No PD candidates as 42 declare for Europe

Yesterday's closing date for applications saw a total of 42 candidates declared for the European elections on June 11th.

The field includes no Progressive Democrats candidate for the first time in the party's history. Another relative surprise is the decision by the Independent TD, Mr Tony Gregory, not to stand in Dublin, even though Fianna Fail had said its polls showed him winning the third seat behind Ms Mary Banotti and Mr Niall Andrews.

Fianna Fail predictably has the largest number of candidates with eight, while Fine Gael has seven, Labour five, Sinn Fein and the Natural Law Party four each, and the Greens three.

The remaining 11 are made up of independents - such as Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon in Connacht-Ulster and Mr Pat Cox MEP in Munster - or representatives of smaller parties. The latter category includes the Socialist Party TD, Mr Joe Higgins, and Christian Solidarity's Dr Gerard Casey, both running in Dublin.

The only MEP not defending a seat is Fianna Fail's Mr Mark Killilea in Connacht-Ulster. He is replaced on the party ticket by Mr Noel Treacy TD, Minister of State for Science, Technology and Commerce.

Two of the Greens' three candidates will be defending seats - Ms Patricia McKenna in Dublin and Ms Nuala Ahern in Leinster - with Mr Ben Nutty, the party's sole newcomer, in Munster. Candidates in Connacht-Ulster include an "Independent Green", Mr Paul Raymond.

Fianna Fail is running two candidates in each constituency, as is Fine Gael with the exception of Connacht-Ulster where the sitting MEP, Mr Joe McCartin, is the party's sole representative.

Ms Bernie Malone, another incumbent, and Mr Proinsias De Rossa TD are both running for Labour in Dublin, while the party has a single candidate in each of the other constituencies.

Sinn Fein has a candidate in each of the four constituencies, as does the Natural Law Party.

Maol Muire Tynan, Political Reporter, writes:

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said yesterday that the Green Party's "entirely negative" views on Europe meant it would be preferable if it was not in the European Parliament.

Ms Patrica McKenna, the Green Party MEP, accused Mr Ahern of diverting attention from his support for "a European military superstate".

"To be against NATO's PfP and the militarisation of the EU is not to be anti-Europe. It is to be against making Europe into a vast, nuclear-weapons-based military superstate. And that is not why Ireland joined the EU," she added.

Mr Ahern also confirmed that the Government intended to issue its information paper on PfP within 48 hours. He insisted there was no need for a referendum on the matter.