On your marks, get set, canvass

By Orla Walsh

The European elections are now only four weeks away. You can hardly pop to the local shop without spotting candidates posing on lampposts. The Ireland North West constituency is the largest European constituency in the country, so the candidates have a lot of ground to cover. Orla Walsh spoke to some of them vying for votes.

As 'E' day draws ever closer, the North West candidates have stepped up their game in an attempt to ensure success on June 5. Many of the candidates have had their campaign teams out for the last few weeks but now it's time for the real deal. Posters take up every pole while buses with smiling candidates on them pass you by. Yes, campaign season has officially begun.

With three previous campaigns under her belt, Independent MEP Marian Harkin said she and her team are “reasonably familiar with the ground”. Having already done some canvassing in Donegal, Sligo and Roscommon, Ms Harkin visited Clare this weekend: “I'm hopeful to cover all the counties but it's a big challenge for me, we're doing our best... I have a very dedicated group working with me,” she said.

Fianna Fáil's Paschal Mooney is the party’s only candidate so far, as sitting MEP Seán Ó Neachtain announced that he was retiring. He said that it is physically impossible to meet everyone of the 500,000 voters, but that his priority was to be as visible as possible.
“I need to get out there and meet as many people as I can, there is a seat here for Fianna Fail and I will be relying on word of mouth and the campaigning that is taking place door to door,” he said. Another priority of his is young voters in Ireland and actively encouraging them to cast their votes in the European elections. “The Europe of tomorrow will be their issue...Ireland needs to be in the heart of the decision making process. It's vital for their future,” he added.

Sinn Féin’s Padraig Mac Lochlainn has been campaigning for the last six months. “At this stage it is now about meeting as many voters as possible. The campaign bus will be on the road for the next four weeks.” He too thinks that young people in Ireland need to be aware of and involved in this election. “Young people who are in education need to know that there will be job opportunities when they come out. Education is our investment in the future,” he said.
Sitting Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins has been campaigning for the last six weeks, mainly on weekends. He has covered 95 per cent of the east Galway constituency and all of Galway city. “In addition, I have done all of Clare except Shannon Airport and Killaloe,” he said.
He has a canvasing team of about 20-25 people who have been working hard during the last few weeks.

Since the 2004 election Longford and Westmeath have moved from the East constituency into Ireland North West, bringing the total to eleven counties. It is, in terms of area, the biggest of the four European constituencies, and includes counties from all four provinces including Clare in Munster, Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim in Connacht, Longford and Westmeath in Leinster and Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal in Ulster. There are currently eight candidates running for election in the North West and three seats available. The elections take place on Friday, June 5 and polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm.