Having topped the poll in 2007, Fine Gael's Michael Creed will be hoping for a similarly strong showing in Cork North-West this time around. Creed's first election to Dáil Eireann came in 1989 and he has represented the constituency at national level since, with the exception of five-year gap from 2002-2007. As of October 2010, he is the party's Deputy Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs with Special Responsibility for European Affairs.

Policies

• Opposition to the reduction of the minimum wage by €1 and a review of the universal social charge
• Public sector reform- abolition of 145 quangos, reduction of public service numbers by 10% saving €5 billion
• Fairness for those in sub-prime mortgage difficulty

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