Covering the province of Munster, as well as four counties in south and east Leinster, this is a large constituency where four of the outgoing MEPs are seeking reelection.
Candidates:
23 candidates in total: Derek Blighe (Ireland First); Lorna Bogue (Rabharta – party name not on ballot paper); Graham de Barra (Independent); Christopher VS Doyle (Independent); Susan Doyle (Social Democrats); Mary Fitzgibbon (Independent); Kathleen Funchion (Sinn Féin); Paul Gavan (Sinn Féin); Niamh Hourigan (Labour); Billy Kelleher (Fianna Fáil); Seán Kelly (Fine Gael); Ross Lahive (The Irish People); Michael Leahy (Irish Freedom Party); Una McGurk (Independent); Michael McNamara (Independent); John Mullins (Fine Gael); Patrick Murphy (Aontú); Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (Fianna Fáil); Ciaran O’Riordan (Independent); Grace O’Sullivan (Green Party); Cian Prendiville (PBP-SOL); Eddie Punch (Independent Ireland); Mick Wallace (Independents 4 Change).
Seats:
This is a five-seater constituency.
Lie of the land:
The constituency is made up of the six counties of Munster plus four counties from Leinster. It covers Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Waterford, Tipperary, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow and Wexford.
It remains a five-seater but Laois and Offaly are transferring to the mammoth Midlands-North-West constituency in order for Ireland’s extra seat to be allocated there.
According to the 2022 census, Ireland South has a population of 1,859,244. With 23 candidates in the running, it is going to make for a long ballot paper and an even longer election count.
Analysis:
Politically, the big change is the retirement of Fine Gael MEP and party stalwart Deirdre Clune who has held this seat since 2014.
Fine Gael faces a steep challenge to hold on to two seats with its other outgoing MEP Seán Kelly running alongside former head of Bord Gáis, John Mullins.
In 2019, the party polled nearly 31% – an achievement unlikely to be repeated.
Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher will be joined on the party ticket by barrister and former broadcaster Cynthia Ní Mhurchú.
This helps the party cover the southern part of the constituency with Cork-based Mr Kelleher, alongside the southeastern part with Ms Mhurchú in Carlow.
But both Government parties would be aware that holding on to one seat would be a decent day out and the second candidate is likely to be a sweeper in a vast geographical area.
That’s because recent polling would indicate that Sinn Féin should gain a seat here having lost out in a poor result for the party in 2019 when sitting MEP Liadh Ní Riada was defeated.
Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Children and Carlow Kilkenny TD Kathleen Funchion, and Limerick-based Senator Paul Gavan are on the party ticket. The higher profile Ms Funchion is a strong contender.
Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan is also running again but her vote could be under pressure compared to the elevated result of 2019 when climate issues were to the fore in voters’ minds.
Another challenge to the Green vote will come from former party councillor, Lorna Bogue, who is leader of the left green party, Rabharta.
The other sitting MEP Mick Wallace of Independents 4 Change is also contesting again.
This will be a test of whether his positions on Russia and China have damaged his standing.
Also in the field is Independent TD Michael McNamara who was prominent in the recent referendum debates. The former Labour TD has repeatedly questioned Government policy on migration.
A feature of this and other constituencies is the large number of independent candidates.
Some of these are left-leaning but several could be described as far-right and have strong negative views on migration.
Prediction:
One Fianna Fáil, one Fine Gael, one Sinn Féin, one independent (either Mick Wallace or Michael McNamara), and the Greens in a battle for the last seat with a range of other runners.
Billy Kelleher and Seán Kelly are likely to hang on with Kathleen Funchion expected to regain a seat for Sinn Féin.
One independent seat going to either Mick Wallace or Michael McNamara with the loser in the hunt for the final seat along with the Greens and others.
You can view each of the candidates below:
