LAST UPDATE | 30 Apr 2024

APPLICATIONS TO CONTEST the European elections on 7 June have now closed.

Voters will go to the polls to cast their ballots on who they would like to fill Ireland’s 14 MEP seats in the next European Parliament out of a record number of 74 candidates.

Here is the final list of all the candidates you should see on your ballot sheet this June:

Dublin candidates – 4 seats

• Barry Andrews, Fianna Fáil: Incumbent MEP for Dublin
• Ciarán Cuffe, Green Party: Incumbent MEP for Dublin
• Clare Daly, Independent: Incumbent MEP for Dublin
• Regina Doherty, Fine Gael: Senator
• Lynn Boylan, Sinn Féin: Senator
• Bríd Smith, People Before Profit-Solidarity: TD for Dublin South-Central
• Aodhán Ó Riordáin, Labour Party: TD for Dublin Bay North
• Daithí Doolan, Sinn Féin: Councillor for Dublin City Council
• Sinéad Gibney, Social Democrats: Former chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission
• Aisling Considine, Aontú, Primary School Teacher
• Stephen O’Rourke, Independent: Scientist
• Brendan Ogle, Independent: Trade Union Official
• Malachy Steenson, Independent: Solicitor
• Conor Murphy, Independent: Student
• Dr. Umar Al-Qadr, Independent: Businessman and Muslim Cleric
• Eamonn Murphy, Independent: Counsellor
• Robin Cafolla, Rabhartas Glas: Software engineer
• Niall Boylan, Independent Ireland: Radio Broadcaster
• Andy Heasman, The Irish People: Roofer
• Diarmuid Ó Conaráin, Irish Freedom Party: Handyman
• Philip Dwyer, Ireland First: Student 
• Patrick Quinlan, The National Party: Field Sales Representative
• Rebecca Barrett, The National Party: Primary School Teacher

Midlands-North-West – 5 seats

• Maria Walsh, Fine Gael: Incumbent MEP for Midlands-North-West
• Chris MacManus, Sinn Féin: Incumbent MEP for Midlands-North-West
• Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Independent: Incumbent MEP for Midlands-North-West
• Barry Cowen, Fianna Fáil: TD for Laois-Offaly
• Peadar Tóibín, Aontú: TD for Meath East
• Niall Blaney, Fianna Fáil: Senator
• Lisa Chambers, Fianna Fáil: Leader of the Seanad and Senator
• Pauline O’Reilly, Green Party: Senator
• Nina Carberry, Fine Gael: Farmer and ex-professional jockey
• Fergal Landy, Labour Party: Social Worker
• Michelle Gildernew, Sinn Féin: MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone
• Brian O’Boyle, People Before Profit-Solidarity: Lecturer
• Rory Hearne, Social Democrats: Academic and housing expert
• Dr. Gerry Waters, Independent: Medical Doctor, GP
• John Waters, Independent: Writer
• Peter Casey, Independent: Businessman
• Saoirse McHugh, Independent: Digital campaigner
• Michelle Smith, Independent: Accountant
• Stephen Garland, Independent: Event manager
• Daniel Pocock, Independent: Software and AI engineer
• Charlotte Keegan, Independent: Sports psychologist, songwriter and artist
• Carolyn Fahy, Party for Animal Welfare: Carer
• Ciaran Mullooly, Independent Ireland: Community Tourism Officer and former RTÉ journalist
• Anthony Cahill, The Irish People: Engineer
• Hermann Kelly, The Irish Freedom Party: European Parliamentary Assistant
• Margaret Alacoque Maguire, Ireland First: Property Developer
• James Reynolds, The National Party: Farmer
• Justin Barrett, The National Party: Accountant

Ireland South – 5 seats

• Billy Kelleher, Fianna Fáil: Incumbent MEP for Ireland South
• Grace O’Sullivan, Green Party: Incumbent MEP for Ireland South
• Seán Kelly, Fine Gael: Incumbent MEP for Ireland South
• Mick Wallace, Independent: Incumbent MEP for Ireland South
• Kathleen Funchion, Sinn Féin: TD for Carlow-Kilkenny
• Michael McNamara, Independent: TD for Clare
• Paul Gavan, Sinn Féin: Senator
• Lorna Bogue, Rabhartas Glas: Councillor for Cork City Council
• Niamh Hourigan, Labour Party: Sociologist
• Susan Doyle, Social Democrats: Solicitor 
• Patrick Murphy, Aontú: CEO of Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation
• John Mullins, Fine Gael: Businessman, former CEO of Bord Gáis
• Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Fianna Fáil: Former RTÉ presenter
• Cian Prendiville, People Before Profit-Solidarity: Magazine editor
• Eddie Punch, Independent: Former chief of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association
• Christopher V.S. Doyle, Independent: Engineer
• Mary Fitzgibbon, Independent: Nursing lecturer
• Una McGurk, Independent: Barrister
• Ciarán O’Riordan, Independent: Home Maker
• Graham De Barra, Independent: Human Rights Campaigner
• Derek Blighe, Ireland First: Bricklayer
• Ross Lahive, The Irish People: Carpenter
• Michael Leahy, Irish Freedom Party: Architect

What’s next?

Candidates have already been hitting the doorsteps and canvassing will ramp up significantly in the coming weeks.

The European Parliament had its final sitting in Strasbourg this week so you can expect that incumbent MEPs will also be a lot more visible. 

Each candidate has now also prepared a replacement list: one person from that list will be selected to take over the seat if it becomes vacant at some point during their term. This is because there are no by-elections for the European Parliament.

Parties must select six people for the list while independent candidates must select four. A copy of this list will be available at every polling station on polling day, 7 June.

From 8 May, members of the public will begin to see posters being erected. Voters also have until 20 May to register to vote.

Posters must be removed, by law, by 14 June.

—

This work is co-funded by Journal Media and a grant programme from the European Parliament. Any opinions or conclusions expressed in this work are the author’s own. The European Parliament has no involvement in nor responsibility for the editorial content published by the project. For more information, see here.

It’s a busy year for elections around the world. Before you head out to vote, check out our FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online.