Donegal-Derry businessman Peter Casey has confirmed he will contest the EU elections on May 24th.
The presidential runner-up made his decision after a favourable private poll was completed earlier this week, the Tirconaill Tribune reports.
An analysis of the new EU constituency shows that Casey polled close to 115,000 votes in the Presidential election last November.
He took 23% of the national vote and here in Donegal with 12,952 (32.8%) and will expect to increase that figure given that no other substantive candidate from Donegal is likely to emerge before the deadline for nominations on Monday at noon.
Mr. Casey has already expressed his interest in contesting the general election penned in for next year. However due to the Brexit stalemate crisis the election date could be delayed until April 202l.
He said that while the retirement of the Sligo based Independent MEP, Marian Harkin leaves a floating vote of close to 70,000 in the west of Ireland, this did not play any role in his decision.
Candidates already selected for the constituency include, Mairead McGuinness MEP and Maria Walsh for FG: Deputies Brendan Smith and Anne Rabbitte of FF: Matt Carthy MEP for SF, Luke Ming Flanagan Independent MEP and Dominic Hannigan for the Labour Party.
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