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European Parliament election – who are your candidates?

On June 7, there will be elections for European Parliament – with Ireland having 14 seats up for grabs. The Dublin constituency have four available MEP seats, while the Midlands-North-West and South constituencies have five seats each.  

So, who’s running and what do they stand for? In Dublin, there are 23 candidates. The Liberty profiles 18 of the candidates running for election below – the others joined the race after our deadline passed.  

Fianna Fail

Current MEP Barry Andrews will be running for re-election this June. He’s been a member of the European Parliament since 2019.  

If re-elected, Andrews wants to continue his current work with the European committees on International Development, Trade, Gender Equality and The Northern Irish Assembly.  He has also listed housing, crime and the cost of living as top issues on his website.

Andrews has also voted on multiple bills to condemn attacks on and support Palestinians, he has been vocal about this on X formerly Twitter.

Independents 4 Change 

MEP Clare Daly will also be seeking re-election in June with Independents 4 Change. 

Daly said in a statement, “the people of Europe are being savaged by a cost-of-living crisis caused by war and instability, and the EU’s response has been: We want more war, more instability. They are now actively complicit in a genocide in Gaza that threatens to expand into a wider war. The gap between those in power and the people across Europe has never been greater, and my job, if re-elected, is to keep pushing back against the powerful who only serve their own interests, to continue giving voice to the ordinary people of Europe.” 

Daly has been outspoken in the EU Parliament condemning Israel and “EU complicity” in the Gaza crisis.

Green Party 

MEP Ciarán Cuffe is looking to continue his environmental work at the European level by running for the second time.  

Cuffe said, “My priority as Dublin’s Green MEP is making laws that will provide a better quality of life for the people of Dublin. I have passed laws to protect Dubliners from climate change, deliver decent and affordable housing, and tackle the cost-of-living crisis. Strong green voices are needed in the European Parliament. If the people of Dublin are good enough to re-elect me, I will dedicate the next five years to pushing our climate laws further, securing a European response to the housing crisis, and boosting Ireland’s potential as a renewable energy powerhouse.” 

Cuffe has been working towards making housing an official EU issue and is fighting to set up a European fund to provide housing.

https://twitter.com/HousingEurope/status/1783528684760011209

Fine Gael 

Senator Regina Doherty is running for the first time. She was director of elections for Fine Gael during the 2019 European election, but this time she’s looking to take the seat herself with Frances Fitzgerald stepping down. 

Doherty listed her three priorities as, “being a strong voice for Dublin businesses and jobs, defending democracy and the rule of law, both outside and inside the EU, and speaking with greater authority and influence on the world stage.” 

She has also spoken out urging the EU to introduce regulations suppress to self-harm and suicide content on social media platforms.

Sinn Fein  

The second Senator on the list, Lynn Boylan has been serving as a member of the Seanad on the Agriculture Panel since 2020. Boylan was previously an MEP in 2014-2019 and is looking to take her work back to Brussels. 

During her campaign, Boylan has been advocating for support for Gaza at the European level, as well as fighting for affordable housing, which she based her 2019 European campaign on.  

https://twitter.com/LNBDublin/status/1776699075435380867

The second Sinn Fein party member that running for election is Daithí Doolan. Doolan is a Dublin City Councillor for the Ballyfermot-Drimnagh electoral area.

As a councillor he is involved in Housing Strategic Policy Committee and has expressed his first priority would be to tackle the housing crisis and the cost of living crisis at any level he can. He has expressed support for Palestine social media and condemned anti-immigration sentiment. 

People Before Profit  

One of the sitting TDs for Dublin South Central, Brid Smith, will by running for a seat as an MEP with People Before Profit. 

“My priorities in Europe are to fight for solidarity with Palestine, sanctioning Israel, ending trade with them and stop arming them. I will be a voice that opposes war in Europe, campaigns for peace and opposes any attempt to ditch Irish neutrality. I want to campaign against fascism and racism and stop the scapegoating of migrants. We need to defend workers’ rights and push back the corporate lobbyists who dominate the EU. We have to stop the catastrophe of climate change and will only do so by ensuring that the fossil fuel and related industries are not allowed to continue to pollute the planet,” said Smith.   

As a TD, Smith is also actively outspoken about needing better housing, renewable energy and more supports for students with additional educational needs.

Social Democrats  

After failing to be elected in 2019, the former Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, Sinéad Gibney, is trying again to be elected as an MEP for Dublin.  

Gibney explained, “I will prioritise housing and the removal of any barriers at EU level that prevent Ireland from bringing in affordable and social housing measures. I will prioritise migration – I believe we need EU-wide systems for international protection which treat people with dignity while processing claims for asylum fairly. I believe that climate and AI are two areas which also require EU wide responses. Regulation needs to better consider the full impact of AI on our society, not just business, and climate measures must ensure a just transition that leaves nobody behind.” 

Gibney also stated she will be fighting for the needs of Dubliners, including affordable housing, better transport and an increased gardaí presence in a video on X formerly Twitter.

Labour 

TD and Labour Spokesperson for Education and Justice, Aodhan Ó Ríordáin, will also be running. 

In his campaign video, Ó’Ríordáin stated he is looking to “deliver an EU plan for affordable housing and response to climate change.” On his website he stated he will be fighting to make Dublin a better place to live, work and raise a family in. 

Independent Ireland

Niall Boylan is a radio presenter on Ireland’s Classic Hit’s Radio and podcaster. Boylan will be contesting the election in June.

On his website, he states he believes the government has failed us through their immigration policies, NGOs, housing, and law and order. He also listed his top priorities if he were to be elected as stricter immigration laws, crime and justice, healthcare, affordable housing, cost of living, reducing climate change policies, and support for agriculture.

In his campaign video, he states he was inspired to run by callers into his radio show feeling voiceless in Irish and international politics.

Independents

Independent candidate Stephen O’Rourke will be contesting the election. He’s a scientist who work lives and works in Berlin, but has decided to try his hand at representing Ireland. 

O’Rourke said, “My primary goal is to always be available to the people of Dublin and to listen to their concerns. So many Dubliners are struggling these days, especially when it comes to mental health and the cost-of-living crisis. I know these issues can be addressed in the Oireachtas, but so many of these issues can also be addressed in the EU. These issues need a strong advocate so that real, positive impacts can be felt by the people who need it.” 

Dr Umar Al Qadri is an Islamic scholar who is running as an independent. He listed his priorities in his manifesto and his social media as affordable housing, sensible immigration, helping small businesses, and peace-building in Gaza and Ukraine.  

Malachy Steenson is running as an independent, however, he has been previously connected to the Irish Workers Party. Steenson has taken a strong anti-immigration stance, he’s hoping to convince Ireland to opt out of the EU Migration Pact and stop taking asylum application. 

An Rabharta Glas 

An Rabharta Glas is a left party which also fights for environmental issues. They’ve selected Robin Cafolla to contest this election. 

“I want to convince people that climate action means better pay and working conditions, more time off and a healthier society. Rabharta believe that the only way we will prevent climate breakdown is to create a real democracy where workers are given democratic power over the economy; then we can make the changes that need to be made in workplaces and our society,” said Cafolla.  

Ireland First

Philip Dwyer is a self-described citizen journalist running for Ireland First on an anti-immigration policy.

Irish Freedom 

Diarmaid Ó’Conorain is running for the Irish Freedom party stating he will call for tighter citizenship requirements, the abolition of carbon taxes, stricter controls on the European Central Bank.  

National Party  

Patrick Quinlan will be running for the National Party, he has not publicly stated his policies going into the election, but he has been outspoken against immigration. 

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