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James Horan/Photocall Ireland

Childers will confirm constituency at the end of January as FF nominations open today

We’ll have to wait until the end of the month to find out where the former Labour MEP will be running in May’s elections.

INDEPENDENT MEP NESSA Childers will announce which constituency she intends to contest May’s European elections in at the end of the month.

Having quit the Labour Party last year and with the constituency of Ireland East abolished, Childers faces a choice between running in three-seat Dublin or in the expanded four-seat Ireland South, which includes parts of her current base.

She said that her campaign is “at an advanced stage” but despite having made her mind up about where she will run she declined to say publicly which constituency it will be.

As the daughter of former Fianna Fáil president Erskine Childers and a former Green Party councillor who joined Labour in 2008 before quitting the party last year, Childers has a varied political past, but she insisted she will run as an independent in the European elections next year.

Childers will be one of a number of reasonably high-profile independent candidates running to take one of Ireland’s 11 seats in the European Parliament towards the end of May.

Senator Rónán Mullen will be running in the new and vast Midlands North West constituency which runs from Donegal down to Laois and Mayo across to Louth.

Peter Mathews could also run as an independent in Dublin, but he has fuelled speculation that he could run for Fianna Fáil which has opened nominations to be its candidate in the capital today.

Equality campaigner Tiernan Brady has already declared his intention to seek the nomination as has councillor Mary Fitzpatrick. Former senator Geraldine Feeney will also seek the Dublin nomination.

Last night, Brady called on all candidates in Dublin to pledge to serve a full five-year term if elected to one of the three seats representing the capital in the European parliament.

Two of the three MEPs elected in 2009 have resigned with Socialist Joe Higgins elected to the Dáíl and Labour’s Pronsias de Rossa retiring. Brady also pointed out that Fine Gael’s Gay Mitchell, who is retiring this year, ran for the Irish presidency during his term.

“Voters are entitled to know the future political intentions of those seeking election and candidates should come clean on where their true ambitions lie,” he said.

Also running in Dublin are Labour’s Emer Costello who will be looking to retain her seat, Sinn Féin’s Lynn Boylan, the Green Party’s Eamon Ryan and People Before Profit councillor Brid Smith.

With Mitchell retiring, junior minister Brian Hayes is widely expected to run for Fine Gael though this has yet to be confirmed.

Read: 9 questions we’re asking ahead of the new political year

Mary Hanafin: I’d love to run again but I don’t know if people will vote for me

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31 Comments
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    Mute Steven Hillert
    Favourite Steven Hillert
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    Jul 30th 2014, 3:04 PM

    R.I.P god love his Family

    237
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    Mute Gary Hand
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    Jul 30th 2014, 3:15 PM

    So sad he probably on his way to work. Take care on the roads people!

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    Mute Steven Callaghan
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    Jul 30th 2014, 3:22 PM

    This is a shame .. 23 years old .
    For gods sake think everyone

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    Mute Luke
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    Jul 30th 2014, 3:30 PM

    an absolute tragedy . RIP

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    Mute Alwyn Howard
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    Jul 30th 2014, 5:34 PM

    People slow down. Alot of crashes are down to bad driving and high speed. Slow down and drive carefully. Please

    45
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    Mute Gary Brandon
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    Jul 30th 2014, 5:57 PM

    Nonsensical comment, its actually rare a crash in Dublin kills someone. As I’ve started before the problem with road deaths in Ireland is the people outside of Dublin thinking cause they know the roads they will be grand and then rear end a tractor or a tree. You don’t know the circumstances so who the feck gave you the right to preach and tell people what to do. Heartless waste of space

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    Mute Amelia O'Reilly
    Favourite Amelia O'Reilly
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    Jul 30th 2014, 6:12 PM

    Insensitive idiot! This poor chaps family are grieving and don t need this type of comment! For shame on you!!!

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    Mute Kev
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    Jul 30th 2014, 7:10 PM

    For shame

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    Mute Oisin Curry
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    Jul 30th 2014, 11:40 PM

    There is a family grieving for this man… You guys wouldn’t like it if your relative died and people are messing with your relatives death! People, grow up and have respect! #Rip

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    Mute Krissy Madden
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    Jul 30th 2014, 8:18 PM

    Rarely drive on M50 but I was always told to drive in the centre lane as it allows others to over take but also allows people joining the road to get up to speed and off the slip road with very little hassle..

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    Mute Krissy Madden
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    Jul 30th 2014, 8:45 PM

    This was supposed to be posted to the earlier article… Dunno how it wound up here

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    Mute Anthony Halpin
    Favourite Anthony Halpin
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    Jul 31st 2014, 1:05 AM

    Whoever told you that is a moron. The left lane is the one you should be driving in, rather than driving alongside the person filtering on by hogging the middle lane, thus making them brake if something slower is in front of them!

    20
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