Martin claims Ganley exploiting ethical issues to win support

LIBERTAS founder Declan Ganley has been accused of exploiting people’s sensitivities over ethical issues to get himself elected to the European Parliament.

Fianna Fáil’s director for the European elections, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin, also said Mr Ganley has done a U-turn on his views on EU funds for agriculture and he questioned his huge campaign spend.

Mr Ganley is in the running for one of the three seats in the North West constituency and has been targeting independent candidate and sitting MEP Marian Harkin, accusing her of supporting abortion.

But Fianna Fáil is also worried he could challenge their main contender, Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher, especially since Mr Ganley is the only Galway-based candidate.

Mr Martin said: “On issues pertaining to ethics he has undergone a Pauline conversion and is manipulatively exploiting these issues to try to get elected to the European Parliament.

“People should see beyond that and see that it is an electoral ploy as distinct to a sincerely held view”.

He said Mr Ganley was trying to court a particular vote on various issues and had come out of nowhere in relation to them.

“There is a distinct difference between the issues he campaigned on in relation to the Lisbon Treaty and those he is espousing now for the European Parliament election,” he said.

Only a few years ago Mr Ganley had condemned the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy as a weapon of mass destruction.

“His views on the CAP if implemented would have a very adverse effect on the west and on rural Ireland where money transfers from the EU are still significant.

“Whether you agree with it or not, that is the reality and Mr Ganley cannot just pretend to get away with a complete U-turn on his position.

“His position on CAP was well known in the past and in my view it has not changed,” he said.

Mr Ganley was spending more money than anyone else in the campaign, and this had to be an issue given the unresolved matter between him and the Standards in Public Office in relation to his spending on the last Lisbon Treaty campaign, Mr Martin said.

“I hope he will be fully transparent and cooperative with SIPO on his spending on this campaign – everyone has to abide by the same rules,” he added.

Mr Ganley’s Libertas party is also helping fund over 600 candidates in 16 countries. He claims he is raising the money through donations on the internet.

Mr Martin said he believes Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher will take the second seat and was “like a tornado” around the country’s largest constituency.

However, the only seat Fianna Fáil is certain of is Brian Crowley’s in Ireland South. He topped the poll nationwide in the last two elections.

The Government party fears for Liam Aylward’s seat in East where his campaign has been very flat so far and he is being chased by Fine Gael desperate to retain their two seats and Labour almost certain to take one.

However, the real battle will be in Dublin, reduced from four to three seats and where sitting MEP Eoin Ryan is waging a major battle against Sinn Féin and their MEP Mary Lou McDonald for the last seat.

“I am under no illusions that this is an extremely challenging election,” Mr Martin said.

The party is stepping up its campaign across the country and all TDs have been told to get out and canvass in the final weeks.

Mr Ganley’s spokesman said Libertas will make full disclosure of its list of donors and abide by SIPO rules. He said he hoped Fianna Fáil would do the same.