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...

DublinFemale
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.

Hmm, I did not know this - I'm not on Twitter so miss a lot of this stuff. Unfortunately it will have to be a choice of the least worst option, which is so depressing...

@HornyHornersPinkyWinky

I'm not not any SM apart from MN, but I am literally minutes away from the where the riots started.

I was also on my way home earlier before it got crazy. He was already there stirring it up.

Plus I was getting a lot of videos in real time and he was in a lot spreading rumours/lies

Malachy Stevenson I reckon he would be GI. I am pretty sure.

He has to know what a woman is since he is adamant if she is pregnant, (paraphrasing here she is nothing more than an incubator) that's how strong his abortion views are.

The options are bad and badder.

How did this happen?

I know it's wiki, but it is fairly accurate account of Philip Dwyer and who he is.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Dwyer

They would kick us out of Europe if we sent him.

No 7 in the photo! Aontú have committed to repealing the Gender Recognition Act at their Ard Fheis thís morning!! More progress.

And it was unanimously passed by all attendees!

Ugh, very annoying - why are there so many crazies out there? Why the fuck can't we have a moderate candidate who accepts biological reality, is that really so hard? Grr.

I know it's only the European Elections, but I'm eyeing up the GE next year and it's depressing how few decent candidates there are...

I hear ya @HornyHornersPinkyWinky next years election is gonna be depressing.

I am wondering will SH push it out to the last before calling it, he has until March.

The pickings for EU election are

Bad
Badder
Worse.

I have not heard anything from anyone for the local elections.

This might not be a popular view but I believe the only way to make your vote count in the European elections is to vote for someone from a large party. If you vote for an outlier (vis Claire/Ming/Mick), they end up in a grouping with other outliers (and outliers can mean rogue candidates/sceptics/disrupters), not on the mainstream committees/think tanks.

I’ll be voting Green #1, and I will wrestle with my conscience over my next 2-3 votes.

My ardent wish is that the Niall Boylans and similarly coloured ‘we’re just reasonable mildly-racist middle-aged white men reflecting the views of the people’ candidates will dilute their own vote, and effectively cancel each other out.

There is NO VALUE to Ireland in electing some rogue hurler on the ditch who has never even run for the local council.

Niall Boylan and Malachy Stevenson together would the new Claire & Mick, although not the same causes, definitely not the same causes.

They would team up, Malachy would regularly be on NB chat show and call in, regularly on tv as well.

MS has ran for council elections in past and not got elected.

NB I cannot figure out how he came to be a candidate, I mean he's a radio chat show host albeit over opinionated.

MS would also be extremely active in community, was heavily involved in campaigning against drugs, was a huge voice along with others in getting treatment centres opened and having strict guidelines to who should have access.

He does seem to have lost his way of late, a speaker with Eastwall protests.

Here in the South it's no better. I voted for Grace O Sullivan the GP candidate last time. Before this lunacy all blew up. A very able woman , such a shame she's twaw. Ditto Niamh Hourigan Labour and Susan Doyle SD.
The independents . Hmm. Mick Wallace and a couple of farmer guys. Sinn Féin, Paul Gavan.
Oddly, none of the candidates I've checked out has mentioned LGBT at all.
The subject is being quietly mothballed while they reposition themselves perhaps ?

Gosh, they're a fairly motley crew.
I also voted for Grace O'Sullivan last time, as I felt that climate change was the biggest issue at EU level. No idea who to vote for now.
I don't feel I can support Aontú in any upcoming elections, there are still issues around abortion and the mandatory 3 day wait etc.

I also think a rise in support for them will be too easily be interpreted as an increase in support for the 'far right'.

We'll know their position come pride month in June & how many flags they display before June 7th ! They'll be after the lgbtq vote but will be careful as they will know not too many lgb want to be aligned with the t.

Stephen O'Rourke looks like a possibility. Unfortunately his website starts with waffle but this is promising:

A healthy democracy thrives on the exchange of various viewpoints. The dominance of a single narrative is declining, making room for other platforms which bring forward different perspectives. Ensuring access to a broad range of opinions is crucial for informed decision-making. I support policies that promote media variety, allowing a variety of voices and opinions to be heard, thereby enriching our public discourse and strengthening our society by showcasing various interpretations of important issues. As your MEP, I'll work to amplify this approach at the EU level, advocating for policies that foster media variety across member states, ensuring that not just one voice is being heard in the media.

Also says he's a scientist who has experience of contributing to policy making. And I like the fact that he's critical of the influence and value for money of NGOs. He doesn't seem to be crazy - realistic about the immigration issue but seems to be constructive about it.

https://www.stephen4europe.eu/key-priorities

A word of warning: Eamon Murphy is this guy:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30927476.html

Ugh. I've just looked at the midlands/west constituency. One is worse than the other. While Peadar Toibín's views on gender ideology align with mine, I really can't get past their position on abortion. We're not there yet as provision is still not adequate throughout the country.

I have the delights of Ming Flanagan (he was a fecking eejit when I knew him in the 80's and he's a fecking eejit now). Also John Waters (enough said) and Saoirse McHugh.

The Social Democrats guy looks ok but the party are TWAW so he's a no although I might email him and ask some questions.

Lisa Chambers might be one of the least-bad? I'm probably going to give Barry Andrews a second preference on Dublin, I think FF are copping on that they have to step away from the gender madness.
There are so many terrible candidates though.

Stephen O'Rourke is based in Berlin.

Not trying to be awkward but how can someone who is not living in the country represent the country?

Lisa Chambers has shown her duplicity many times.

On 17 October 2019 Chambers became embroiled in a voting controversy, when she was shown to have voted on behalf of party colleague Dara Calleary and herself during a vote on an amendment on a forestry motion.[18] In December, the Sunday Independentdiscovered footage from 17 January 2019 that appeared to show Chambers sitting in Timmy Dooley's seat for fifty minutes while seven votes were recorded; although not visible in the footage, votes were also recorded from Chambers' seat.[19][20]
She was one of a number of TDs found to be claiming a €25-per-day expense for phone roaming charges while travelling in the EU, two years after mobile phone roaming charges were abolished in the region. She claimed a total of €525 for "daily telephone allowance" while travelling in the EU.[21] In February 2020, Chambers defended choosing a route to the Oireachtas that is 35 km longer than the shortest possible journey, placing her in the "band 9" of the travel allowance table increasing her annual allowance by €1,350.[22] Several months later, Chambers was found to have received expenses of €6,626 for April and May 2020 during which time the Seanad was closed due to COVID-19 pandemic.[23]
Chambers faced criticism following the March 2024 referendums on Family and Care when she admitted to voting No in both referendums, despite having been photographed and filmed canvassing for Yes votes.[24][25]

I have not even touched on her comments regarding abortion.

I'm midlands/ north/ west. I actually have no idea who I voted for last time. I don't have any preferences this time either. But I will have a read and decide.

Unfortunately there seems to be slim pickings out there, it'll be a case of least worst option.

@HornyHornersPinkyWinky

Alas you are not wrong there and it appears to be across the country, Dublin lot don't fill me with confidence.

One positive non of the parties are actually knocking on my door.

All leaflets have been posted although that irritates me as it's taxpayers keeping up the tab.

I think election poster should be banned.

Sorry, can't help. We have enough to deal with with our shambolic SNP😂