A total of 74 individuals are set to compete for the 14 upcoming European Parliament seats available in Ireland as part of the European election in June. With the nominations closed, 28 competitors are in the running for the five posts up for grabs in the expanded Midlands-North-West constituency. Meanwhile, the other two constituencies – Dublin’s four-seater and the South of Ireland’s five-seater – offer 23 candidates. 25 of these candidates, which amounts to slightly over a third, are female.
Fianna Fáil, despite lacking a current seat in Midlands-North-West, has entered three contenders into the race: Barry Cowen, an MP for Laois-Offaly, and Senators Lisa Chambers and Niall Blaney. Sinn Féin’s Chris MacManus is aiming to retain his seat, originally gained when he succeeded Matt Carthy following his 2020 Dáil election. The party has also put forward Michelle Gildernew MP. Joining Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh is Nina Carberry, an ex-jockey, whilst Independent MEP Luke Ming Flanagan is campaigning for re-election.
Candidates contesting in the Midlands-North-West feature Pauline O’Reilly from the Green Party, Labour’s Fergal Landy, Social Democrats’ Rory Hearne, Brian O’Boyle from People Before Profit, with Aontú leader and MP for Meath West, Peadar Tóibín also participating. Peter Casey, a previous Independent presidential applicant and an unsuccessful candidate in the 2019 European elections, has again put his name forward, whilst former RTÉ broadcaster Ciarán Mullooly is representing the Independent Ireland party. Hermann Kelly, head of the Eurosceptic right-wing Irish Freedom Party, is also in the running.
The far-right National Party in the constituency has put forward two contenders, Justin Barrett and James Reynolds, both of whom previously failed in their attempts to use the party name as they prepared for the June elections due to internal organisation disputes.
In Dublin, incumbent Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews is striving for re-election, as is Ciarán Cuffe from the Green Party and Clare Daly, who is running under the banner of Independents4Change. Sinn Féin’s participants include Senator Lynn Boylan and city councillor Daithí Doolan.
Former Green party candidate Saoirse McHugh has declared her intention to run as an independent in the upcoming European elections, amidst a host of other candidates vying for the same roles. Fine Gael’s Regina Doherty is aiming to hold on to her seat, taking the place of Frances Fitzgerald – a fellow party member. Aodhán Ó Ríordáin from Dublin Bay North is the chosen candidate for Labour, with Sinéad Gibney – ex-chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission – standing for the Social Democrats. Representing Dublin South Central for the People Before Profit, is TD Bríd Smith, while Aisling Considine is competing on behalf of Aontú.
Niall Boylan, a well-known broadcaster, is running an independent race for Independent Ireland. Similarly, Brendan Ogle, a trade unionist, and Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, the leading imam at the Islamic Centre of Ireland, are also running as independents.
For the Ireland South constituency, the Fianna Fáil party has selected MEP Billy Kelleher and barrister Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, formerly a broadcaster. From Sinn Féin, Carlow-Kilkenny TD Kathleen Funchion and Senator Paul Gavan are aiming for office.
In a recent announcement, radio broadcaster Niall Boylan confirmed his bid for Independent Ireland in the forthcoming European elections. MEP Seán Kelly and Businessman John Mullins are representing Fine Gael. The Green Party candidates are Grace O’Sullivan and Mick Wallace from Independents4Change, both aiming for re-election. The Labour Party has put forward Niamh Hourigan, Susan Doyle, a solicitor, is standing for the Social Democrats with Cian Prenderville being People Before Profit’s candidate and Patrick Murphy running under Aontú’s banner. Among other candidates are Cork City councillor, Lorna Bogue of the Rabharta party, and Derek Blighe, an anti-immigrant activist from the Ireland First party.