Fine Gael select Doherty for Europe

Fine Gael has selected Senator Regina Doherty as their European candidate.

Doherty, who switched her constituency from Meath East to Dublin Fingal following her 2020 general election loss, will be Fine Gael’s name on the ballot in June.

Doherty will look to hold the seat vacated by Frances Fitzgerald who announced her decision not to seek re-election last October.

While Fine Gael ran two candidates in the 2019 European election in Dublin, the party has opted to run just Doherty this year in what is likely to be a difficult seat for the party.

Doherty said “I will be working now to ensure we hold the MEP seat won by Frances Fitzgerald at the 2019 European elections. Frances has repeatedly demonstrated the influential role she holds in the European Parliament and I intend to build on her work.”

She said that “decisions made in Brussels and Strasbourg affect everyone’s lives in Dublin.”

“Fine Gael is a pro-European party with a proud record. Due to international events, there are many challenges facing this country.

 “I want to ensure that Dublin’s voice – the capital of a proud nation – is heard loudly within the European Parliament and to continue the good work of all the Fine Gael MEPs.”

Fine Gael’s European Director of Elections Minister Simon Coveney said “the last five years have shown how vital Fine Gael’s MEPs have been on the European stage protecting our national interest through Brexit and Covid while also standing up for the right thing on the global stage like our position on Russia’s war in Ukraine.”

“I’m absolutely delighted that a person of such integrity and ability as Senator Regina Doherty is now our candidate to carry on that work. We must get our team and our voters behind Regina to send her to Brussels.”