Nominations close for European elections

Nominations for the forthcoming European Parliament elections have closed with Fianna Fáil ex-minister of state Pat “The Cope” Gallagher among those running.

The Donegal South West TD's decision to run was announced early this morning and ends Fianna Fáil's efforts to find a Galway-based candidate to replace Sean Ó Neachtain in the race for a seat in the North West constituency.

A statement released by the former minister said: "Now is not the time to turn our back on Europe. Now is the time to stay fully involved in the European Union project. It is in our political and economic interest that this is fully the case. We can and we will get through this recession with the full support of the European Union."

However, Fianna Fáil’s already-selected candidate, former senator Paschal Mooney, is known to have become increasingly irritated at the selection process in the constituency, something which rivals seized on today.

The Labour Party's candidate Susan O'Keeffe claimed the late selection of Mr Gallagher showed that Fianna Fáil was in disarray in the North West.

“Its councillors are struggling on the doorsteps; their logo on posters is very small or non-existent; and today, just as the nominations are about to close, the party has finally persuaded Pat "The Cope" Gallagher to run in the European elections," said Ms O'Keeffe.

“This is the kind of last-minute chaos that has characterised Fianna Fáil's management of the country in the past twelve months. It also highlights their lack of real commitment to Europe, which first came to light with their shoddy, disorganised and pathetic attempt to win a much-needed 'Yes' vote for the Lisbon Treaty last summer," she added.

Declan Ganley, leader of the anti-Lisbon group Libertas, claimed Mr Gallagher had been forced into running for the seat.

"Everybody knows that Pat is a decent man who didn’t want to run, doesn’t want to win, and has no interest in being an MEP. He has been essentially bullied into this by Brian Cowen, who is more interested in protecting his party than looking after the country," said Mr Ganley.

Fine Gael's candidate Joe O'Reilly expressed concern at Fianna Fáil's 'musical chairs' attitude towards the North West.

"One would be dubious about Gallagher's motivation in these elections; it seems he has been dragged in kicking and screaming at the eleventh hour. We should wonder why he has taken on this election, was it to fill the needs of Fianna Fail or for the people of the North West?," said Mr O'Reilly.

Ireland’s representation in the Brussels and Strasbourg-based parliament will be cut by one seat from 13 to 12 after the elections, with Dublin reduced from a four to a three-seater constituency.

The move means at least one of the existing MEPs in Dublin – Fine Gael’s Gay Mitchell; Fianna Fáil's Eoin Ryan; Labour's Proinsias De Rossa and Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald – will not be re-elected.

All outgoing MEPs, bar Fine Gael’s Avril Doyle and Fianna Fáil’s Seán Ó Neachtain, are contesting the elections again. Ms Doyle announced her decision to retire months ago, while Mr Ó Neachtain withdrew after he had been nominated to run again citing medical advice.

Fianna Fáil Meath TD Thomas Byrne was nominated yesterday to contest the East constituency alongside outgoing MEP, the Carlow/ Kilkenny-based Liam Aylward.

In the North, the three outgoing MEPs, Jim Allister of the TUV, Jim Nicholson of the UUP and Bairbre de Brún of Sinn Féin are all standing for re-election.

Other candidates to contest the election are Stephen Agnew of the Green Party, Dianne Dodds of the DUP, Alban Maginness of the SDLP and Ian Parsley of the Alliance Party.