Honorary President of SST, Joe Higgins elected to European parliament

 

We republish the news feed from RTE below

 Please click here to read Jo Higgins column on Irish Mail : Jo attacks Sri Lankan Government.

 Ryan loses out to Higgins in Dublin

RTE (Irish public TV and radio) Monday, 8 June 2009 05:59 (GMT + 1)

 

All three seats in the Dublin Constituency have been filled with FG’s Gay Mitchell, Labour’s Proinsias De Rossa and the Socialist Party’s Joe Higgins being elected.

Joe Higgins, the Socialist Party candidate, was elected to the Dublin Constituency for the European Parliament on the seventh count at around 5.15am this morning.

He received 22,201 votes from the eliminated Sein Fein candidate Mary Lou McDonald, leaving him with 82,366.

FF’s Eoin Ryan received 5,426 transfers leaving his vote at 76,956.

Afterwards Eoin Ryan said he was disappointed to loose his seat as an MEP having served Dublin for 25 years.

He said the time he served in politics was a fantastic honour.

Asked what the future held for him he said he did not know, he said his priority now is settling his daughter down for her leaving certificate. He congratulated Joe Higgins on his success.

The former MEP said the campaign was made difficulty by the current situation and the difficult decisions made by Government, he said no matter how hard many of the decision are they are needed.

Joe Higgins said that he would serve the needs of ordinary people in the EU, he said his appointment was bad news for the corporate Europe and the big business culture. He said for working Europe his election was very positive.

His mother Ellen said she was proud of her son who she said was ‘very good’. 

Plus more: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0608/breaking2.htm