Trade unionist Brendan Ogle to contest European elections

Brendan Ogle has been involved in political campaigns most prominently in the resistance to water charges in 2014 and the ‘Home Sweet Home’ campaign at Christmas 2016 when activists occupied Apollo House in Dublin and created accommodation for rough sleepers in the building. Photo: RollingNews.ie

Well-known trade unionist Brendan Ogle is to stand as a candidate for the forthcoming European elections, the Irish Examiner has learned. 

He will be standing in an already crowded field in the four-seater Dublin constituency. 

When contacted, Mr Ogle said he had no comment to make on any possible candidacy but he would not rule himself out. The Irish Examiner understands from sources in politics and the trade union movement that Mr Ogle will stand as an independent and has already made advanced preparations to run.

The closing date for nominations is April 30.

Mr Ogle was recently in the news due to a discrimination case he has taken against his employer, Unite the Union, at the Workplace Relations Commission. The hearing has already sat for a number of days and is ongoing. 

In his case, Mr Ogle is claiming that he was effectively sidelined from his job as Irish officer for the union when he returned to work after recovering from cancer. The union denies his claims.

He first came to prominence in 2000 when he led a rail strike by the Irish Locomotive Drivers Association which led to major travel disruption over the course of three months. 

Subsequent to that he was elected head of the ESB group of unions. He resigned from that position soon after protracted negotiations over pension rights in which he and his colleagues managed to have the pension scheme for employees reclassified as defined benefit.

He has also been involved in political campaigns most prominently in the resistance to water charges in 2014 and the ‘Home Sweet Home’ campaign at Christmas 2016 when activists occupied Apollo House in Dublin and created accommodation for rough sleepers in the building.

Other candidates

On Monday, it was announced that broadcaster Niall Boylan will stand in the Dublin constituency for the newly formed Independent Ireland party. 

Sitting MEPs Barry Andrews (FF), Clare Daly (Independents for Change) and Ciaran Cuffe (Greens) are all running, but Fine Gael’s Frances Fitzgerald is retiring. She will be replaced on the party ticket by senator Regina Doherty, while Sinn Féin is standing senator Lynn Boylan and councillor Daithi Doolan. 

The Social Democrats candidate will be Sinead Gibney, Labour are putting forward TD Aodhan O Riordan and Brid Smith TD will stand for People Before Profit. There are also a number of far-right candidates expected to enter the race.