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Updated 19.00pm
FIANNA FÁIL TODAY selected its European candidates for Ireland South with Brian Crowley and Kieran Hartley being picked to have their names on the ballot.
Brian Crowley is already a sitting an MEP, while Hartley is a Waterford-based activist, state Fianna Fáil.
Adrian O’Higgins withdrew from the race but received a standing ovation at the Ireland-South European Parliament selection convention which was held today in Clonmel, County Tipperary today.
Retiring
Fianna Fáil Leader Micheál Martin addressed party members at the event and commended the outgoing MEP Liam Aylward stating that he had “given great service to Ireland over many years”.
Aylward announced in November that he was standing down, bringing his 40-year political career to an end, stating: “I’ve been in politics a long time”.
Martin stated today:
During Liam’s two terms in the European Parliament he built a big reputation for his work especially on the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.
He produced a very important and influential report on the sheep sector – and was a strong and effective voice for Ireland in Europe.
I want to thank Liam for his great service to Fianna Fáil and to the people of our country.
Martin said that they need representatives that could represent peoples’ concerns in Europe, adding:
There’s a reason why Brian Crowley has won the first seat in every one of the last four European elections – he’s a great MEP.
Speaking about Hartley, Martin said “as a growing party” they are “striving to represent the people of a modern, changing country”. He added that it was vital they had the ability to attract new people.
Labour also made a selection today for the Ireland South constituency, with Phil Prendergast being selected.
Speaking at the convention today in Cork, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said Prendergast “is no stranger to standing up for what she believes in”.
He said Prendergast “has been a tireless champion of Irish and European consumers, particularly in relation to access to credit, in tackling misleading advertising, and in relation to patient safety.
She has also put jobs at the top of her agenda, working in particular on behalf of small businesses looking to access new markets”.
He added:
She has been an influential voice within the Social and Democrat group, for equality for gay and lesbian citizens.Phil has been an excellent representative for the people of Ireland South. She is someone who has, for three years, fought their corner. And I know that Phil, and the Labour Party, is ready to fight again in May – and win.
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Same tired faces and jaded policies to get to a parliament that couldn’t care less about this country
Ah for crying out load who is this guy Ciaran?
IRKS me when they use phrases like “a tireless champion of ” and ” ready to fight” and “fought their corner”
When for a living what they actually do is LIE TO PEOPLE ???
They largely make NO POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION whatsoever to society ,,
The only time I hear anything about Crowley is when he’s looking for a vote.
I would rather vote for someone that might be of some benefit to me or our country.
He’s been out of the public eye for the last few years due to health issues.
Was he still getting paid?
i always think of crowley as kind of indicator of lack of change. he does absolutely nothing (as is pointed out in the posts). in this sense, he is no different from most of the other MEPs.
when the day comes that he doesn’t get elected , it will be something of a big day for irish politics, showing that, finally, people are waking up.
people should stop thinking ‘leave him there, sure it doesn’t matter that he does nothing’ and start thinking ‘if we had a decent candidate we might actually be able to have SOME influence (not that I would be holding my breath but….
Jobs for the “boys” AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN.
Become one of the boys then
I can’t,my family doesn’t belong to one of the “dynasties” needed !!!
Kieran who? Is that the same Brian Crowley that did not respond to young peoples letters while he was a sitting Mep
Fianna Fail could pick a rescued puppy to run for election and I still wouldn’t give them a vote. Much as Meehole would like it, the electorate doesn’t suffer from goldfish memory.
It did during the boom…
there is still 20 something percent of the electorate voting for FF, so at least a quarter have forgot what these morons done to the country.
What is really annoying is way cowen dempsey batt o keeffe ran away from the electorate
@ Paddy – It is not so much being forgetful as being stubborn. Some people will always vote for Fianna Fail, no matter what they have done to the country. Ignorance is bliss.
That’s the old folks Paddy!
Fianna Fáil pond life.
Just goes to show that the anti-pylons group was a Fianna Fail front all along.
Anyone who believed and voted for fg and labour were and are the biggest fools…..i.mean its the same old faces who’d been in there for years…..had people forgot what labour did last time they were in power??? And fg have never been any different!!
Will Michael please come on here n tell us who Kieran is.
Some guy parachuted in over a candidate who looks like he has some knowledge of Europe. Fianna Fail are even shafting their own these days. http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/kilkenny-news/o-higgins-to-bow-out-of-europe-race-on-party-orders-1-5921884
Totally agree. Far be it from Fianna Fáil to hop on a band wagon though!
Hope these FF idiots get whacked in the elections. Not a single good one between them all. Pity they don’t merge with FG. Nice combination.
Dail election next year and we still don’t know who the FF candidates will be in out constiuenty
Dail election is set for 2016
Barely heard of Crowley,never heard of Hartley or Aylward.The latter supposedly has brilliantly represented me in Europe for years, wouldn’t know him from Adam. Says it all really.
No offence but that probably says more abt you than them….i dont follow politics very much but iv at least heard of them all!
@James Kiernan,”same old faces who’d been there for years”,”have people forgot what Labour did last time”,”FG have never been any different”, and you don’t follow politics, yeah right. Closet Fianna Failer me thinks
No sign of Seanie defending his beloved party of crooks? Must be off sick today. Can somebody send an ambulance or something?
Good luck to Brian…..the one and only politician, out of at least 10 local and national who i contacted from all parties, who replied when contacted abt the exclusion of architectural technologists from phil hogans new building control regs…..not a fan of fine fail but it showed some common decency….
You were the lucky one. He doesn’t normally reply
He could send a blank letter. .stil is a reply!
I have a lot of respect for him. He has had so many serious medical problems in the last fee years but he’s always so determined to keep going.
Obviously needs the money to pay his hospital bills.
What’s the point of FF apart from enriching themselfs ?? Pathetic bunch of me feiners!
never heard of either of them. Can i get a nice cushy job with pension and perks please.
I’m voting for Angela Merkel for the European Elections…cut out the middleman and Thatcherite minions
Brian Crowley is doing a good job in Europe, MEP are not meant to be like our TD’s playing at super social workers. But FF have no power or voice in Europe because they don’t belong to a major Group. They are invisible and are wasting our chance to have any say.
Are you related to Cathy former great MEP from Cork.
No ! That was her former husbands name
FUFF
I wonder if anyone could list one thing Brian Crowley achieved ever for Ireland or what percentage attendance possibly as low as 2% I imagine.
THE MAN BEHIND ‘Ballyhea Says No’, an anti-bailout group based in Cork, is to run in the Ireland South constituency in May’s European elections.
Diarmuid O’Flynn made the announcement yesterday at a march to mark the third anniversary of the ‘Ballyhea Says No’ campaign which is against payments to bondholders and has held weekly anti-EU/IMF bailout protests since 2011.
haughey’s favour for crowley junior still paying off
Brian Crowley will more than likely cruise in .
Somebody only a few people has heard of is retiring after 40 years a politician………Ireland.
” i’m running for Europe”
Diarmuid O’Flynn made the announcement yesterday at a march to mark the third anniversary of the ‘Ballyhea Says No’ campaign which is against payments to bondholders and has held weekly anti-EU/IMF bailout protests since 2011.
Kieran hartley is one of thd founders of rethinklylons.org and the comeraghs against pylons group. He had been a tireless advocate for a proper evaluation of the grid25 plsn which is excessivr and caused distrees to so many in rural ireland. The lack of proper participation on this plan, has angered and activated many. Anti pylon groups
Are made up of folks from very many backgrounds and traditions all compelled to act for fear of health and landscape destruction….. the grid 25 plan is wrong, must be changed and many intend to march in dublin
On april 15th to ensure that demsnd is heard…
Hartley is an anti pylon candidate from West Waterford
Vote no 1 for
Diarmuid O’Flynn the man behind ‘Ballyhea Says No’ campaign which is against payments to bondholders and has held weekly anti-EU/IMF bailout protests since 2011.
Agree. O’Flynn has done more for Ireland in Europe than Crowley has , in all his time as an MEP.!
Fianna Fáil Nua me hole – yet again.
Fail.
Anyone but the terrorists
Ordinary decent Citizen Candidates should get your vote not Political Parties which are Private Clubs. Time to Bring Your Brains to the Polling Booths. – Grey Vote 5* Alliance
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