Former Fianna Fáil Donegal TD Niall Blaney is reportedly returning to the political fold again to seek election to the European Parliament.
Blaney is plotting a comeback as the Fianna Fáil nominee for the European elections next May.
Blaney was a Dail Deputy for Donegal North-East from 2002 to 2011, first with Independent Fianna Fáil and later rejoining the main Fianna Fáil party from 2006. He failed in his bid to win a seat in the Seanad in April 2018.
The Irish Independent reports that Blaney has recently travelled across the Midlands and North West counties, aiming to get his name on the ticket for Europe through a single-candidate strategy.
Pat The Cope Gallagher and Thomas Byrne both ran in the 15-county Midlands North West constituency in 2014. Blaney has previously criticised the two-candidate strategy for neither Fianna Fail members winning a seat in Europe that year.
Blaney said: “We had the same vote as Sinn Féin but they ran one candidate and got a seat. For me, it’s obvious mathematics.”
He said he will be “campaigning heavily” for a one-candidate strategy next May. His first hurdle will be winning over the Fianna Fáil grassroots.
Tags:
