Libertas catch Liam Aylward and FF hiding EU Liberal party membership

[garryos]

This is a cracker.Liam Aylward and other Fianna Fail MEPs have been accused of misleading the public by running on behalf of the Liberal ELDR party in the European Parliament election, while having placed their former group, the Union of European Nations on their nomination papers.

Libertas candidate in the Ireland East constituency, Raymond O’Malley [http://raymondomalley.blogspot.com accused sitting FF MEP, Liam Aylward of misleading the electorate by puttiing one party on his nomination paper while being a member and running for the manifesto of the Liberal ELDR party in the European Parliament.

In a Kilkenny based KCLR96 radio interview on Thursday, when pressed Liam Aylward dislosed that he had put, his old group , the Union of European Nations on his nomination papers.
‘I am fighting this election as a member of the Union of European Nations. It is on my nomination papers....Now, an application has been made to join the Liberal group which will be decided, if re-elected after the election.’

Raymond O’Malley from Libertas said he checked with the Returning Officer, ‘I am shocked to find this is the case. Liam Aylward and other other Fianna Fail MEPs are now members of the Liberal ELDR party. They have applied and been accepted over a month ago to the Liberal group. FF MEP membership of the Liberal party is listed on the ELDR website, and has already been publicised in national Irish papers, as well as the site of the Liberal Democrats in the UK. It is a done deal.

‘The eight FF candidates are listed on the ELDR website but have been nominated by another party. This shocking duplicity by Fianna Fail should not be tolerated,’ said O’Malley. I want to know if their nomination is valid if they plan to run for the Liberal group? I also want FF candidates to explain this duplicity to the Irish public.’

‘This is an appalling attempt by Fianna Fail to hide from the public, their membership of the ELDR party at the EU Parliament which is pro-abortion, pro-euthanasia and in favour of slashing the CAP budget for farmers post 2013. ELDR is the same party which boasts on their 2004-6 Midterm document about how proud they are of destroying the Irish sugarbeet industry and importing sugarcane from outside the EU.
Can Liam Aylward also explain why his party have signed up to the published manifesto of the ELDR party demanding huge reductions in C.A.P post 2013?
Section 10 of ELDR manifesto
"ELDR actively promotes an ambitious reform of the Common Agricultural Policy within a multilateral framework (WTO)........
ELDR supports the continuing reduction of the CAP budget after 2013."

On April 16th, the General Secretary of Fianna Fail, Sean Dorgan was in Brussels to formally join the European Liberal and Democrat party (ELDR), which is politically represented in the European Parliament by the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).

That FF have joined them is on the ELDR website, it is in The Irish Times and in The Irish Independent

In July 2007 the ALDE group held a conference in Brussels promoting euthanasia, entitled, 'Medically assisted dying and euthanasia - a matter of human rights'.
I am appalled that Fianna Fail would join a European party committed to supporting abortion and euthanasia.

How can Fianna Fáil claim to represent the people of Ireland in Europe when they have thrown their full support behind a party that pushes these crazy fringe policies?
They have supported positions and motions that seek to attack the Irish position on social issues. I am shocked FF would join this.

ends
Irish Times article
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...244719827.html

FF members listed as ELDR candidates on ELDR website
http://voteliberal2009.com/en/candidates/ireland.php

ELDR manifesto
http://www.eldr.org/pdf/manifeste/el...ectoral-en.pdf

Pro-abortion resolution of ELDR
http://www.eldr.eu/en/resolutions/20...eir-own-bodies

ELDR is political party and half of ALDE, Liberal GROUP at the European Parliament. In June 2007 ALDE had a conference promoting Euthanasia.
http://www.alde.eu/index.php?id=42&n...t_news%5D=8557

KCLR 96 fm radio interview – On the Record
Thursday 21st May [ track 3 at 14.28]

Contact for Kildare County Council returning officer Eithne Coughlan to check nominations at Naas Court House

[CookieMonster]

Well, we are campaigning on a message of Transparency...

[FutureTaoiseach]

They can run but they can't hide their membership of the Liberal Group which is pro-choice. The people of East are entitled to know their prospective MEPs stance on this important issue.

[pd_phoenix]

thats disgraceful that he would wish to mislead people like that

[eurosceptic]

FF have to be held to account here. If memory serves marian harkin is an ELDR.

[He3]

Had a thread a while ago about the head of the Liberal Group offering FF money to campaign for a Yes in Lisbon ll. Never did find out how much. Still time for a bit of openness there.

Brian Crowley sounded as if he wished he was somewhere else when he was asked about being in the Liberal group on the Pat Kenny election special from Cork during the week.

http://www.politics.ie/lisbon-treaty...isbon-two.html

[forest]

I would love to do a survey and see how may irish people have heard of ELDER or the UEN

I think its time we introduce laws so on the ballot paper and posters it no longer states

FF
FG
Lab
SF

but

UEN(ELDER)
EPP
PES
GUE/NGL

And yes those laws should be all over europe

[Marlowe]

FF have to be held to account here. If memory serves marian harkin is an ELDR.

The media need to give attention to this.Questions need to be asked of the party leadership.

[pd_phoenix]

There was a thread a while ago about the head of the Liberal Group offering FF money to campaign for a Yes in Lisbon ll. Never did find out how much. Still time for a bit of openness there.

I'd like to see certain people on here who read Libertas and immediately scream 'where did they get their money' question the use of money in the above case

[AlanOB]

I'd like to see Libertas explain whether they stand for portecting Ireland's corporation tax rate or whether they stand for harmonisation of tax like they do in Spain.

That would be a far more pressing question before they go pointing the finger about the allegiances of others.