Leaving the euro on Ming's agenda

Outspoken TD Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, has declared he is entering the European election race and said if he’s elected one of his first proposals will be for Ireland to abandon the euro currency.

The Roscommon-South Leitrim TD said that if he wins a Midlands North- West seat he will use his position to try and get another 10 Independent TDs elected to the next Dáil.

The four-seater Midlands North-West spans three provinces and 15 counties, from the Dublin commuter belt to the north-west coast.

Mr Flanagan said his message would be that the European project had failed Ireland.

“A union which kicked us when we were down. A union that took the side of the bondholders and left us with a bill of €70 billion. We need the EU to go back to being a community. It must be a community which puts people before bankers.”

In a statement, he added: “I believe the future of Ireland and Europe is best served without the euro currency. The only country that it currently serves is Germany and one country is not Europe.”

The controversial politician previously contested the European elections in 1999 in the old Connacht -Ulster constituency, securing 5,000 votes.

He later hit the headlines when he sent cannabis cigarettes to TDs and senators as part of his campaign to have cannabis legalised.

He went on to win a seat in the last general election, taking almost 19% of first preference votes.