South Constituency European Election Poll

Go Figure!

If you are or if you were a voter in the South Constituency in the European Election which candidate would you give your number one preference to?

sceptre

Originally posted by Go Figure!
If you are or if you were a voter in the Northwest Constituency in the European Election which candidate would you give your number one preference to?

South.

Raskolnikov

It's a shame Cox isn't running, if he was then he'd definitely get my first preference. Otherwise I'm not sure, I'd consider giving it to Chris O' Leary with my second preference going to the candidate most likely to stop Kathy Sinott from getting in. I disagree with the idea of a single issue candidate and I don't like some of the statements she's come out with.

dahamsta

Hmmm. I'd usually give it to Coveney, but issues like software patents are pushing me slowly but surely towards Ryan. He's an old skool Labour candidate that veers too far to the left for my liking, but I don't think that would do any harm on the EP. It strikes me that we need a left-leaning Parliament to counterbalance the right-leaning Commission. Well, on this particular issue at least.

Still too early to call though.

adam

billy the squid

I voted Ger Hannan.
I dont really care for party politics and I dont know this o'connor individual

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Victor

Just what is the fascination with Brian Crowley (or Collins for that matter)? He just doesn't seem to have a profile.

parasite

none of them seem to have much of a profile, so it's probably a bit of "shure i'll vote for the wheelchair lad, god bless him ...", and such and such

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Victor

Originally posted by daveirl
Agreed, and the voting for Kathy Sinnot is pretty much the same. "shure isn't she great..."

Well at least we know what she stands for.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Raskolnikov

Originally posted by daveirl
Actually that's a fair enough point. But I don't see how getting elected to Europe will help here in that regard. Now getting elected to Dáil Eireann could possibly have helped her, but in the European Parliament she'll be a powerless person in a powerless organisation.

Her election flyer has some of the following statements on it . .

'Rights based disability bill now!'

'New deal for carers'

'Stop the epidemics: Autism, Asthma, Cancer'

and the usual cryptic and enigmatic statements like 'Honest government', 'Family friendly politics', etc.

You can make your own minds up about that.

simu

Haven't decided yet - does anyone know any good sources of online info on the candidates?

Raskolnikov

Originally posted by Victor
Just what is the fascination with Brian Crowley (or Collins for that matter)? He just doesn't seem to have a profile.

Eh, yes he does, out of all the candidates running in the South I would think he's got the highest profile (no, not because of the wheelchair). He's constantly at schools, colleges, seminars, etc. I may not be one of FF's biggest supporters but I can acknowledge that he's a hard worker.

Originally posted by simu
Haven't decided yet - does anyone know any good sources of online info on the candidates?

politics.ie has a forum on the South constituency and some articles.
www.ireland.com/focus/euroelection2004/ has very limited coverage of the European elections.
www.stormcentre.net/elections/results/europe/index.cfm has lists/histories of European and local election candidates.

Despite trying to actively follow the elections, I still feel relatively uninformed. A lack of media coverage and substantial information has a lot to do with this.

sceptre

The other thing about Crowley (and again I'm not a great fan of FF or probably the other shower either) is that he's got presence that Collins doesn't have. I've only met each of them once (Collins in Brussels about three years ago, Crowley when I had to debate against him (subbing for someone else) on some Michael Collins thing in Limerick about seven years ago) and Crowley is frankly an extrovert whereas Collins isn't. Not that this should matter all that much when it comes to voting but it does for most people. Crowley is well-known down the south-west as a hard worker (presumably in Cork city as well) whereas I haven't heard the same about Collins up this side of Munster, which after all, is his local area.

Cushnahan had a better rep than Collins in the local city area from the limited amount I've heard locally (in the city where people don't talk to each other except for the blokes drinking on the street) but his office is only around the corner so I may be getting skewed reports. The trouble with Collins is that people who are going to vote for him this time around are the people who vote for the local FF guy when they're told to. That's worth half a quota in any election in any constituency. And that's all he's got in this one. Crowley is certainly recognised by many as "the bloke in the wheelchair" but I doubt anyone votes for the guy because of this. I'd actually consider voting for the guy. OK, I'm not going to (besides I'm dedicating my vote to dumping Mr Collins this time) but I considered it.


Meanwhile, from today's Times...

I laughed like a fool when I read the word "appealed" until I remembered that Collins used the word "beseech" instead back in his anti-party-bursting days.

Never mind, here you go.

Oirish Times, June 8
FF election director rebukes Crowley on canvassing
Arthur Beesley, Political Reporter


FF campaign: The director of Fianna Fáil's European election campaign, Mr John O'Donoghue, has publicly rebuked Mr Brian Crowley MEP over his refusal to implement the party's canvassing strategy in the South constituency.

Mr O'Donoghue, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, said that Mr Crowley's refusal to divide the constituency with Mr Gerard Collins MEP was jeopardising the party's chances of retaining two seats in the three-seater.

"I have appealed to him. I am disappointed that he has refused to respond positively to my request, but I'm not in a position to follow him around," Mr O'Donoghue said yesterday.

He was responding to the findings of the latest Irish Times/TNS/mrbi opinion poll which suggests that the disability rights campaigner, Ms Kathy Sinnott, will be in contention for the final seat in the constituency against Mr Collins.

The poll suggested that Mr Crowley will top the poll on 32 per cent but it put support for Mr Collins at 14 per cent. Mr Simon Coveney TD, of Fine Gael, is at 23 per cent while the Ms Sinnott is at 15 per cent.

Mr O'Donoghue said the imbalance between Mr Crowley and Mr Collins meant that Fianna Fáil might lose a seat in the South.

"At 46 per cent, we're entitled to take two seats in a three-seater, which is very hard to do, but we can't do that if there's an imbalance."

The Minister said was appealing over the head of Mr Crowley to Fianna Fáil supporters to implement the strategy agreed by a democratic vote of the party's national executive.

Fianna Fáil supporters should vote for Mr Collins in Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary North and Co Waterford, he added.

DMC

This should be the easiest constituency to call....

I dont think Pedro is in that much of a danger, he is a former minister after all, but Clare is now in the North West electoral area certainly wont help him, so Collins getting in on the back Crowley's personal vote, and Simon Coveney splitting the two.

I have also heard rumblings that FG supporters may push to give their 2's to Pedro, just so Cathy Sinnott doesnt get through. Key: watch Coveney's transfers if Crowleys transfers don't drag Pedro across the line.

2 FF, 1 FG.

Victor

"At 46 per cent, we're entitled to take two seats in a three-seater

Ah, manifest destiny. :rolleyes:

article6

Originally posted by Victor
Ah, manifest destiny. :rolleyes:

Don't forget Winnie the Pooh and Jack Frost!

Victor

Originally posted by article6
Don't forget Winnie the Pooh and Jack Frost!

:dunno:

shoegirl

Originally posted by Victor
Just what is the fascination with Brian Crowley (or Collins for that matter)? He just doesn't seem to have a profile.

I don't mean to be mean but I think the disability thing gains a cheap sympathy vote for both Crowley and Sinnott. (What is "disability" by the way? Seems to me that the word is being bandied about as a value that people don't really define.) Cowen still had no problem in objecting to other vulnerable people, temporary workers, from gaining better workplace rights in Ireland. That puts his authenticity as a politician of the marginalised heavily in question for me.

simu

Originally posted by Raskolnikov
Her election flyer has some of the following statements on it . .

'Rights based disability bill now!'

'New deal for carers'

'Stop the epidemics: Autism, Asthma, Cancer'

and the usual cryptic and enigmatic statements like 'Honest government', 'Family friendly politics', etc.

You can make your own minds up about that.

Yeah, I saw one of those. It sounds like she doesn't know much about medical matters despite all her experiences of fighting for the rights of people with disabilities. Plus, "family friendly" sounds a bit dodgy - could she become the Dana of Munster? She won't be getting a vote from me anyway.

Seeing as there's no outstanding candidate, I'll probably go for some of the dull but safe ones.

billy the squid

Cast my vote today

European Election

1. Ger Hannan
2. Ger Collins

for the following reasons

1. I would like to see one of the seats in europe stay in Limerick everyone else is a cork candidate
2. I gave collins the number 2 vote because it sickens me because I have to vote for fianna fail to keep the seat in limerick.

Referendum I voted yes

Local elections Limerick Ward 4

Sean Griffin
Pat kennedy
Win Harington

I tried to vote for as many independents as I could

sceptre

Originally posted by fcddunne
Local elections Limerick Ward 4

Sean Griffin
Pat kennedy
Win Harington

I tried to vote for as many independents as I could

I'm not going to vote anywhere near your choices in the euro elections but I'm interested in anything you can tell me about these local candidates if you're back before I go vote (also in ward 4 (I think))

billy the squid

Sean griffin is a strong campaigner for the local environment and has experience in the council.

Pat Kennedy has an ability to get things done he has represented members of my family on numourous ocasions

Win Harrington because she is an independent and is like a computer when it comes to asking what your entitled to or not.

do you not think it is important for limerick to have at least one seet in europe?

sceptre

Originally posted by fcddunne
do you not think it is important for limerick to have at least one seet in europe?

I don't tend to work on a "I'll vote for you because I can throw a stone to your house" thing. Don't like Collins as frankly he's an idiot, Gerry Hannan is grand, met him a few times but no vote today.

Sean griffin is a strong campaigner for the local environment and has experience in the council.

Pat Kennedy has an ability to get things done he has represented members of my family on numourous ocasions

Win Harrington because she is an independent and is like a computer when it comes to asking what your entitled to or not.

Are both of the first two independents then?

jank

Remember kathy sinnot made those things issues while before her they werent issues at all

People should remember that and at least give her credit for it, ill give her a vote and im sure she will sneak the last seat

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Raskolnikov

Originally posted by daveirl
She is also anti-abortion, anti-Europe and anti a whole lot of other things I'm pro. She got my 9th preference, one above the SF candidate.

It looks like she's getting in, early reports have said that Collins' vote has collapsed and with him out of the way she should easily get the last seat.

There's a good thread on politics.ie about this, shame I'm a bit late with this.

http://www.politics.ie/modules.php?name=XForum&file=viewthread&tid=478

billy the squid

My prediction for this constituency

Crowley
Coveney
Synnot

in no particular order

I recon the one I gave number one to, Ger Hannan will get 7,000 to 7,500 votes. enough for a dail seat in two years time. which is possible as most of these will have come from the area of Limerick City and surrounding areas