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.

Now based in Dublin, he unsuccessfully sought a nomination for FF in Dublin South East for last May’s general election.

Fianna Fáil formerly held two seats in this three-seat constituency but lost one in 2004 when Gerry Collins lost out to Fine Gael’s Simon Coveney and independent Kathy Sinnott.

Mr Hanafin may face resistance to his nomination from sitting FF MEP Brian Crowley.

Fine Gael may also have concerns about its MEP Colm Burke, who replaced Simon Coveney when he decided to retain his Dáil seat.

Mr Burke has been very industrious since taking over from Mr Coveney but there may be concerns that his profile is not high enough. Names mentioned as possible candidates are Waterford TD John Deasy and Cork East Senator Paul Bradford.

There is a geographical imbalance to the current composition.

All three MEPs are based within 16km of each other in Cork city and its suburbs with no MEP representing the Thomond (Limerick); Kerry or Ormond (Tipperary) areas of Munster.

Meanwhile, one of the world’s most controversial lawyers, dubbed the Devil’s Advocate for representing tyrants and serial killers, is to stand for election in Ireland.

Giovanni Di Stefano said he will contest the European elections on an immigration platform.

The Anglo-Italian millionaire believes his Radical Party of Great Britain and Ireland can make a breakthrough in the 2009 polls.

“I’m going to run in Ireland in the European elections. You better believe it,” he told the latest edition of Hot Press magazine.

“One of the things we’ll have to deal with, as a matter of urgency, is immigration. That is the key thing because otherwise you are going to dilute Irish blood to such an extent that you’ll almost wish that Cromwell hadn’t got ill.”