European elections 2024: Replacements named for candidates in Ireland South 

IRELAND South’s 21 EU election candidates have listed their replacement candidates who will take over if they need to leave their seat.

Unlike in the Dáil, there are no by-elections in the European parliament, so every person who runs must supply up to six replacements to the returning officer.

Last term, Chris MacManus, Sinn Fein’s MEP in Midlands North West took over from Matt McCarthy when he won a Dáil seat, and Fine Gael’s Dublin MEP Colm Markey filled the seat left by Mairead McGuinness after she was appointed Ireland’s EU commissioner.

Aontú leader Peadar Toibin, who is running in Midlands North West, has already said he plans to contest the next general election and said if his seat is retained, then his sister Emer, a councillor in Navan, will be co-opted to his EU seat.

Members of parties standing two candidates in the region, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin, have each listed their running mate as first in line to replace them.

Other parties have chosen councillors, senators or even sitting TDs, such as Grace O’Sullivan, who has listed Green Party TD for Waterford Marc Ó Cathasaigh as number one to replace her if needed.

Some candidates, such as Independent Christoper VS Doyle of Wexford have listed their family members as their replacements, while Derek Blighe listed his brother Tommy, who is also running in the local elections, as his third choice.

Independent Michael McNamara, a TD for Clare, has listed Mairin McGrath, a Tipperary councillor and daughter of Independent TD Mattie McGrath first on his list.

Cork North East councillor Ken O’Flynn is first choice on the list for Independent Ireland’s Eddie Punch. Councillor Oliver Moran appears fourth on the Green Party replacement list.

Fine Gael’s list contains several Cork elected reps, Senator Jerry Buttimer in fourth, county councillor Eileen Lynch sixth and city councillor Garrett Kelleher eighth.

Padraig Rice, is first choice on the Social Democrats list, and Peter Horgan is second on Labour’s replacement list after the party’s Youth National Executive chairperson, Tadgh Quill-Manley.

Margaret Murphy O’Mahony, who is running in the local elections in Bandon-Kinsale, appears fifth on the Fianna Fáil list, while Aontú has candidates Becky Kealy, Mona Stromsoe and Anna Daly as second, fourth and fifth replacements.

Cork councillor Lorna Bogue has chosen two of her Rabharta party members, both from Limerick and then Worker’s Party candidate Rachel Hurley Roche as her third replacement while Sinn Féin’s Odran Corcoran, senior advisor to Sinn Féin MEP MacManus, is in eighth place on Sinn Fein’s list.

Full details of the candidates running and their replacements is available here.