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THE GREEN PARTY looks to be holding its ground as counting gets underway across the country in the local elections, but the fate of the party’s two MEPs appears more uncertain.
Based on tallies from this morning, Green Party candidates in the local elections have fared better than some had predicted.
Counting for the European Parliament elections will not get underway until tomorrow morning – but tallies from this morning show that the party’s two MEPs, Ciarán Cuffe and Grace O’Sullivan are far from guaranteed to keep their seats.
Speaking to The Journal this afternoon in the RDS count centre in Dublin, Ciarán Cuffe said it “clearly isn’t a green wave but it’s not a wipeout either”.
Cuffe said he expects to see some existing green councillors lose their seats, but expects to see gains in other areas.
Indeed, in some areas the Green vote appears to have remained strong.
Tallies have shown Green Party councillor Michael Pidgeon sweeping ahead in the South West Inner City, Dublin. While in the South East Inner City, the party’s councillor Claire Byrne was also leading across several ballot boxes.
“It’s a real mixed bag for the Greens, but I’m glad that despite being in government during challenging times, we will still have some gains in certain areas,” Cuffe said.
When asked about his own seat, the Dublin MEP said he would love to see a good result tomorrow but that it is a crowded field, even among the centre left.
“It’s quite hard to predict. I think we will see seats for the main parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. I think we will see Barry Andres [Fianna Fáil] returned, but from there on it’s hard to call,” Cuffe said.
But everyone says second preferences are all over the place so I don’t think anyone knows.
“I’m certainly happy that I’ve been working hard in Europe for the last five years. I hope that translates into votes and preferences tomorrow, but it’s quite early to tell,” he added.
Speaking to reporters earlier at the RDS, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said Cuffe’s seat was at risk.
“It’s such a competitive field, I know that myself having ran for it a few years ago,” he said.
“I think he’ll be in with a chance for that last seat, but it’ll be dependent on transfers,” Ryan added.
In the Ireland South constituency for the European Parliament, Green MEP Grace O’Sullivan also faces an uphill battle to keep her seat.
Reports on the tallies from the count centre in Cork today suggest that Billy Kelleher and Sean Kelly look likely to go to the top of the poll while O’Sullivan will struggle.
You can follow the latest on The Journal‘s liveblog here.
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This work is co-funded by Journal Media and a grant programme from the European Parliament. Any opinions or conclusions expressed in this work are the author’s own. The European Parliament has no involvement in nor responsibility for the editorial content published by the project. For more information, see here.
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Mary lou and the leadership of the shinners should seriously consider thier future, The blind hubris they showed in the last 12 months has cost ireland a chance for real change
@Robert Halvey: They got too cocky I reckon. Game over for them now.
They got the note from Soros telling them how it all works, Tow the line or your out, and as we see they fell into line.
@Robert Halvey: what should SF do, considering the ones that appear to be GAINING seats are FFG+Greens.
@David Corrigan: I’m no SF supporter, but that seems a little extreme. There’s always the General Election.
@N M: Maybe but I think they need to get a new election manager and strategy. The last time they didn’t put forward enough candidates. This time they put forward too many. They are all over the place.
@Robert Halvey: When Mary Lou said that if the people didn’t approve the Constitutional changes, she would run it again until they did, how did she think this would go down with the electorate.
Not up to the job!
@087 bed: I would laugh but I’m not sure if you are joking or not
@Brian Hunt: what’s wrong with changing it if the people are not happy??? Don’t get your point?
Even in the face of scientifically proven fact debunking climate change they persist with this green agenda to return us to the dark ages.
Greens clearly have silent supporters, while we clearly heard from the loud aggressive minority who wrongly thought there would be a wipeout. FFG + Greens seem to be *gaining* seats!
@087 bed: Okay, I bite: Post a link to the “scientifically proven fact debunking climate change”, not some wannabe scientist on YouTube and then you might have an argument.
@087 bed: Proven facts debunking climate change? Where?
@087 bed: You can no more debunk climate change modelling than you can the Brexit conviction.
Scientific method modelling that railroaded climate into one thing as long-term weather represents a standard that is so low that it would be the equivalent of a flat Earth conviction.
@087 bed: Do you have a link to the scientifically proven fact debunking climate change, I’d love to read it, as the majority of scientists think climate change is real, thank you in advance.
@David Hughes: 087 is a bewildered headbanger. Best to ignore. He’s long gone.
He doesn’t deserve to retain his seat. But Barry Andrews being elected is disgusting absolutely zero political credibility and a very naturally nasty, blameful, prejudiced manner to him. Classic fianna fail
@Sean oSuilleabhain: you shinners are having a horrible time of it. Are you enjoying the karma?
Un-fekin-believable.
A whole lot of…
Meh!
How are there comments on the election of MEPs when the count is not until tomorrow (Sun)? Likewise, I heard similar comments this morn on radio re. mayoral election in Limk & I thought that that count is not until Monday? Perplexed
Why bother write this
The only Green Wave we will see will be when they die the Irish Sea Green for St Patrick’s Day
Mary lou is the same as most of us and that’s not want someone s want
The agribusiness PR campaign seems to have turned farmers against the Greens but the rest of us weren’t fooled.
have your say