Clare TD Michael McNamara has announced that he will be contesting the upcoming June European elections in the Ireland South constituency as an Independent candidate, claiming that the government is “intent on ceding” key areas of national sovereignty to the EU.
“When the Irish people voted for greater integration of the European Union, they voted to opt out of justice and immigration measures for reasons as valid now as then,” the farmer and barrister said in a statement.
“This government is intent on ceding these key areas of national sovereignty to Brussels. That’s why, more than ever, we will need representation in Europe asking the difficult questions.
“Over the past few years, many people have felt unrepresented in the making of decisions that affect their lives. I have questioned the Government and tried to make them explain the decisions they make, and I will be asking people for their support to do the same in Europe where more and more of the decisions that affect us in Ireland are made.”
The Independent candidate cited agriculture and renewable energy as key issues for him should he be elected.
“I am committed to protecting family farms, which uphold the highest environmental and welfare standards, from greedy multinational retailers and conglomerates, as well as calling for the introduction of price transparency in the food chain at a European level, which our government has resisted domestically,” explained McNamara.
“Funding will need to be put in place before farm families on marginal land, who are already under pressure, are required or asked to curtail agricultural activity.”
Regarding migration, he added: “While immigration reform is being carried out, the European Union must use its position in the world to address the root causes of mass migration.”
“I will be a strong advocate for Ireland’s offshore wind energy sector, with its vast potential held back by government inertia, as has our biomethane sector.”
“Supporting Shannon and regional airports to reach their full potential continues to be a priority,” the TD said, adding that he would use his position as MEP “to advocate for funding as part of the European Green Deal to increase Ireland’s housing stock through the conversion and renovation of upper floors over commercial units on the streets of every town and city in Ireland South into residential accommodation.”
He also said he would work to ensure those on hospital waiting lists can obtain treatment in other European states.
The TD joins a number of other candidates who have already announced their candidacy for the Ireland South constituency, including incumbent Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly and Fine Gael party candidate John Mullins. They are running on a platform of “creating a new rural contract, putting renewable energy as one of Ireland’s largest exports and ensuring that Ireland has a new strong experienced negotiator for our interests.”
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil is running incumbent MEP Billy Kelleher, whom party leader Micheál Martin says believes that “Ireland must stand with the EU against euroscepticism and anti-democratic forces” and who “has a strong track record of delivering for his constituents.” He will be joined by Fianna Fáil candidate and former RTÉ presenter Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, who is seeking “increased regional development,” and “a just transition for Ireland, as we strive to reach our carbon targets in the years ahead”, as well as “internet safety for all”, particularly for young people.
Sinn Féin have selected Senator Paul Gavan and Carlow-Kilkenny TD Kathleen Funchion to contest the election in the constituency, with Gavan saying that his goal is to “advance workers’ rights, protect our environment,” and to be “a voice for social justice both at home and throughout the world.”
Other candidates include Susan Doyle of the Social Democrats, Cian Prendiville of People Before Profit, Patrick Murphy of Aontú, Cork City Councillor Lorna Bogue of the Green Left Party, Derek Blighe of Ireland First, and Independents such as Graham de Barra and Mary Fitzgibbon.
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The EU gig looks like a nice package. Pension and expenses and nice wages and very little accountability . Once you’re elected you basically dissapear and people forget about you for 5 years. Stress free job compared to council or Dail .
We already spend hundreds of millions in Irish aid
Unless we have $ 0 r 0 $ billions
It is hard to stem the flow
The objective has already be3n clearly stated by Sutherland
Micheál Martin says believes that “Ireland must stand with the EU against euroscepticism and anti-democratic forces”
About 80 percent of the country believe excess immigration is one of the biggest problems in the country. Another 15% were just too polite or afraid to say it.
You, Mehole, are one of the biggest ‘anti-democratic forces’ in the country.
D9nt vote for him, he thinks we have a non existent moral duty to genocide our people through mass immigration and will agree with everything the communist rule does. He does not represent the people. Another rat on a sinking ship.
Very curious how you formed this opinion? Very few decent Irish TDs and I’ve largely seen him do a good job of highlighting issues with government policy and holding them to task.
I’m not sure, but if I remember correctly, Michael McNamara is an advocate for legal mass immigration. I can’t remember exactly what it was he said, but it’s stuck with me.
He did a great job showing up McEntee in this instance. However, it’s very convenient for many opposition politicians and candidates to be vociferous in their opposition to illegal immigration and be very loud and vocal about it. It can give the impression they are Irish First. But that may not be the case at all. And it’s not really stunning and brave to oppose illegal immigration now, is it, that public opinion is turning? It’s not an unreasonable or daring position to take to be against something ‘illegal’. He’s not the only one. There are other SF/FF/FG’s jumping ship recently with the same talking points. He is a former Labour party member and Labour are not Irish First, far from it. They have always been pro mass immigration. Just to add, so have Sinn Féin at least since 1998. Áine Ní Chonaill did great work highlighting Sinn Féin’s open border mass immigration policy at the Joint Committee of Justice, Defence and Equality. You can google to see a clip of this.
The real threat in Ireland is legal immigration. Many previously ‘illegal’ immigrants now live settled in Ireland legally. The legal immigrants we have in Ireland are at over 1 million. According to the last Census 22% of the population is foreign born so we are approaching at the minimum, 1 out 4 people in the country being foreign born. Bear in mind, the over-whelming majority of these are not elderly but of child-bearing age. This 22% figure does not include the children of both foreign-born parents. If the children of parents who are both foreign born were to be added to the 22% figure it is possible that it exceeds 25% or approaching 1 in 3 of the population being foreign born.
There are many here in the comments that are fine with mass-immigration as long as it’s done legally. The current illegal immigrants can be made legal at the stroke of a pen, which is much more likely that the current Government doing mass deportations of illegals.
Vote Derek Blighe Ireland First & Michael Leahy IFP for the europeans – anything else is the same again 🇮🇪
I second your proposal !
Two excellent candidates. Fresh ideas. No cronyism (sfffg…). Men of Integrity. Irishmen !!!
👍
Vote John Waters,a true patriotic irishman who has been fighting this war agains the Regime Fascists forever and alone.
As an independent candidate for the European Parliament, I pledge to prioritise Dublin’s interests, free from party affiliations. I have already made the decision that, if elected, I will not join a Euro grouping. By not joining a Euro grouping, I can avoid the limitations of partisan politics, ensuring Dublin’s unique needs are represented faithfully.
‘Non-Inscrits’ means standing ‘not attached’ to any political group, providing the freedom to vote solely in line with what benefits Dubliners. It’s about making decisions with integrity and transparency, dedicated to our city’s prosperity in Europe.
http://www.Stephen4Europe.eu
You should consider putting up a link and doing a ‘q & a’. Not so people can catch you out with ‘gotcha’s’ but people are, and I’m sure you’ve noticed, very suspicious of anyone in politics right now because of how we’ve been treated.
I completely understand where you are coming from. Organising an online Q&A is something I currently have in the works. Any suggestions on where best to promote it so that people are aware of it and we get a good turnout?
Thanks for your comment!
You probably want to ‘build’ a bit of a following first across platforms or maybe approach someone with a platform and a big following already and ask to use theirs. Gript? And there are plenty of younger people with big followings on social media. As much as I don’t like the MSM, approaching the different media outlets at least to spread the word that you are holding one. I’m sorry that I can’t offer better advice on the subject.
In the meantime, collect a list of all the questions people ask (not just of you) and consider how you might answer them. Again, not to avoid ‘Gotcha’s’. None of us will have considered the many questions that there are, even on a narrowly focused subject. You won’t please everyone and to maintain your sanity not a good idea to try to