Fianna Fáil Euro candidate criticises Micheál Martin at campaign launch

Niall Blaney said ‘party seems to be in panic mode’

The Fianna Fáil European elections manifesto launch descended into discord yesterday.

Party leader Micheál Martin was left struggling to control proceedings after candidate Niall Blaney accused the Tánaiste of not canvassing with him as he had with others on the ticket.

Mr Martin said that it was the right decision to run three candidates in Midlands North-West – Mr Blaney, Mayobased senator Lisa Chambers and Laois-Offaly TD Barry Cowen.

He said the party was “in the mix for two seats” in a constituency where it currently holds none.

Shortly before the launch at the Radisson Blu Hotel in central Dublin, Donegal-based Mr Blaney shared an angry press release.

“Our party seems to be in panic mode and, after bizarrely adding [sic] three candidates to the ticket, now seems intent on throwing two of them overboard and settling for one seat,” he said.

This would mean “giving up on representation for Connacht and the border counties”, he warned.

“Fianna Fáil is running six Euro candidates in three constituencies. Five of them have gotten a fair share of national television exposure. I’ve been requesting it for the last six weeks and haven’t been given one opportunity,” Mr Blaney said. “I had a reasonable expectation of being on the Katie Hannon show, only to be told that the party had taken me off and nominated another candidate.”

Mr Blaney continued his criticisms as he stood beside his party leader, saying the Tánaiste had not canvassed with him, while he had with others.

Mr Martin told the media he was not going to discuss the “logistics” of the election campaign.

Mr Blaney said at the launch: “Unfortunately, I’m not getting the same support as other candidates are getting in this campaign. And that’s a problem for me. It’s been four weeks.

“It’s not just about me, it’s about the people I represent and the border counties. We need the same opportunity as anybody else.

“If the Tánaiste goes for a canvass with a candidate, he has to do a canvass with all three.”

Mr Martin was asked if he would agree with the comments, but tried to take an RTÉ question instead – which was also to query his reaction to Mr Blaney’s complaints.

He said: “We will deal with how the campaign gets conducted after the press conference. I’m not going to have a public discussion on the logistics of the campaign. But there’s huge support for all candidates from the party.”

The earlier Green Party European election launch at Buswell’s Hotel in Dublin had its own problems.

Junior minister Ossian Smyth, chairing, twice referred to his MEP colleague sitting alongside him as Pauline O’Reilly, a Green Party senator and had to be told it was Grace O’Sullivan, the candidate in Ireland South.

This moment was followed by another mishap as Ms O’Sulllivan said: “We absolutely condone the Hamas attack on Israel as an act of terrorism.”

Mr Smyth had to tell her she meant condemn, not condone.