OUTGOING MEPS: Brian Crowley, Colm Burke, Kathy Sinnott
Dan Boyle
Green Party
The Green Party chairman and first party member to be elected to Cork City Council in 1991. He served as a councillor until 2002, when he was elected to Dáil Éireann for the constituency of Cork South Central. He served as party whip and finance spokesman but failed to retain his seat in 2007 and was appointed to the Seanad. www.danboyle.ie
Colm Burke
Fine Gael
The 52-year-old was appointed to the European Parliament as Fine Gael's MEP for Ireland South following Simon Coveney's election to Dáil Éireann in 2007. He is a former Lord Mayor of Cork and is an outgoing member of European Parliament committees on Foreign Affairs, Consumer Protection and Fisheries. www.colmburke.eu/
Brian Crowley
Fianna Fáil
He served as a Senator in 1993 prior to his election as an MEP and was a member of President McAleese's Council of State between 1997 and 2004. A resident of Douglas in Co Cork, he is currently co-president of the Union of Europe of the Nations Group in the European Parliament. www.briancrowleymep.ie
Toireasa Ferris
Sinn Féin
Aged 29, she became a member of Kerry County Council in 2003. She retained the seat in the 2004 local elections and was appointed a member of Tralee Town Council last year. A graduate of University of Limerick and Queens University, Belfast, where she studied International Human Rights and Criminal Justice. www.sinnfein.ie/elections
Alan Kelly
Labour Party
The 33-year-old north Tipperary man is the current Labour Seanad spokesman on finance and local government. A graduate of University College Cork and University College Dublin. Last year, he topped the Standards in Public Office Commission list for disclosable political donations with €35,310. www.alankelly.ie
Seán Kelly
Fine Gael
As GAA president from 2003-2006, he was credited with opening the doors of Croke Park to soccer and rugby. The former teacher is running for Europe for the first time. He has stressed his interest in policies on agriculture, education, fisheries and sport. He is a Killarney resident and voted Kerry Person of the Year in 2008. www.seankelly.finegael.ie
Ned O'Keeffe
Fianna Fáil
A farmer and businessman, he was first elected to Dáil Éireann for the Cork East constituency in 1982. He is a former Minister of State for Agriculture and Food and served as a Senator in 1982. The 66-year-old lives in Mitchelstown and was a member of Cork County Council from 1985-97. www.fiannafail.ie/people/ned-okeeffe
Kathy Sinnott
Independent
The 58-year-old disability rights campaigner first ran for office in the 2002 general election, but narrowly lost out following a recount. She won a seat in the 2004 European elections after polling some 90,000 first preference votes. She campaigned against the Lisbon Treaty, both in Ireland and Brussels, last year.www.kathysinnott.ie
Alexander Stafford
Independent
He is a consultant radiologist based in Limerick city who is running for political office for the first time. The 58-year-old has called for equal access to the health service. He is a fellow of the Faculty of Radiologists and a former head of radiology at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital. www.drstafford.ie
OTHER CANDIDATES WHO DECLARED YESTERDAY
Maurice Sexton- Independent