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PAT ‘THE COPE’ GALLAGHER, the veteran Fianna Fáil MEP, has said that the two-candidate strategy that the party is pursuing in the new Midlands-North West European constituency could be dangerous.
He has also admitted that it is unlikely the party will take two seats, telling Karen Coleman on Radio EP: “I am only wish we could take two seats, but of course I am a realist.”
He was speaking ahead of the party’s final selection convention which is due to take place in Mullingar this weekend. Two candidates will be picked to contest the 15-county four-seat constituency for Fianna Fáil.
Gallagher is certain to take one of the nominations with Senator Thomas Bryne also likely to be nominated. Seanán Ó Coistín, a former independent candidate in Ireland East, is also putting his name forward.
Gallagher, who has been in the European Parliament since 1994, said the decision to run two candidates had come from “the hierarchy of the party” with one running east of the Shannon and the other west of the river in what he said is “a very large constituency”.
“It can be a dangerous strategy, particularly if we came in with about the same vote and then transfers are more difficult,” Gallagher said.
The former TD, whose stronghold is in Donegal and the west of the constituency, added that he has an ability to secure votes in the counties of Laois, Offaly, Kildare, Meath and Louth.
He agreed that opinion polls suggest that Sinn Féin will take a seat along with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, but cautioned that it was “much too early yet” to predict what will happen.
Fine Gael has already selected incumbent MEPs Mairead McGuinness and Jim Higgins as it targets two of the four available seats in the constituency. Labour has selected senator Lorraine Higgins, Sinn Féin is running councillor Matt Carthy, and the Green Party is running councillor Mark Dearey.
Incumbent independent MEP Marian Harkin is seeking to retain her European Parliament seat, and independent senator Rónán Mullen is also contesting the election. Independent TD Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan will indicate next week whether he intends to run.
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This will be one walk the orangemen won’t be doing .
@Finn Bowe: some of then well be protesting though. Happens every year
They could start with teaching a few heads up at Stormont a little bit about the subject
Imagine the North used to policed by the RUC.
How times have changed.
Well done Psni. Maith na buachaillí.
The PSNI has been one of the great successes of the peace process. If Brexit does lead to a united Ireland we should extend it to a 32 county organisation to replace our own discredited force.
No wonder they want a hard border !!!
Well done PSNI, fantastic step forward for equality
When we get hate speech laws here…Journal will be boring…Many comments won’t be allowed….
@John003: Hate speech it seems only emanates from non-lefty liberals. Bit like discrimination which apparently is also only committed by whites! As to Pride, well they say that only comes before the fall? These Pride gigs are grand in themselves for a bit of fun if it were not for the fact that they are really a sad vehicle to prolong the “victim syndrome” of a lot of the so called LGBT, MGBGT community!
@Warthog: they are being victimised all over the world and until there is 100% equality everywhere, these marches and other LGBT need to continue. So keep up your own bigoted attitude and these events will continue.
@Warthog: So many of the LGBT community were victims of ‘gay bashings’, which happens in this day and age, so they have every right to have the victim status, and angry after 50 years of fighting for equal rights, also being fired from the workplace was another practice if the employer found out if an individual was gay, lesbian or transgender. and police forces of any nation used to beat of kill the LGBT community often, so don’t preach this crap please.
@Paul Furey: Hahaha that’s funny. See the truth hurts, as those with half a brain would understand that I was making a valid observation and no way was I being bigoted. But of course as I was not fully on-board with your agenda you revert to type and start the usual name childish name calling! As to been victimized, maybe you and the rest of the LGBT/MGBGTs should grow a pair and start protesting against Islamic countries that go way beyond victimizing and do in fact lop the heads off or throw LGBTs off high rise buildings.
@Warthog: Pride is about protesting about all bigotry including that which happens in Islamic countries. Surely that’s obvious?
So, An Garda Síochána, your move.
@Tomboktu: A move they made several years ago
They should start with allowing marriage, too.
Good on you PSNI go for it
I would not go rushing to heap praise here when in reality it’s still illegal to have any form of homosexual conduct between consenting adults in private. The notion of same sex “marriage” is ages away and while it took Paisley and his fellow travellers over 40 years to get the message over the peace process it will take the current Unionists forever to come round to the idea. This reactionary outlook has not stopped the DUP being handed wads of cash under the guise of adhering to the peace process but in reality they are just propping up the current Tory Government which is so tawdry it is not insisting on change in such areas as a quid pro quo for the money
Is the border a hate crime? I think it is.
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