Former presidential candidate Peter Casey to contest European elections

Michael Bolton

Former presidential candidate Peter Casey has announced his candidacy in June’s European Parliament elections.

Mr Casey will run as an independent candidate in the Midlands-North West Constituency, which will have five seats to fill.

Mr Casey previously ran in the 2018 presidential election, coming second, and also failed to win a seat in the 2019 European elections.

The businessman also contested the 2020 general election, again failing to win a seat.

He has drawn criticism in the past over controversial comments made about the Travelling community and immigrants.

Also running as an independent candidate in the Midlands-North West Constituency is former Green Party member Saoirse McHugh.

Ms McHugh previously contested the the last European elections, where she finished sixth.

She also contested the 2020 General Election for the Green Party, where she finished sixth. Ms McHugh left the party after they entered a coalition with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

Other candidates running in the five-seat constituency include incumbent MEPs Luke Ming Flanagan, Fine Gael’s Maria Walsh and Sinn Féin’s Chris MacManus.

Green Party candidate Senator Pauline O’Reilly, former jockey Nina Carberry running with Fine Gael, and Michelle Gildernew MP is Sinn Féin’s second candidate.