Can we have a thread to discuss the upcoming MEP Election candidates for Ireland?

[HornyHornersPinkyWinky]

European elections coming up on 7th June. Ireland has 14 seats to fill...

I know it's probably early days, but I got a shiny leaflet in the door from Barry Andrews talking about how great he is - sorry Barry but you're not getting my vote.

It got me thinking though, I have no idea who to vote for. Here's a website which lists all the candidates, if you scroll down you will see the constituencies and if you click on their faces it gives you more information about their policies etc.
https://www.europeanmovement.ie/european-elections-2024/#1708343079798-db46201b-445f

Is there anyone dead set on who they are voting for and willing to share? I'm in Dublin BTW. Actually, if I could I'd vote for Peadar Tobín, but he's in the Midlands constituency...

I'm in the South but don't know which candidate to vote for, probably the Aontu candidate, definitely not FG, FF, Labour, Social Democrat or Green so it doesn't leave much choice.

The huge problem with Aontú is their commitment to restrict access to abortion, and then to reverse legalisation altogether. This is their whole raison d'etre, literally - they were formed out of opposition to a woman's right to choose.
Voting for them on the basis that it doesn't matter because it is all set in stone ignores the fact that Aontú's stated policy is to reverse access to abortion:
The establishment will seek to tell you that this issue is over. .. The issue is not over for those who seek further liberalisation of abortion, and neither is it over for those who seek to reverse that liberalisation.

On the plus side, reading through their policies, I was glad to see Aontú's support for more cycle lanes, doing more to meet EU greenhouse gas emissions requirements, ending unsustainable farming practices that are damaging biodiversity and water quality, and measures, including tolling, to increase the use of electric vehicles.

so Eamon Ryan is not the only 'cabbagehead'

Yes!!!!
let’s discuss how certain candidates have no business or political experience. Any josoap can run.

I'm in Dublin and to my acute embarrassment, I voted for Clare Daly last time. This time, it's a list of no, no, no thank you, no...

Aontú & the Independents for me.. Aontú & the majority of independents can correctly answer "What is a woman"? & that's enough for me.

I am in Dublin. No idea who to vote for. Last time I voted for Frances Fitzgerald but no way I am voting for Regina of the nine Genders. .

Maybe Finian Mac Grath?

The mid west constituency is a crowded field all right. I don’t know why Peadar Tobin would go for it though. That will leave Aontu with no representation in the Dail.

So it seems like Niall Boylan will be going in Dublin. Not sure what to think, although I know he has been outspoken about the main issue.

Agreed, she's awful. At the moment I'm still deciding, but it'll be one of the independents for sure.

Really? I hadn't heard this. I don't know that much about him, I know he's active on Twitter but I'm not on there. I think the deadline for applying to run as a candidate is today or tomorrow so we'll know soon enough.

From what I've seen of him on X he's very clued in and not afraid to call out things. He cannot be any worse than most of the current batch.

Niall Boylan would be very good. John Watters going for it in Mayo

Im voting for ciaran mullooly. Ex rte reporter for the midlands. Voluble on the ness he witnessed with rte management and their treatenent of themselves . He is also supportive of rural ireland . Ming flanagan also a supporter of midlands . A big fat no to FF. Fg.SF. aontu and independents for me.
Did ye see S harris wants to put through the hate speech bill omg where is elon musk when you need him !!

So I was wrong about the date, it turns out Irish Citizens have until 30th April to register as candidates - so we may well see a few more.

Do you think Nina Carberry he elected, carried by her famous career? Similar to Maria Walsh as Rose of Tralee?

Maria Walsh has been a major disappointment, heard sod all out of her until the last month or two and then it's attacking white males.

Well, Maria worked in retail (there is nothing wrong with retail workers, it’s just not a natural next step to MEP) before becoming an MEP, so given her limited work experience, it’s hardly surprising she has achieved nada!

Which is better? A candidate who has no experience of anything other than politics, e.g. someone who went from student politics into local politics into senior-hurling politics, or 'any Jo/e Soap' who has had an ordinary non-political job, in retail, for example?
'They're just an apparatchik' or 'They have no political experience' are both used to criticise candidates.

Impossible to guess who'll be good at politics, in my opinion.

I believe having knowledge or more importantly experience in how things work would help. Not just politics, but business acumen, sales, public speaking (getting your point across) and networking to name a few.
if you know how things work, it accelerates settling in and therefore progress.

So I have just looked at the options for Dublin and truthfully I feel very disillusioned by the choices.

Niall Boylan is a possibility. Other than that my first instinct is a hard no

I heard Boylan being interviewed and hos focus is more anti immigration that pro women and children. In fact, pro women and children wasn't mentioned. I'm not into anti immigration stuff. Why can't I vote for just pain old sanity?

Nobody wants women's votes.

I know, it's so frustrating. Even the female candidates don't talk about it -

Brid Smith from PBP waffles on about LGBTQ - the Q is for 'questioning' which isn't a sexuality so not sure why the fuck that is in there. Anyway, on the PBP website they have a throwback to the repeal referendum victory, but also their long list of LGBTQ policies include a third gender for non-binary people and other nonsense.

Sinead Gibney from the Social democrats talks about being a single mother, but then doesn't specifically talk about women's issues at all, but of course there is mention of LGBTQI+

Claire Daly seems more interested in Gaza than women's rights in Dublin.

Regina 'nine genders' Doherty - enough said.

Lynn Boylan - Sinn Fein, so no thank you. But she also has no mention of women's rights, all about climate action.

It's a bit sad really that no female candidates in Dublin will touch 'women's issues' with a bargepole.

The only candidate who seems to mention gender ideology is Philip Dwyer from Ireland First, who talks about not teaching it in schools. For that alone he will probably get my vote.

Look at the output from Sinéad Gibney's former job. She's absolutely harmful to women, more effective than Ol' Niners, who's mainly just an eager half wit.

I haven't listened to anything from anyone yet.

Malachy Stevenson absolutely not,
Finian McGrath maybe.
Ciara's Cuffe maybe.
Barry Andrews maybe.

I don't know anything about them as yet.

Philip Dwyer hell no, he was the the guy filming the night of the riot stoking the fire with comments the little girl was dead.

Malachy Stevenson hard no, staunch anti abortion and is the go to solicitor for s**t stirring on Niall Boylan, also in my constituency and a horrible person.

The rest well @HornyHornersPinkyWinky has spoken for me.

No interest to the women or children of Ireland.

My heart sank a bit when I saw Niall Boylan, he’s so angry and never acknowledges shades of grey- he reminds me of Gemma O Doherty- his ideas have to be right.