Senator eyes European parliament election bid

SENATOR John Hanafin this week became the first politician to signal an interest in standing in the European elections in two years time.

The Tipperary senator is known to be interested in contesting the 2009 election as a Fianna Fáil candidate in the South area, taking in all of Munster with the exception of Co Clare.

A brother of Education Minister Mary Hanafin, Mr Hanafin has been a senator since 2002.