With voting soon to get underway in the European Parliament elections (Friday, June 7), Agriland wants to know the feeling among the farming and rural communities towards the candidates and/or issues.
There are three European constituencies in Ireland which are: Ireland South; Midlands North West; and Dublin with 73 candidates vying for your No. 1.
Four MEPS will be elected for the Dublin constituency while the Ireland South and Midlands North West constituencies will each elect five MEPs each, giving Ireland a total of 14 MEPs.
The current sitting MEPS for the Midlands North West (which only has four seats currently, but will scoop an extra seat in the next election) are as follows:
- Maria Walsh (Fine Gael);
- Colm Markey (Fine Gael) – took the seat vacated by Mairead McGuinness in 2020 when she became European Commissioner for financial services, financial stability and the capital markets union;
- Chris MacManus (Sinn Féin) – who replaced Matt Carthy who was elected as a Dáil TD in 2020;
- Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan (independent).
The current sitting MEPS for the Ireland South constituency are as follows:
- Grace O’Sullivan (Green Party);
- Billy Kelleher (Fianna Fáil);
- Mick Wallace (Independents 4 Change);
- Seán Kelly (Fine Gael);
- Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael).
The current sitting MEPS for the Dublin constituency are as follows:
- Barry Andrews (Fianna Fáil);
- Ciarán Cuffe (Green Party);
- Clare Daly (Independents 4 Change);
- Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael).
Constituencies
The counties in the Midlands North West constituency are: Galway; Mayo; Sligo; Leitrim; Roscommon; Donegal; Cavan; Kildare; Longford; Meath; Monaghan; Offaly; Laois; Westmeath; Louth.
The counties in the Ireland South constituency are: Clare; Kerry; Cork; Limerick; Tipperary; Waterford; Carlow; Kilkenny; Wexford; Wicklow.
Dublin is the only county in the Dublin constituency.
Public views ahead of European elections
Agriland has been out and about at towns and villages around the country, asking what the main issues are for you when candidates call to your doorstep looking for votes in the European elections.
Have a look at the video below and make sure to vote in the poll down below.
Poll on European elections
While much has been said in recent weeks about what potential MEPs could or would do for the Irish farming sector and rural communities, Agriland wants to gauge the feeling on the ground.
For the next 24 hours we will run a poll asking you, our valued audience, who you plan to vote for in the upcoming European elections.
Below you will find the three constituencies – please select the one constituency you will be voting in and select just one candidate you would like to see elected to the European Parliament from the drop down menu.
This is an ad-hoc straw poll of first preference votes, so please just select your single favourite candidate for your constituency.
Agriland will collate all the votes.
This poll is now closed