County ‘invasion’ sparks row among FG European election candidates

An internal party row has broken out between two Fine Gael candidates in the upcoming European Parliament elections amid claims that canvassing is taking place outside agreed boundaries contrary to a voting pact.

In a letter seen by the Irish Examiner — due for posting today to all members of the Fine Gael organisation in Cork — Deirdre Clune’s director of elections, Michael Creed, claims that Seán Kelly’s campaign team has been canvassing in Cork in recent days despite an agreement that his candidate would have exclusivity in Cork city and county after April 21. Mr Kelly has had exclusivity in Kerry, Limerick and Clare since the same date.

Mr Creed argues that vote management is crucial in ensuring that Fine Gael secures a second seat in Ireland South and that it “would be a tragedy to have sufficient votes to elect two MEPs but to leave the count centre having only elected one”.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Creed said Fine Gael had a “two-seat strategy” in Ireland South and it was “up to the party hierarchy to show it was in earnest about the two seats”.

However, Michael Finucane, Seán Kelly’s director of elections, said he “knew nothing at all about any invasion in Cork”.

Mr Finucane said Ms Clune’s camp was not above reproach. He said in a recent copy of the Wicklow Times “there was an advert of Deirdre Clune having a cup of tea with her dad and under it the message ‘Vote no 1 Deirdre Clune. Vote no 2 Simon Harris’ with no mention of a third candidate”.