Fianna Fail asks supporters to vote transfers to rivals in bid to flatten Ganley and save Irish jobs

Fianna Fail has called for supporters to transfer to rivals in Fine Gael and Labour in the North west constituency to deprive Declan Ganley of any support in the forthcoming election. Obviously keenly aware of the potential threat to inward investment in Ireland if a far right candidate gets any support at the polls Fianna Fail have made this unprecedented call. Votes for Libertas will cost Irish jobs.


FF calls for transfers to pro-treaty candidates to block Ganley



MARK HENNESSY DEREK SCALLY and

NORTH WEST: FIANNA FÁIL has urged supporters in the European North West constituency to use their transfers to block Libertas founder Declan Ganley by supporting pro-Lisbon Treaty candidates.

Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív and former minister Frank Fahey have called on supporters to vote for Fianna Fáil candidates, Pat “the Cope” Gallagher and Paschal Mooney.

Once that was done, both men said later preferences should be used for other candidates from the larger parties such as Fine Gael and Labour, who back the ratification of the treaty.

“From a business, social and community point of view, our place is with our European partners and those who want to distance themselves from the European Union or want to put Ireland at the edge of the union, in my belief, are not doing our country any service,” Mr Ó Cuív said.

The Government had “taken on board” Irish voters’ concerns and was working on a series of legally binding guarantees to be finalised at next month’s meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels raised by voters.

“Arrangements are also being made with our partners in Europe to confirm that compulsory military service cannot be introduced in Ireland,” Mr Ó Cuív added. “As it stands, Ireland cannot enter into a common defence without a referendum.”

Social issues, such as abortion – which had featured frequently during the debate in the North West constituency, the State’s most conservative, “will remain as issues to be decided by the Irish people”. Ireland’s corporation tax rates “will not be changed without the agreement of the Irish Government”, the two men, who have long been bitter political rivals, said in a joint statement.

Meanwhile, Libertas has said it will not invite former Polish president Lech Walesa to Ireland before the European elections and that there “was never a confirmed plan” to do so.

Mr Walesa, who made paid appearances at Libertas events in Rome and Madrid earlier this month, said he was going to speak in Dublin.

After coming under pressure in Poland, Mr Walesa said he would use his Dublin trip to urge Irish voters to support the Lisbon Treaty. A spokeswoman for Libertas contacted The Irish Times yesterday to say that Mr Walesa was “not coming, he hasn’t been invited”.

Asked if there had ever been a plan to bring Mr Walesa to Ireland, the spokeswoman said there was “nothing confirmed”.

On Wednesday, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk predicted that the Libertas collaboration with Mr Walesa would backfire.

“He confirmed to me that he would go to Ireland if needed to address some of those people who have attached their hopes to Libertas,” said Mr Tusk.

“Lech Walesa told me that in Dublin he intends to appeal to the Irish people to support the Lisbon Treaty. That gave me a great sense of relief.”