Laois Offaly TD throws hat in the ring for Europe elections

Laois Offaly TD TD Barry Cowen has thrown his hat in the ring to contest the next year's European Parliament elections.

The brother of former Taoiseach Barry Cowen is reportedly campaigning to be a Fianna Fáil candidate in the Midland North West constituency.

Laois-Offaly was recently put back into to European constituency by the Electoral Commission. Dep Cowen, who was elected to the Dáil in 2011, confirmed his intentions in a press release issued by the Fianna Fáil press office.

"At a special meeting of the Fianna Fáil organisation in Offaly on Monday night, I notified my colleagues that I plan to put my name forward for selection as a candidate for the European Elections next June.

"With the addition of Laois-Offaly into the Midlands-North-West constituency, I feel now is the right time for me to try and deliver for my constituency at a European level, having been a councillor for 20 years and a TD for 12 years.

"I will be focused on the ongoing transition led by the EU towards sustainability across many sectors key to our success as an economy - food and farming, energy and enterprise, and making sure Irish views and interests are reflected in EU policies.

"Reinstating a seat or seats in this constituency will be important for the party and I believe I can deliver that having successfully contested many elections with a strong network and family history of pro-European public service.

"I am honoured at the support from the Fianna Fáil organisation, locally and nationally, for me to pursue the nomination and seek to win back a seat for Fianna Fáíl in the Midlands-North-West constituency," said the statement.

If successful the former agriculture minister would be the latest big name to depart Dáil politics in Laois and Offaly. Fine Gael's Charlie Flanagan will not be contesting the next General Election when Laois and Offaly will be split into two three-seat constituencies.

Were he to be elected, it would end a link between the Cowen family and Dáil politics. His father Ber was first elected to the Dáil in 1969. He was also a senator.

Dep Cowen's cabinet career ended soon after it began in 2020 after a controversy over drink driving. He was removed from his role by the then Taoiseach and his party leader Micheál Martin.

He was part of the negotiation team that helped form the current coalition with Fine Gael and the Green Party.

An auctioneer, Dep Cowen is a former Offaly County Councillor.