Kirk declares plan for election race

THE chairman of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party Seamus Kirk yesterday confirmed his intention to contest the European elections in the East constituency.

The Louth deputy told the Irish Examiner that he will be putting his name forward for nomination at his party’s convention to be held on January 25.

Mr Kirk (58) is the first high-profile TD to declare himself in the race in the four-seat constituency, where the two sitting Fianna Fáil MEPs, Jim Fitzsimons and Liam Hyland are retiring after the next election.