Read my Lips: We want less sound-bites and more substance

By Eoghan Dockrell

Is it fair that four million people can hold up half a billion? Is it right that the Irish electorate should vote on Lisbon again, after already rejecting it? Is Declan Ganley Satan’s brother? These contentious, provocative questions are a taste of what’s on offer if you’ve had time to listen in on the Lisbon debate. It’s widely accepted that this time the public are better informed on the Treaty. Then why is it that the powers that be continue to flood the referendum with catchy, but misleading one-liners?

The Yes side have slogans like “Yes to Europe, Yes to Lisbon” and “Yes to Jobs, Yes to Lisbon”. Basically, it’s yes to anything you like, once you pull the right lever on polling day. And on the other hand, the No side are being less ambiguous and a lot more direct with their apocalypse-style posters. One such batch of posters has a quote so terrifying that it would scare any part-time, minimum wage-earning, college student into jumping straight on the No-wagon without even questioning whether the statement is factual. For the hand full of people in the country who don’t know what I’m talking about; just type "1.84 Euro after Lisbon" into your computer and you’ll soon find out. The organisation behind this memorable, but wildly inaccurate, quote is Coir, a conservative pro-life group. The example above is just a sample of what kind of campaign they’re running.

But in spite of all these sharp, snappy campaign captions, polls consistently show that people are gravitating towards substance and in short, the catch-phrases are not sticking. It’s important to remember that at the time of the first Lisbon referendum our economy had not yet gone into free fall and most people were still treading water, working diligently, blissfully unaware of the crippling recession that lurked ahead. Now the environment has changed. The Lisbon Treaty has moved up in the public priority chart. As unemployment continues to rise, more and more people realise how critical it is for this country to make the right choice, whatever that may be.

Last time, perhaps we felt we could afford to let Ganley lead us astray and vote no, or give Taoiseach Cowen the benefit of the doubt for not reading the Treaty and vote yes. It’s evident talking with friends and family that the public have less and less patience for and trust in their public representatives. We need to hold them to higher standards and one way in which to do this is by better informing ourselves on matters of national importance. That’s why more citizens have put more time into finding out about Lisbon. This country is pulling out our collective laptops and collectively Googling "Lisbon Treaty". We’ve even began to read the campaign literature that arrives through our letter box, instead of just using it as compost in the back garden. This is progress.

It’s encouraging to sit on a bus and find yourself eavesdropping on two grannies who happen to be debating what Lisbon will mean for abortion. It’s encouraging to log on to Facebook and find more than a dozen comments that appear underneath a Lisbon related post (To all you Facebook cynics, this did actually happen). It’s not so encouraging watching a lady canvassing for a Yes vote get verbally bashed by anti-Lisbon (probably anti-everything), semi-drunk, drunk men.

Most people find it difficult to ignore the colourful and catchy phrases that swirl around the office and the classroom during a campaign season. Sometimes these simple phrases are the product of months of intense media testing and other times they seem to pop up out of thin air. But regardless of where they come from, they have a habit of sticking around and often end up greedily sucking up air-time and preventing people from discussing more weighty things. But in this referendum people seem to be educating themselves, concentrating more on substantive issues. The question is, can we continue to focus more on substance and less on misleading sound-bites? My answer is Yes We Can.

Life after Libertas

By Dónal Hassett

Few political obituaries provoked as much interest in the wake of this week's Euro-elections as that of the ever-controversial Libertas leader Declan Ganley. Ganley, who burst onto the political scene as leader of, and infamously, chief financier of Libertas' No to Lisbon campaign, is now licking his wounds from his brief and colourful, but ultimately unsuccessful, foray into Irish politics. The Libertas ‘pan-European’ party, Ganley’s brainchild, failed spectacularly in a European elections which saw an increase in support for virtually all right-wing Eurosceptic parties except those standing under the Libertas banner. While party supporters had predicted upwards of 100 seats, the final result was dismal- just one MEP, French ultra-conservative Phillipe de Villiers, was returned to the Parliament for the party. Where did all go wrong for the Ganleyites and their dream of converting Ireland’s No to Lisbon into a Yes to Libertas?

Undoubtedly, Libertas in Ireland was seeking to tap into a resevoir of conservative Catholic traditionalist voters. Ganley’s candidacy in the North West constituency sought to attract the substantial support base of former MEP Dana Rosemary Scallon who stood on a platform of social conservatism and Euroscepticism. In an effort to woo her voters, Ganley attacked his main rival, Independent MEP Marian Harkin by alleging her allies in the European Parliament were all pro-abortion, attempting to undermine Harkin’s self-professed “social conservatism”. However this move backfired when it emerged that a leading candidate for Libertas in the Netherlands had strong links to pro-abortion and even pro-euthenasia groups. While Dana’s endorsement, arriving late as it did, did indeed bouy up the Ganley campaign, it proved too little too late for what was to be an expensive experiment in Irish politics.

What can the Libertas experience tell us about Irish voters? Firstly, it seems evident that the resevoir of conservative Catholic voters is slowly being eroded in the newly modernised Irish society. Not only did Libertas candidates fail to secure any seats but also Kathy Sinnot, who shares many conservative ideals with Ganley and Dana, lost her seat in the South constituency.

Secondly, these elections show up the ideological divide within the anti-Lisbon campaign. In television interviews from the count centre, Ganely expressed confidence that transfers from the Sinn Féin candidate would narrow the gap between him and the leading candidates. However, transfer rates showed little distinction between pro- and anti-Lisbon candiadtes, in this most anti-Lisbon part of the country. Clearly Sinn Fein's left-wing republican voters saw no great attraction in voting for a conservative pro-enterprise candidate (with an English accent as it happens!)

Finally, the failure of the Libertas campaign was a failure for the kind of expensive and negative campaigning often practiced in America. Ganley’s highly personalised attacks on candidates, a policy echoed by the party’s candiadtes in Dublin (Caroline Simons) and in East (Raymond O’Malley), seem not to have gone down well with the Irish electorate. Simons’ constant barracking of other candiates during a radio debate was very unpopular, while O’Malley’s solo run on ‘blue cards’ for ‘foreign’ workers did not go down well in border areas. No amount of money and slick media advisors could cover these candidates’ gaffes.

The Libertas experience, while a colourful sideshow in these elections, should reassure mainstream politicians that personal attacks and negative campaigning appeals only to a marginal constituency of the Irish electorate. This electoral failure also augurs well for the pro-Lisbon campaign.

Europe- It’s the Final Countdown

By Dónal Hassett

Swedish 80’s pop band ‘Europe’ provide us with a fitting title for our final look at the Dublin constituency in the upcoming Euro-elections. As we enter the week of “The Final Countdown” the time has come to ask to whom the voters of our fair city will by saying “farewell”.

Few if any punters would dispute that Fine Gael’s Gay Mitchell and Labour’s Proinsias de Rossa are home and dry in these elections. The real contest is to be seen in the three way battle for the final seat between sitting MEPs, Fianna Fáil’s Eoin Ryan and Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald, and Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins. While this seat is looking increasingly hard to call, there is no doubt but that transfers will dictate the outcome.

Eoin Ryan is sure to attract transfers from his running mate, Dublin Lord Mayor, Eibhlin Byrne but these alone will not be enough to save his seat. Fianna Fail's coalition partners, the Green Party, have refused to call for a voting pact but Deirdre de Burca’s transfers are Eoin Ryan’s last hope. The other pro-Lisbon candidates, Gay Mitchell and Prionsias De Rossa, will not have large surpluses to transfer on to Eoin Ryan so Ryan is reliant on a high middle-class vote running scared of Sinn Fein and the Socialists and transfers from the Green candidate. While Eoin Ryan has quite the reputation as the comeback kid, it’s hard to see how Fianna Fail can salvage this seat with the tide so against them.

This leaves a two-horse race between Joe Higgins, the old socialist stalwart, and Sinn Fein's Vice-President Mary Lou Mc Donald for what some have called the ‘anti-Lisbon’ seat. While Sinn Fein are known to find it hard to attract transfers the Socialists are not immune to this phenomenon either. Polls indicate that Mary Lou is set to gain around 13% of the first preference vote putting her 4% ahead of Joe Higgins. It’s hard to see how Higgins will be able to narrow this gap as preferences from anti-Lisbon campaigner Patricia Mc Kenna are likely to be split between the two candidates.

So as the Day of Reckoning approaches, it seems that Eoin Ryan will be staying at home in Dublin come June 7th while the rest of Dublin’s Euro-team will be returning to Brussels and Strasbourg. However, as we all know, the only poll that can be trusted is the one on election day.

Eoghan Dockrell meets Patricia McKenna

Eoghan Dockrell, Dublin correspondent, caught up with Patricia McKenna during the week...

Taoiseach Brian Cowen: Fianna Fáil "not flavour of the month"

Dublin correspondent Eoghan Dockrell met with Taoiseach Brian Cowen to hear his views on youth voter apathy and Fianna Fáil's prospects in the European elections...

Only time will tell...

By Ruth Feeley

With mere hours to go before the country casts its vote and dictates the future of the ever hopeful politicians, little indications have been made as to who may make the victorious scoop.

Between talking to random members of the public, as well as keeping an eye on the campaign trail, I have a suspicion that Fianna Fail’s Eoin Ryan may be blowing a sorry kiss goodbye to his seat in Europe. Only yesterday, a leisurely walk along the river Liffey told a telling story with all of Eoin Ryan’s posters defaced to paint a negative picture. Posters, where he claimed to be for jobs from Europe, were instead covered with the print “I am for MY job in Europe.” Others were covered in taglines such as "Fianna Fail got us into this mess” and so on. Not that it is necessarily a personal unease with Mr. Ryan, but the fact that he is attached to the ever decreasingly popular Fianna Fail will do him no favours.

Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa is a safe bet, or so I feel. He has mostly avoided making his campaign an attack on all opposition and I think his graceful approach will serve him well. He has highlighted some major issues in his campaign which may be trickier to result in positive changes, but the country needs a man that will fight for important causes, such as the country’s problems with drugs.

Gay Mitchell has the added advantage of being affiliated with Fine Gael who are enjoying increasing popularity and this will in no doubt benefit his chances.

And then there was one. And though I loathe to admit it, I feel that Green Party Senator Deirdre De Burca will be lucky enough to seize the much sought after third seat. I feel that her campaign has revealed an unattractive side, with ruthless attacks on her opposition, yet elements of the Green campaign strike many as very important and that is what will count come D-Day.

Dublin MEP prediction

By Eoghan Dockrell

Despite the two candidates' protestations that their seats are not safe, both Labour's Proinsias De Rossa and Fine Gael's Gay Mitchell will (exempting some last minute campaign implosion) easily secure a seat in the European Parliament.

The next question to be tackled is who will snatch the final seat. For a while it appeared to be a two horse race between Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin and Eoin Ryan of Fianna Fail. Certainly the media covered the election as if this were the case. However, the most recent opinion polls suggest Socialist party candidate, Joe Higgins is hot on Mary Lou’s heels and will be in the fray right until the bitter end.

I think Eoin Ryan will fail to triumph over his rivals. Firstly, given his association with Fianna Fáil, he will struggle to attract the transfers or preferences desperately needed to push him past the post. His chances will be further weakened by perhaps the poor party strategy of fielding two Fianna Fail candidates in an already crowded race and in an environment not amenable to candidates connected with the Government's parties. Nor will the notoriously efficient Fianna Fail campaign machine be able to galvanise sufficient support to do the business for their candidate.

Ultimately, I think Mary Lou will snatch the final seat. At the end of the count everything will hinge on the amount of preferences and transfers the two candidates can attract. My view is that Mary Lou’s pile will be bigger. Generally speaking, neither party is the preferred choice for moderate voters when it comes to allocating preferences. Looking at past elections, Joe Higgins has garnered few transfers in comparison to other candidates. In this area Mary Lou should have the edge and by extension, find herself in a better position when the count is concluded.

Dublin: Who will win?

By Amy Bracken

It’s no secret that Gay Mitchell of Fine Gael and Labour’s Prionsias De Rossa are the favourites to fill two of the European Parliament seats for the Dublin constituency, but who will take the third seat?

Gay Mitchell and Prionsias de Rossa have performed so well in the polls that I am without doubt they will be re-elected with landslide victories. Mr Mitchell’s work for development, which is not simply confined to Europe, and the fact that Fine Gael are by far the most popular party, and Mr De Rossa’s openness regarding his salary and expenses (available on (www.derossa.com) as well as the fact that the Labour Party is currently performing brilliantly in the opinion polls, appear to add to their popularity. But with the number of Dublin seats set to fall from 4 to 3, the race for the 3rd and final seat couldn’t be tighter. My work for Youth Media for Europe has given me a great insight into the campaigns of all the candidates and has set me thinking about this burning question.

Despite the obvious contempt for Fianna Fail considering the current economic climate, I’m optimistic for Eoin Ryan. While the reports claim that Fianna Fail are in for a disastrous result in the elections, I think Mr Ryan’s large campaign, his experience and his own individual achievements are enough to relieve him of the current criticism of his party. Combined with the fact that his self-noted greatest achievements from his five years in parliament are to do with monetary matters, considering the current financial climate, it is my belief that he is a probable contender for the 3rd and final seat.

My work for Youth Media for Europe has shown that popularity for Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Fein has been undermined by her low attendance record. Ms McDonald has noted her maternity leave as being the reason for her ranking as the 13th worst attendee of the Parliament, but this argument was shunned last week when it was revealed that the figures on www.candidatewatch.ie/ are actually based on numbers derived from 2008.

Despite the polls showing that Sinn Fein are amongst the most popular parties in the country, it appears that the electorate are more interested in individual attributes as opposed to party loyalties when it comes to the European elections.

As for the first-timers - Caroline Simons (Libertas), Senator Deirdre De Búrca (The Green Party), Eibhlin Byrne (Fianna Fail), and Joe Higgins (The Socialist Party), I have seen little in the way of campaigning in the case of the latter 2, and I think this will be costly for them. They have not been very responsive when contacted, and thus if they are not seeking publicity it is probable that this will impact negatively on them.

Thus, first count: Prionsias de Rossa, second count: Gay Mitchell, third count: Eoin Ryan?

Only Sunday’s results will tell.

Hands up if you love Lisbon!

By Ruth Feeley

Time is running out and decisions need to be made. This time last year, every Irish conversation couldn’t but touch on the big L-word, i.e. Lisbon. This year, Lisbon seems to have taken a back seat, mores the pity as it should play a big role as to whom we choose to represent us on the European platform.

Last year, leading Irish political parties took a major blow in a European context when the people of Ireland rejected the treaty. Ireland was regarded as an embarrassment to Europe as well as ungrateful and foolish. MEPs were supposedly given the cold shoulder in the aftermath of what many regarded as a misinformed Irish decision. While surveys would show that the no campaign has taken a knock in the last year with people realising that we are in a royal mess and we may very well have to return to Europe with our tails between our legs for help, the jury is still out on whither a yes vote will be returned next time around.

Now is the time to make up our minds for once and for all because it might be worth taking your stance on Lisbon into account when choosing an MEP on Friday.

Green Party MEP candidate Senator Deirdre De Burca today urged voters to choose their third European Parliament representative with great care. She advised voters to choose someone committed to a properly re-negotiated Lisbon Treaty and sensible economics aimed at growth and jobs. De Burca went on to voice her predictions based on the feedback she has received while out canvassing. She feels that two of the three seats are practically secure for Labour candidate Proinsias De Rossa and Fine Gael candidate Gay Mitchell. Seeing as the Dublin constituency are having their seats reduced from four to three, she feels that only one seat is up for grabs and people should make that all important choice with a pro–Lisbon idea in mind.

She argues that it both Joe Higgins and Mary-Lou Mc Donald shouldn’t be given consideration as they are still insisting on a no vote to Lisbon, which brings it down to herself and Fianna Fáil candidate Eoin Ryan. She says, “He (Eoin Ryan) is a decent man and a good politician. But he's also a long-time part of the political system, which over the last decade created the mess we are now in.”

Either way, we would be selling ourselves short to vote on anything again without knowing some background information. We can’t accuse politicians this time of not making their stance clear. If the Irish people bothered to actually read up on the Lisbon Treaty rather than waiting to be spoon fed, we might garner a more profitable result this time round. We had no one to really blame last time but ourselves. We have more control than we think, so rather than sitting around complaining about our government and European representation, we should get up off our backsides, inform ourselves and choose accordingly.

De Burca for President?

Dublin eJournalist Eoghan Dockrell caught up with Deirdre de Burca

Interview with Proinsias De Rossa

Eoghan Dockrell interviewed current Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa

The inside story: inside Sinn Féin's national headquarters

By Eoghan Dockrell

44 Parnell Street is the home ot Sinn Fein's national headquarters. The building bears no tell-tale sign of whom may be housed within. A few doors down the street is the official Sinn Fein shop. Above the shop door is the party name illuminated in green neon lights. Directly on-top is an oversized poster of Mary Lou. The poster scales the wall; it’s at least three stories tall. The sheer size of it ensures all pedestrians (potential voters) see her. Mission accomplished.

Myself and the cameraman were five minutes late for our third and final interview of the day. It was scheduled for 3.15. Labour's Proinsias De Rossa had held us up. That was the excuse. Would Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald understand? Hopefully. I wrapped my knuckles against the solid oak door. No answer. I looked left and spotted a metal plate adorned with unlabelled buttons. I mashed my hand indiscriminately against them. Success. A man with a deep, croaky voice spoke through the metal box, telling us, he’ll "be there in a minute". The thick door creaked open.

We were ushered to the back of the building, down a long corridor. We stopped at the kitchen. It looked like a picture from a history book. The ceiling was low, claustrophobic. A shaky wooden table stood unconvincingly at one side; Republican themed posters lying against the cracked walls. Everything I expected, right down to the split, chequered tiles that covered the floor. The interior seemed bare and neglected. Mary Lou would later admit, post-interview, that the building deserved a renovation, but alas the "funds simply didn’t exist".

We waited patiently for Mary Lou to arrive. A man walked into the kitchen and informed us that she was currently held up in a meeting. He offered us a cup of tea. We said no thank you. The man stayed and talked candidly about the Dublin race, his candidate's chances of winning, Gerry Adams, and other colourful party members. The details of our conversation will not be divulged. Presumably, he was talking "off the record".

Moments later, Mary Lou appeared before us. We shook hands. I introduced her to the camera-man. She smiled politely. Without further delay we moved quickly to the conference room. She seemed purposeful, a candidate on a schedule, with many more appointments to go. We were just a footnote in her hectic day. Humbling.

As we talked on-route to the interview location, she told us that the room chosen is used for Sinn Fein executive meetings. Was this an ‘off the cuff’ remark engineered to intimidate? It certainly made clear which party was on home turf. We entered through double doors. The room had three noticeable features; a majestic fireplace; a grand conference table; and an impressive portrait of an unidentified man hanging crookedly on the wall. We were in the heart of the beast, so we taught it best to thread softly on the worn carpet. Two chairs were positioned beside the lead panelled window; One for McDonald, one for me. I requested the routine ten second count-down and then the interview commenced.

Leaving the room I couldn’t help but feel the state of the building mirrored the current state of Sinn Fein. Is it possible for the renovation requested by Mary Lou? Can the party experience a revival or are the glory days long over? No doubt in the past, Sinn Fein had the power to sway, through its decisions, public opinion. However, the decisions they make today in 21st century, 26 county Ireland do not seem to attract the same level of interest. What a sad state of affairs for a party so steeped in the history of Irish politics.

Will the hand that rocked the cradle crush the Soldiers of Destiny?

By Dónal Hassett

On her election as President of Ireland, the first female and the first non-Fianna Fáil politician to hold the highest office in the land, Mary Robinson was quick to thank Mná na h-Éireann and declare that they “instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system”. With the Dublin Euro-constituency seemingly too close to call, it may well be that these same women will toll the death-knell once more for the Soldiers of Destiny.

Yesterday’s Flora Mini- Marathon brought 40,000 women onto the streets of the capital, and though the good weather coupled with the huge funds raised for charities made for a jovial atmosphere, public anger was still to be found boiling away under the surface. If Mary Lou McDonald is to hold onto her seat and scupper Eoin Ryan’s chances to save Fianna Fail European seat, surely women will be her big hope.

Female voters often tend to favour female candidates which may help the Sinn Fein MEP, while a recent Irish Times poll has shown that women remain more anti-Lisbon than men, though opposition among them to the Treaty is weakening. Fianna Fail will seek to use Ryan’s running mate Eibhlin Byrne to attract the female vote to the party and then seek to transfer them on to Ryan. Mary Harney’s intervention in favour of Ryan may well secure the middle-class female vote, who would never dream of voting for Sinn Fein, for the ailing Ryan campaign.

However, it must be recognised that, while certain patterns do exist among female voters, women do not constitute a voting block and that social divisions are far more important in dictating the outcome of an election. While both candidates will seek to woo the capital’s women, pollsters can only second-guess the outcome on Friday’s poll.

Will the votes of ‘respectable’ middle class ladies come to Eoin Ryan’s rescue on June 5th or will it be a case of Girl Power pushing Mary Lou over the finish line? And what of the dark horse, Joe Higgins? Can the socialist stalwart use his lyrical Dingle tones to seduce the capital’s women?

As Billy Connolly once said “A woman’s mind is as complex as the contents of her handbag; even when you get to the bottom of it, there is ALWAYS something at the bottom to surprise you”. Only time will tell what choice the fair ladies of our Fair City will make on June5th.

Dublin: A candidate for every need?

By Amy Bracken.

A recent report by RTÉ which asked the outgoing Dublin MEPs to list their 3 most important achievements to date shows a startling contrast of interest between them, which poses the question: with so many needs and interests being covered, will the 3 Dublin seats be filled by current MEPs?

Deputy Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was keen to emphasise her work in social interests. “That’s my job-to champion the rights, the aspirations and the needs of the people of Dublin”. Ms McDonald described her active role in the parliament, the constituency and the area of advancing the future of Europe ‘primarily through the Lisbon Treaty’, but also through the introduction of interest groups to Brussels.

Ms McDonald was also spoke of her activity in the job sector and in issues regarding corporate law, as well as the issue of homelessness in Dublin: “to my view [homelessness] is a very critical issue because of course it represents the sharpest end of poverty”. Despite criticism regarding attendance, Ms McDonald seems confident and pleased with her achievements, which are notably focused in the social bracket.

Some of the candidates showed a greater interest in monetary matters. At the top of his list Fianna Fáil candidate Eoin Ryan was keen to emphasise his achievements in funding for small businesses in his constituency, in which he highlights the fact that 400,000 people are employed by small companies. “What we’ve been trying to do is to get more money-we’ve got €350 million already-through the European Investment Bank down to small businesses in Ireland and in Dublin,” says Ryan. Mr Ryan also states an increase in research and development as being at the forefront of his achievements, as well as investments in education, “Europe is going to be very much part of our recovery”. Mr Ryan describes himself as a pro-European candidate and expressed his belief that a pro-European stance in parliament is necessary for Ireland’s recovery from the economic slowdown.

However not all candidates listed their top 3 achievements from the same bracket. Labour MEP Prionsias De Rossa spoke of his activeness in the initiation of the chemical regulation REACH, as well as a climate change programme and consumer protection initiatives. Additionally, he said: “I have had other reports on work-related matters which I believe to be important”.

In contrast to Eoin Ryan’s Europe-centred approach, the first thing mentioned by Fine Gael’s Gay Mitchell as one of his top achievements regards the world outside of Europe. “When I first went to the parliament, I asked to join the Development Committee because 11 million children die every year in the developing world-that’s 30,000 a day.” Mr Mitchell also talked of his work in parliament’s only law regarding the developing world, and proudly mentioned his work for an emergency food plan: “I was asked also to be the author of the one billion euro emergency food aid facility”. Setting his world development achievements aside, Mr Mitchell spoke of his work on the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee. “I had important amendments carried to what’s called the covered assets regulation which ensures jobs remain in the IFSC in Dublin”.

With Dublin set to lose a seat in the European Parliament, it is possible that the current diversity and collective interest cover of the candidates will not be as acute following the elections. The burning question is: Which of the aforementioned achievements are most important to the electorate, and will such achievements suffice to have the candidates re-elected?

The interviews can be viewed at www.rte.ie/news/elections.

The Green Machine

By Eoghan Dockrell The public predominately perceive the Green party as advocates of the environment and champions of ‘green’ energy. This is irrefutably evident when you look at the composition of the current government. For instance, the Department of Energy and the Department of the Environment are both run by green party TDs. This squeaky clean green image has been adopted by MEP Green candidate Deirdre De Burca. Her campaign vehicle is an electric 'plug-in’ ford transit. As another MEP candidate, Dan Boyle, pointed out, the Greens are financing their campaigns "on a shoe-string" budget, perhaps aiming to protect the countryside from an excess amount of tree-killing, litter-prone posters?

Ok, so the electorate acknowledge that thee Green Party are environment and energy nuts, but are they just one trick ponies? One dimensional politicians in a three dimensional world?

No, there is another unconquered area where the Greens are laying claim to. It’s technology. This would seem like a natural progression given the origins of the Green Party. Remember, they are relatively new on the political scene. They want to confront challenges of the 21st Century. Yes, alternative energy sources and friendly environmental policies, but they need other hip, contemporary pet projects. Let the ‘big three’ deal with the ‘big’ issues. Realistically, what is the likelihood of the Green’s leading a future government? So accordingly, they will never have to worry about being handed the justice, finance…etc portfolios.

The Greens give the impression that they were founded by a well-healed south-side residents club in the drawing room of some Dalkey home; the champagne sipping, cavalier nibbling, latté liberal types who live in the world of Ross-O’Carroll Kelly. Thus it is fitting that they are at the vanguard of modern politics in terms of the ‘vogue’ policies they pursue. Let Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael stick with their unsavoury civil war rhetoric and Labour can stay chained to the working class, because ultimately it’s the Greens who represent modern, sophisticated Ireland.

Senator De Burca, responding to a question on why she is running in Dublin, instead of the East constituency said "there’s strong Green support in this region". Its true, polls show the greens do better in urban areas. Perhaps rural communities view the Greens with suspicion. Wind turbines are unsightly structures that spoil the countryside; putting excessive environmental regulations on already struggling farmers is poor form; forcing farmers to grow organic-only products is distasteful. The lesson: Greens cannot be too mean in their quest for a cleaner Ireland. Compromise is crucial.

Those who have been receiving campaign updates on election mailing lists notice the disproportionate amount of mail streaming in from the Green machine. Every move is monitored, then sufficiently spun into a positive story and finally, shot through cyberspace and into the reporter’s mailbox. A fortnight ago, a select number of reporters were invited on a Dáil tour where the lucky guests would discuss "new technologies and online communications" with Green Party members. The evening ended with a quiet pint in the Dáil bar.

The Greens' popularity has decreased with their attachment to Fianna Fail. But this is only temporary; a bump in the road map of the Green Party. As long as they can continue to be innovative and target new areas like technology, they will be viable as a political entity. MEP candidates, like Deirdre de Burca ought to take pride in preaching the green agenda. The sceptics should not underestimate the ingenuity of the Green Machine!

Drugs 'r us!

By Ruth Feeley

So for the last few weeks we’ve observed with an interesting mixture of curiosity and cynicism as our MEP candidates have shown their teeth and fought fire with fire for the golden prize of a seat in Europe. We’ve giggled at the little faux pas, we’ve drawn gasps at their sometime vicious attacks on the opposition and we’ve wagged a disparaging finger at the inadequacies in their manifestos.

Of course, most of all we have offered a bended ear to their long spiels of promises and guarantees to go to Europe with our aches and pains, and return with band-aids and painkillers.

We have heard mention of fines for nuisance calls and noise pollution, as well as greater Dáil monitoring schemes over the MEPs’ work in Europe. All this is positive, but whilst every such improvement is welcome, many are looking to politicians to help the country with the biggest problem we have ever had to face – drug use.

Today, Labour candidate for the European Parliament elections, Proinsias De Rossa issued a statement in which he states that “Ireland must work with Europe to tackle drugs scourge”.

De Rossa criticised the government for putting Ireland’s spiralling drug problem on the back burner. He argued, “The Irish government’s attitude is a disgrace. The European Commission invited national governments to give their views on the role of community organisations in the EU drugs policy in 2007 and the Irish government has yet to contribute.”

While the government has been somewhat preoccupied of late with the economic crisis, some would argue that they have taken their eye off the ball and failed to acknowledge the disastrous rippling affect the recession is causing with regard to social issues.

Speaking to Garda Doyle from Coolock station concerning the economic crisis and how it has affected levels of crime, his views spoke volumes. He said, “Yes, since the downturn, we have noticed a massive increase in crime, mainly as a repercussion of drugs. It has become more noticeable each day and I for one would like to see is there going to be any changes after the elections as regards government funding towards rehabilitation programmes and so on. We are trying our best, but it has to be a joint effort and so far, the government doesn’t seem to be especially bothered.” He continued, “It will be interesting to see if these politicians, telling us how much help they will secure from Europe, will be true to their word.”

It's as easy as MEP.....or is it?

By Dónal Hassett

If all the coverage of the upcoming June 5th elections and especially all the talk of gravy trains and wine receptions have piqued your interest, you may well be interested to learn that the requirements for candidacy may well put an end to your hopes of going to Brussels.

The Irish elections regulations grant the right to vote to any Irish citizen or resident EU citizen in the European elections while any resident EU citizen and Irish citizen (provided they have not been stripped of their rights by community or national law) may stand as long as they are not standing in any other Member State. So far so good- but before you rush away to plan your campaign for 2014, there remains one perhaps insurmountable obstacle on the path to European glory- your age!

If, like this journalist, you are in the first flush of youth and have yet to reach the tender age of 21, Irish electoral legislation precludes you from throwing your hat into the ring.

EU electoral law allows each Member State to set their own legal requirements for candidates to the European Parliament. Thus, the Irish government is under no legal obligation to exclude the 18-21 year olds who are full citizens of the Union and yet have no right to stand for its only directly elected office. While our near neighbours in Britain share this restriction, many countries including Europe’s largest, Germany, the Scandinavian countries and Spain, recognise the legal equality of citizens before the law and entitle all citizens who have reached 18 to stand for Parliament.

In this writer’s opinion, there is no moral or political justification for legally ensuring that young candidates cannot have a go at a European seat and this regulation reinforces the impression that the European Parliament remains an 'old-boys’ club. Why should young people be interested in an election in which they are not even eligible to stand? While supporters of the restriction claim that the important role of an MEP requires a level of maturity which does not exist among 18-21 year olds, the mud-slinging of the current campaign does not testify to the maturity of many European candidates and anyway, surely it is up to the electorate to decide who is mature enough to represent them.

It is high time that this outdated law is changed so that young people can really make their voices heard in Europe! And it could be worse- you have to be 23 to stand in France and 25 in Italy, Greece and Cyprus. Be brave young Europeans, our time will come!

Get Ready, Get Set, Go VOTE

By Eoghan Dockrell

Member of the European Parliament? An undoubtedly grand title. After all, it is only bestowed on an exclusive 12 mortals every five years. Ireland (the Republic) is split into four battlegrounds, each arena with a host of competitors, all determined to end their quest in triumph. The contests are likened to a presidential race. This is because candidates need ‘name recognition’. Acquiring ‘name recognition’ is a considerable task and one in which mere local or general election candidates do not encounter. They fight on smaller battlefields. The prospective MEP, however, faces a far greater challenge. He/she must convince the masses.

The top brass in Brussels have long championed the timeless slogan: the MEP represents his/her respective country in Europe. Looking at that lofty statement, surely member states would feel compelled to nominate their best and brightest? For instance, newly admitted Eastern block states have been eagar to impress and have consequently put forward distinguished domestic politicians. How long will it take for them to realise that, unfortunately, this 'best and brightest' criteria is not always a factor in the selection process for choosing MEP candidates.

This question was raised by John Bowman on a recent episode of Questions and Answers. Nearing the end of the program the presenter asked Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin whether she would contest a possible general election if elected as an MEP. Mary Lou’s unconvincing response was essentially a non-answer. She clumsily avoided the question to the amusement of Eoin Ryan. Ryan interjected confidently saying "of course you’ll run". Mary Lou shot-back, "the question was directed at me, not you". Even after further pressing by Bowman she refused to give a definitive answer. This was all to the delight of Ryan who, coolly proclaimed to the audience ‘my bet is safe then’.

Elsewhere in Europe, similiar questions arise regarding a certain indifference towards the European Parliament is regarded with the same sort of indifference. In France for instance the national media has criticized President Sarkozy, suggesting that he is fielding washed-up politicians. Or like in the case of the failed justice Minister Rachida Dati, the perception seems to suggest that a nomination to the EP is a punishment. Opinion polls in France show only 40% percent of the electorate will come out and vote. Ireland's voter participation levels should be somewhat higher than the worrying French statistic.

The reason for this larger Irish turnout has little to do with a more euro-interested electorate. In reality, as Cathy Sinnott, Independent MEP, pointed out recently on RTE, Irish European elections benefit from local elections being held on the same date. However, rather bizarrely, turnout for local elections in Ireland in 2004 was still 2% higher than European election figures. Brian Crowley, Fianna Fáil MEP elaborated on this phenomenon, saying people must have entered the polling station, voted for their preferred local counsellors and then tossed the European ballot papers aside. These occurrences are surely a worrying indictment of how Irish people view European Politics.

In the past, it seemed like a never ending stream of funds poured into backwater Ireland from some bottomless bank account in Brussels. But in recent times, Ireland’s position within the EU has changed. We’re no longer the poor man of Europe, thus we’re no longer entitled to receive such generous EU sponsored grants. That’s the difference between then and now. Back then it didn’t really matter who got elected because we ultimately got the cash. Now, we must choose our representatives carefully. Who will get us the best deal in Europe? Which candidate will get us the greatest bang for our vote? The electorate need to realise that the EU pushed Ireland to the forefront of Europe once and it can help do the same again. Perhaps in the past the EU has not received the gratitude it deserves. This time around lets acknowledge the importance of the European Parliament by voting June 5th.

Father Ted - Eat your heart out.

By Ruth Feeley

Like a scene one would expect from Fr. Ted (or any other skit on the Irish nation and their hypocrisies), mass-goers all over the country were greeted by a sight that got the back up of many last Sunday. Dressed in our Sunday best, ready for a spiritual morning of prayer, our thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Fianna Fáil pitching their collection stand at the church gates. Were they having a laugh? Surprisingly they were not.

Getting steadily closer to the elections and they were out in force. Hands out, smiles in situ, like butter wouldn’t melt, they appealed to the public for money to fund their campaign and for many people on their way to mass on that wet and blustery Sunday morning, it was downright insulting. The atmosphere was laden with tension as people ‘tut tutted’ and threw their eyes up to heaven. Whispers circulated quickly with a general chorus of “Who do they think they are?” and “Well now, isn’t that rich?”

Most Sunday morning mass collections fare out pretty well as they appeal to the compassionate mood of the community. Yet these collections tend to be for people who need the money most. Money for training guide dogs, or the meals on wheels programme, or the local GAA. But not last Sunday. No, last Sunday witnessed the incumbent political party, who some hold responsible for the annihilation of our finances, asking for more of our money.

At a time when people are driving themselves into early graves agonising over how they are going to meet their mortgage costs and feed and clothe their children, people have little or no sympathy for Fianna Fáilers asking for money to fund their campaigns. Campaigns that seem to centre round their obsession with posters- though Fianna Fail are not the only participants in this lunacy.

Towns the length and breadth of the country have been completely defaced by poster campaigns that do nothing to inform the constituents, but rather bombard you with faces that at this point are starting to blend into one. Every available square inch of pole is free for the taking and as competition heats up, politicians seem to be under the illusion that the more posters they have up, the greater their chances. Aside from what money is been spent on the posters, money that is so badly needed elsewhere, it is nothing short of a travesty, the lack of respect shown to the environment.

People have noticed and are talking about it everywhere. We now know every dimension of each and every candidates face. We have now heard each of their attacks on their opposition. Yet we are still a little in the dark as to how they plan to fix our problems and leave us with enough money in our pockets to share with Sunday morning collections outside mass in the first place. If it wasn’t so serious, it would be funny.

Cad atá i ndán don Ghaeilge san Eoraip?

le Dónal Hassett

Deirtear nach sheasann sac folamh agus is cosúil go mbeidh sac na Gaeilge I bParlaimint na hEuropa an-fholamh tar éis na toghcháin a dtarlóidh ar an 6ú Meitheamh. Ó gur éirigh Seán Ó Neachtain, fíor-Gaealgóir a raibh ina haonair thall i Strasbourg, as a phost, is oth liom a rá go bhfuil an cosúlacht ann nach mbeidh an Ghaeilge le cloisteáil i mbinsí na chéad Parlaiminte eile.

I mBaile Átha Cliath, tá deich bpolaiteoirí san iomaíocht agus níl ach trí suíocháin le fáil an babhta seo. Is léir nach bhfuil an Ghaeilge mar phríomh thósaíocht i measc vótáilí na bpríomhchathracha ach le stadas bainte amach don Ghaeilge mar theanga oifigiúil don Aontas Europach, ní foláir go úsáidtear an Ghaeilge sa Pharlaimint chun í a chaomhnú agus a chothú ar scáileán Eorpach. Ba é Seán Ó Neachtain an Feisire amháin a labhraíodh i gcónaí as Ghaeilge agus ní gur minic a gcloiseadh ionadaí na bpríomhchathracha ag labhair príomh-theanga oifigúil na tíre.

Cinnte gur obirigh ár bhFeisirí go léir ar son an fheactais ‘STADAS’ ach i mo thuairim, tá deis iontach ag ár bhFeisirí an teanga a chur chun cinn ar scáileán idirnáisiúnta, deis nach bhfuil ag ár n-ionadaí sna Náisiúin Aontaithe mar shampla, mar is é an t-Aontas Europach an eagraíocht idirnáisiúinta amháin a ghlacann leis ár dteanga náisiúnta le haghaidh cumarsáid oifigiúil.

Le blianta anuas, tá a sheacht ndícheall déanta ag an Aontas Europach chun tús a chur le athnuachán na Gaeilge i measc mhuintir na h-Éireann, go háirithe i measc óige na tíre, ar fud an oileáin. I mo thuairim, mar shaoránach Eorpach óg atá ag iarradh feabhasú a chur ar a chuid Gaeilge féin, ní foláir do ghach aon iarrthóir iarracht a dhéanamh chun an Ghaeilge a úsáid thall sa Bhruiséil ionas nach féidir le polaiteoirí Europaigh an dul chun cinn atá bainte amach againne a scriosadh in ainm rialú buiséid.