LEITRIM-BASED former senator Pascal Mooney is emerging as a likely candidate for the second place on Fianna Fáil's European ticket in the North-West constituency with the sitting MEP, Galway-based Seán Ó Neachtain.
This follows a lukewarm response from Donegal South West TD Pat "The Cope" Gallagher, who had been mentioned as a candidate after he was dropped as a minister of state by Taoiseach Brian Cowen last week.
Mr Mooney, who lost his seat in last year's Seanad election, told The Irish Times yesterday he had been approached by a number of people in the party to run.
"My ambition is to get back into mainstream politics. I served almost 20 years in the Seanad, serving on the foreign affairs committee for 10 years and eight years in various European institutions," he added.
With Longford and Westmeath added to the North-West constituency, Mr Mooney's Leitrim base would make strategic sense.
Mr Gallagher served as a member of the parliament until he was persuaded in 2002 to return to domestic politics and run for his old Dáil seat.
Dungloe-based Mr Gallagher said yesterday that while he had not ruled out seeking a nomination to contest the European elections, he had not thought about it either. "I enjoyed my years in the European Parliament, but my priority now is to look after my constituents," he added.
"To retain two Fianna Fáil seats in Donegal South West, two candidates with broad general appeal across the constituency will be required. I believe that I am still one of them."
The other TDs in the constituency are Fianna Fáil Tánaiste Mary Coughlan and Fine Gael's Dinny McGinley. One of the Fianna Fáil seats will be under threat next time from Sinn Féin Senator Pearse Doherty, who polled 8,462 first preferences in last year's general election.
There is considerable local rivalry between Mr Gallagher and Gortahork-based Senator, Brian Ó Domhnaill, who received a nomination from the then taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, last year.
There was speculation that Mr Ó Domhnaill might be approached by the party to run for Europe, but he said yesterday that he had not given it any thought.
Like the other parties, Fianna Fáil is likely to start addressing the issue of European candidates in the aftermath of the Lisbon Treaty referendum. The elections will be held in the summer of next year.
