and our grand-children,” he declared.
The campaign has illustrated sharp divisions between the two Opposition parties: “I think this contest is very much a contest between Labour and Fine Gael,” he said.
Labour had opposed the State banking guarantee last September after reflection and despite much adverse comment: “We thought that it was unwise, and we have been proven right.”
Dublin MEP, Proinsias De Rossa said Labour MEPs will be part of the most powerful grouping in the European Parliament after the election, the Party of European Socialists.
The next Irish European Commissioner should be chosen by the Dáil, and not by the Government, and should only be appointed after full hearings are held, he said. Fianna Fáil has “traditionally” used the appointment to get rid of someone who is no longer required in the Cabinet, as happened “with Charlie McCreevy in 2004”, he said.
