De Brún to run in European elections

Northern Ireland's former Health Minister is set to run in next year's European elections.

Sinn Féin's Bairbre de Brún was chosen as a candidate ahead of party colleague Francie Molloy at a convention in Belfast earlier this week.

Commenting on her Euro MP bid, Ms de Brún said: The next twelve months will be dominated by events in Europe - Dublin taking over the Presidency of the European Union, negotiations on a new EU Constitution, World Trade talks, CAP reform and redrafting the Common Fisheries Policy.

"All this will have a profound effect of people living across Ireland. The EU of today is a changed entity from that which Ireland joined 30 years ago. Sinn Féin are the radical alternative to the failed politics of the establishment parties who have been invisible for so long in Europe.

"In the last decade Sinn Féin has gone from strength to strength as our agenda for change begins to have a real impact. We want to bring this agenda to the heart of Europe. We are contesting this election to win, to return a Sinn Féin MEP for the Six Counties. This is a realisable goal."

Fluent in a number of languages, including French, Ms de Brún will face old favourites Ian Paisley and John Hume who have both declared their intention to run again next year.

(MB)