Not to mention a changing political landscape since the last vote back in 2014, in Ireland as elsewhere in Europe. Should the UK not have left the EU by the time of the elections, and hence be required to participate, those elected to the last two of the 13 seats will have their membership of the European Parliament put on temporary hold. Fine Gael, polling for the European Parliament at 32 per cent, one point lower than in the Ipsos/MRBI survey, is expected to retain four seats of the expanded 13. With Nessa Childers retiring, Alex White is out on the streets for Labour and, the European Parliament poll suggests, on course to win. The parliament poll also predicts the return of both the constituency’s independents, Luke Ming Flanagan and Marian Harkin, although the latter has yet to declare.

Source: The Irish Times February 21, 2019 00:56 UTC