Marian Harkin, who served as an MEP from 2004 to 2019, was first elected to the Dáil in 2002 when she topped the poll as an Independent candidate.
A native of Ballintogher, Co Sligo, she is a graduate of University College Dublin and a former maths teacher.
While living in Manorhamilton, where her late husband Sean ran a business, Harkin became active in the voluntary and community sector.
She has always championed regional development and was very involved with “Developing the West Together” initiative, which evolved into the Council for the West, of which she served as chairperson.
Harkin (66) contested the 1999 European Parliament election in the then Connacht-Ulster constituency but narrowly lost out to Dana Rosemary Scallon for the third seat in the constituency. However, in 2004, the position was reversed and Harkin was returned at Scallon’s expense.
She was re-elected to the parliament in 2009 topping the poll in her constituency and was re-elected in 2014 European Parliament election, taking the fourth seat in the new Midlands-North-West constituency.
Harkin has indicated that she believes Independent TDs can and should play a key role in the next Dáil.
