Posted online: Jun 9th, 2009

By Meghan Volang
Reporter

SLIGO based Independent Marian Harkin has topped the poll for the North West constituency in the European elections with over 121,672 votes.
Following a recount, courtesy of Libertas frontman Declan Ganley, it was announced yesterday that Marian Harkin, Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher (FF), and Jim Higgins (FG) are the MEPs for the North West.
Delighted, MEP Harkin told the Sligo Post that she was grateful and very appreciative for the tremendous support the people in Co. Sligo and Co. Leitrim showed throughout the campaign and that their votes deemed extremely precious.
The Irish indigenous industry, farmers’ needs and the review of the fisheries are some of the issues that Mrs Harkin wishes to tackle in the coming months.
“Right now it’s all about the economy and what we can do at European level to support the Irish economy. A number of schemes such as the globalisation funds are instrumental in the process,” she told the Post.
First elected to the European Parliament in 2004, her experience and knowledge will undoubtedly bare its fruits this coming term:
“It will certainly be of good benefit to have previous knowledge of how the system works in the first coming months, as this will help get things moving,” she said.
Also in the run for a seat in the European Parliament was Sligo’s Susan O’Keefe, of the Labour party, who despite a good campaign, did not win a seat and her 9,623 votes were transferred to MEP Marian Harkin.
All hope was not lost for Fianna Fail TD Pat the Cope, Co. Donegal with 120,930 votes. Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins, from Co. Mayo, got 120,185 votes.
Eleven counties are now part of this constituency, which includes the recent additions of Westmeath and Longford.
Despite failing to reach the quota, the three candidates were elected after the sixth count following the elimination of Libertas leader Declan Ganley (84,277 votes).