European Candidates in the Ireland East Constituency

airwalk_90

Hi Everyone,

I hadn't seen a forum opened on boards.ie on the Ireland East Candidates for Europe and being a nuetral myself from the East of Ireland, I was wondering do people have any views on who the European candidates worth voting for are?


The final list in Ireland East is:


Aylward Liam (FF)

Byrne Thomas (FF)

Childers Nessa (Lab)

Funchion Kathleen (SF)

Garvey Paddy (IND)

Grealy Micheál E (Ind)

McGuinness Mairéad (FG)

O'Malley Raymond (Lib)

Phelan John Paul (FG)

Sharkey Tomás (SF)

Tallon Jim (Ind)

The Raven.

You could do with a comma there, Airwalk: Ireland East, European Candidates.

You had me wondering who these 'East European Candidates' were !!

Darragh29

The Raven. wrote: »

You could do with a comma there, Airwalk: Ireland East, European Candidates.

You had me wondering who these 'East European Candidates' were !!

yeah I thought you had a gripe with East Europeans going up for election! Maybe ask a mod to change your title...

is_that_so

The strongest candidates here are McGuinness, Aylward and John Paul Phelan. McGuinness is a a very good MEP and may even do the same as last time, top the poll and get elected on the first count. Because she is likely to be so strong the second FG candidate could get in leaving the last seat between the two FFs. Even if FF's vote is down substantially they did get about 25% between them. Byrne I suspect is in here to do what Kirk did the last time, help in FF transfers for Aylward, although Byrne's success in the GE might could suggest a reversal of places.

Of the rest only Childers has any track record and her name of course. She was Green party member but left them. Labourt got 13% or so the last time but that was with the well-known Peter Cassells. With so many smaller parties and Independents it's a toss up who will come last, although I expect both SF candidates to last a lot longer than Libertas.

Personally like and rate McGuinness, could tolerate Aylward again and would not object to John Paul Phelan/Nessa Childers. Nort keen on Byrne, he has a bit of a cheek in going for this IMO. The rest IMO are just also-rans.

spank_inferno

How many seats do we get from that constituancy?

I recognise many of the names... Jim Tallon for one.

And there has been about 20 pictures of Nessa Childers in every edition of the wicklow times / people for the last 2 months, so she apparently gets around.

But I know nothing about them to even have an opinion.

Euro_Kraut

Don't think there that many East European candidates running in Ireland.

Unless I have misread this thread completely.

r0nanf

Just got a Libertas flyer through the door looking for Raymond O'Malleys vote. Apparently FF are an abortion supporting anti farmer party :rolleyes:

I think Childers might sneak in with McGuinness & Aylward.

airwalk_90

Have to say - i think John Paul Phelan would be a good candidate to have in Europe - he's young, ambitious. And at this moment Ireland needs new ideas and change everywhere, including Europe. People who arent afraid to make the hard decisions. What has Aylward done since he was in there?

Our man in Havana

What has Aylward done since he was in there?

Nothing.

I think it will be FF 1 (Aylward) FG 1 (McGuinness) and Labour 1 (Childers). I would love it if FF lost their seat and FG held their 2 with Childers getting Aylwards seat. Unless there is a total collapse of the FF vote it is unlikely that Aylward will be unseated.

Also what the hell are SF playing at by running 2 no hopers where they cannot even have a chance of 1 seat?

is_that_so

Bond-007 wrote: »

Nothing.

I think it will be FF 1 (Aylward) FG 1 (McGuinness) and Labour 1 (Childers). I would love it if FF lost their seat and FG held their 2 with Childers getting Aylwards seat. Unless there is a total collapse of the FF vote it is unlikely that Aylward will be unseated.

Also what the hell are SF playing at by running 2 no hopers where they cannot even have a chance of 1 seat?

Agree on result although now that McGuinness appears to have closer to 2 quotas FG could sneak in if they can get some good vote management going. I have seen posters of the pair with Vote No 2 on them.

The SF candidates come from opposite ends of the constituency and are probably in to get them a higher profile. I assume both will have a go in the GE in their respective constituencies. With Louth going to a 5 seater in the next GE Sharkey may think he has a chance although I reckon that depends on Arthur Morgan retiring. Funchion did badly in Carlow-Kilkenny in the last GE.

is_that_so

Candidates on Pat Kenny now. Byrne sounds like a smug git and is invoking his success in the GE as evidence of his chances. SF are on their usual rant. That efficiency in the civil service with no job losses- "We'll make them work harder". One interesting point noted was the fact that people are suspicious of election literature until they realise the candidate is not FF.:)

P. Breathnach

I thought Nessa Childers was not performing well -- a bit vague and imprecise generally, not apparently as "on the ball" as most of the others.

Then the immigration question came up from the audience. Nearly all the candidates said that they were against limiting immigration from EU states, pointing out that we were not entitled to impose restrictions, and that the incentive for people to come here had diminished greatly -- they wrapped their "no" in flannel, presumably to minimise the risk to their votes.

Childers was far more direct: all she said was "absolutely not". There's a rare thing, a politician being clear about saying something that a voter might not agree with.

is_that_so

Agreed. McGuinness the most impressive by a country mile. How FG must be wishing they can get her into national politics.

slippy wicket

I have heard most of these debates on Pat Kennys Programme, and I have noticed that the libertas candidates seem to shout down everyone, and just talk over everyone.

As regards Liam aylward, he seems to be a non-entity. Living in Wexford, I have not heard his name since the last election

skearon

P. Breathnach wrote: »

I thought Nessa Childers was not performing well -- a bit vague and imprecise generally, not apparently as "on the ball" as most of the others.

Then the immigration question came up from the audience. Nearly all the candidates said that they were against limiting immigration from EU states, pointing out that we were not entitled to impose restrictions, and that the incentive for people to come here had diminished greatly -- they wrapped their "no" in flannel, presumably to minimise the risk to their votes.

Childers was far more direct: all she said was "absolutely not". There's a rare thing, a politician being clear about saying something that a voter might not agree with.

I agree Childers was weak, though fair play to her for clearly ruling out racist policies.

Alyward and McGuinness performed well and should both get elected, after that couldn't call

is_that_so

If the MRBI poll is to be believed this one is all over bar the shouting. FG, bar some incredible miracle or vote management, will not return two here. Childers at 21% appears to have a seat. Most likely it will be one each for the three main parties.

Sully

The polls haven't been good for FG, with John Paul doing poorly in the polls. Having met John, it came as a shock that people are not considering him. He is a genuine guy and is very hard working. Labour seem to be taking that seat, so FG loosing out.

(Oddly, Kathy Sinnott has improved!)

Our man in Havana

Sully, I am as surprised as you. I know JP personally and can vouch for him. You won't meet a sounder chap. I think that McGuinness has too high a profile and people are going to ignore the instructions to transfer as per FG HQ. People vote McGuinness for the person and not party hence JP missing out on transfers.

My latest prediction, FF 1, FG 1 and Lab 1.

is_that_so

What appears to be coming out of the Euros and probably has always been feature of them is that candidates need to be a personality such as Dana or Kathy Sinnott, well-known national figure or an incumbent who works hard. Avril Doyle had that in the last Euro election, Phelan unfortunately doesn't.

Sully

Who exactly were these candidates before being elected then? JP actually has a decent personality, gets on well with folk, well able to communicate, hard working but new. Mariead has a lot more power, well known etc., but jesus johns polling very badly for a chap who is equally as good and one of the better FG candidates.

The only thing I can guess is that FG are not selling it very well. Iv heard little of john also, which is a shame. A lot more posters but that doesn't win votes.

spank_inferno

I've seen as many Mairead McGuinness posters as Phelan posters in my home county (wicklow)

I thought that McGuinness would take the bulk of the Northern Leinster votes they should have left the south of the provience entirely for Phelan.
But it does look like FG are going to lose a seat in Leinster.

I'm not a FG person, but surely given the anti government climate lately this must raise questions at FG hq??

Our man in Havana

FG have completely mismanaged the constituency. Mairead McGuinness would still get elected if she put up no posters and never left her house. Phlean is an unknown outside of Carlow/Kilkenny.

lostexpectation

wow nepotism sure goes a long way, what a vote.