Barry Cowen had not expected two Fianna Fáíl running mates in his European constituency

TD won the selection convention but party executive added Lisa Chambers and Niall Blaney to the Midlands-North-West ticket

Irish Examiner Political Reporter Paul Hosford speaking with Barry Cowen TD at the Irish Examiner stand during the Fianna Fáil ard fheis in Dublin on Saturday. Picture: Gareth Chaney

Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen expected just one running mate for the upcoming European elections, but does not believe that party leadership intended to hurt his chances.

Mr Cowen won the party’s Midlands-North-West selection convention, but the party executive added Senator Lisa Chambers and Senator Niall Blaney.

There is no direction from party headquarters on how the constituency should be divided.

However, speaking exclusively to the Irish Examiner at the party's ard fheis in Dublin on Saturday, Mr Cowen said that he “would have expected” that just one candidate would be added to the constituency.

However, he said that the “vastness” of the 15-county constituency meant that a candidate in the west (Ms Chambers) and north (Mr Blaney) were considered necessary.

“I was delighted to have the approval of the membership... I would have expected that only one candidate would have been added, but you get on with it.”

Mr Cowen added that he believes the party can be competitive in the five-seater constituency, where sitting MEPs Maria Walsh, Luke Ming Flanagan, and Chris MacManus will run again.

Mr Cowen added that he did not make the decision to run for Europe due to feeling that his domestic aspirations were limited.

Fianna Fáil European Parliament candidates at the ard fheis: Barry Cowen TD (Midlands-North-West); Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (South); Barry Andrews MEP (Dublin); Billy Kelleher MEP (South) and senators Lisa Chambers and Niall Blaney who the party added to the ticket in Midlands-North-West. Picture: Gareth Chaney

Mr Cowen was sacked as agriculture minister in July 2020 after then taoiseach Micheál Martin wanted him to make a second public statement in the Dáil over claims he performed a u-turn before a garda checkpoint in 2016.

Mr Cowen had made a statement in the Dáil and said he made a “stupid, stupid mistake” for his drink-driving offence which occurred in 2016.

He told the Irish Examiner that his decision was not related to his relationship with Mr Martin.

“I would have loved to have remained in Cabinet, especially in the portfolio I had been afforded, but you get on with it.”

He added that he would focus on food, farming and agriculture, energy, and taxation if elected to the European Parliament.