European elections: Ireland South candidates set out their platform at Town Hall event in Cork

A TOWN Hall was held for the Ireland South Constituency ahead of the European Elections on June 7, in the the UCC Centre for Executive Education.

European Movement Ireland, in co-operation with the European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland, hosted a panel discussion which was moderated by Oireachtas TV’s Flor MacCarthy.

Dr Theresa Reidy, senior lecturer in the Department of Government and Politics at UCC, said that there was an all time high number of candidates running across Ireland, with 23 in the South, and shared predictions as to who will win the five seats.

“It’s my job to make predictions, and I would think that there’s a very good chance that Seán Kelly and Billy Kelleher will be returned, and then for the rest of it it’s going to be an absolutely fascinating race.

“There is probably a seat for Sinn Féin, who didn’t have a great election last time around, but this time it’s fairly certain they’re going to pick up a seat in each of the three constituencies,” she said, adding that they have “an outside shot of a second seat” in Ireland South.

Also contesting the event are second party candidates for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, sitting TDs, candidates from existing parties and new micro parties, she said, adding “it’s going to be quite a different election.” Gerard Arthurs, lecturer in International Relations & Politics at Southeast Technological University, Waterford, said that name recognition was important in the EU elections as you can’t go door to door across the entire Ireland South region, saying that this was why “celebrity candidates” were popular.

Karen Coleman, the editor of EU News Radio also shared expertise based off polling across EU countries, saying “in Europe, we are likely to see a significant shift not just to the right but to the far right in many countries.” Polls predicted that the Greens and Renew Europe group, which Fianna Fáil are a member of, would lose seats on a EU-wide level, she said “but the Irish polls are interestingly showing an increase in the left vote.” This event was part of European Movement Ireland’s Can Vote, Will Vote campaign, which aims to increase voter participation. Turn-out in the 2019 EU elections in Ireland was 49.7%, a drop in comparison to the 2014 turnout of 52.44%, and lower than the European average of 50.66%.

The event was attended by candidates Billy Kelleher, Niamh Hourigan, Lorna Bogue, Derek Blighe, Mary Fitzgibbon, Ross Lahive, Michael McNamara, Patrick Murphy, Grace O’Sullivan and Eddie Punch.

Candidates

AT THE Ireland South Town Hall event, organised by European Movement Ireland and the European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland, 10 out of 23 candidates were present at the UCC Centre for Executive Education, and each were given a one minute timeslot to give a pitch to the audience.

First was Ireland First candidate Derek Blighe, who criticised the panellists for using the term far right when discussing political groups in other European countries, before saying, “My name is Derek Blighe, I’m a married father of three, I’m a bricklayer.” He explained, “we joined the EEC in 1972 which was a trading bloc, what we have now is something completely different, we’re losing control of our borders, we’re losing control of our fishing grounds, we’re losing control of our farms.

“What has been happening to this country over the last 20 or 30 years is drastic, and I would like to see reform.”

Next was Independent candidate Mary Fitzgibbon, a nurse, midwife and lecturer, who said “sovereignty, immigration, neutrality, family life, agriculture, and small business are my interests.” She said that, as a mother, “I don’t want any of my four sons in a war, dying on the battlefields of Europe,” and criticised the sitting Irish MEPs for voting for abortion as a human right.

Niamh Hourigan of Labour explained that her party is currently the only Irish party aligned to the socialists and democrats group in the EU, the second biggest group in the parliament. “Because we have no Labour MEP, we have no representation in that group, and groups matter — I am running on the basis of protecting workers rights, particularly low-paid workers, fairness in the climate transition and protecting Irish neutrality.

She explained that she is from Limerick and worked in higher education for 25 years, concluding, “I’m a sociologist and I’m also a socialist who’s passionate about equality.”

Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher said, 

“I’m running again because Europe matters to the Irish people and the Irish people have been very attached to the European project, but it is a project that is always evolving and so we have to steer it in the direction we’re comfortable with. It has transformed this country, and I think most people in Ireland are centrists at heart… and that’s where Fianna Fáil is located,” he said, explaining that a vote for him is a vote for centrist policies and the challenges facing Ireland and Europe.

Ross Lahive from the Irish People’s Party said he was “getting his feet wet”, continuing, “when we take a look around and see the establishment parties, the whole lot of them, people have lost faith in them”. He also criticised the term ‘far right’ used by the panellists.

Independent Michael McNamara said “as a TD, more and more of the decisions that affect people’s lives on a daily basis are decided in Europe,” calling for Ireland to utilise its opt-out to make more of its own decisions, adding that he is a farmer “and farmers don’t feel represented in Europe.”

Patrick Murphy of Aontú introduced himself as a “father, farmer, fisherman and agriculturalist,” saying that the European Union helped him set up an organic mussel business “so I know the importance of Europe.

“The common fishery policy is in situ for 50 years and it has destroyed our country… it’s happening to our farming industries as well,” he said, also calling for the amount of young people leaving Ireland to be addressed in the European Parliament.

Sitting Green MEP Grace O’Sullivan introduced herself as a mother of three from Limerick, and member of Greenpeace for 20 years.

“Since joining formal politics and moving from law-breaker to law-maker, I’ve worked on the 8th Environment Action Programme, the Nature Restoration Law and Packaging Waste Regulation to name just a few, I feel I’ve a lot more to do in the fight of a fairer and greener future for all.”

Finally, Independent Ireland candidate Eddie Punch said, “I’ve worked for 25 years representing the food sector in Brussels, so I know how the institutions work, I want to see the food and family farm model defended, I think the institutions have lost touch with the people on the ground.” He also wants to work on the EU disability strategy and regional development, he said, adding “I believe in some regulations at EU level but not too much, too much red tape strangles small to medium enterprises and I want to get that balanced out.”