Green MEP bows out Grace-fully

OUTGOING Ireland South MEP Grace O’Sullivan has described representing the constituency in Europe as the honour of her life.

Elected in 2019, O’Sullivan lost her seat last week. After a gruelling week for both candidates and counters at the Nemo GAA complex in Cork city, the five seats in the Ireland South constituency were finally filled last Thursday night.

O’Sullivan said she was proud her of her work in the European parliament, which included working on the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations, and opposing the Mercosur deal which, she said, would have been ‘deeply damaging’ for Irish farmers.

‘While losing my seat is disappointing on a personal level, it is just the latest chapter in a long story. For over 40 years I have been standing up for what I believe in, and fighting for what is right,’ she said. ‘Throughout it all, my commitment to fighting for climate action, for human rights, and for environmental protection has remained steadfast. This commitment remains as strong today as it was when I set out on the Rainbow Warrior at the age of 23.’

Independents4Change MEP Mick Wallace also lost his seat in Europe.

First past the post was Fine Gael’s Sean Kelly, who topped the poll after the first count with 122,777 first preference votes, having surpassed the quota of 114,761. However, it was days and several counts later before the second seat was filled, when Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher finally reached the coveted quota.

He received 91,074 first preference votes, but wasn’t elected until the 18th count, with 120,105 votes, thereby passing the quota.

There was an intense race for the final three seats between Fianna Fáil’s Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion, Independent Michael McNamara and outgoing MEPs Wallace and O’Sullivan.

Michael McNamara performed very well, picking up 56,339 first preference votes and eventually claiming the third seat – becoming Co Clare’s first MEP in 30 years.

Former RTÉ broadcaster, barrister Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, received 55,209 first preferences and in the end took the fourth seat, while in a disappointing election for her party, Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion took the final seat to provide some solace.