Republican candidates for European Elections

The following are brief profiles of the republican candidates for the elections to the European parliament, to be held on June 10 in the Six Counties and June 11 in the 26 Counties.

Mary Lou McDonald - SF, Dublin

Mary Lou McDonald is a member of the Sinn Fein Ard Chomhairle and the party's candidate for Dublin in next years European elections.

She is married to Martin Lanigan and they have a baby daughter. Educated in Trinity College, Dublin, the University of Limerick and Dublin City University Mary Lou has studied English Literature, European Integration Studies and Human Resource Management.

She previously worked as a consultant for the Irish Productivity Centre, a researcher for the Institute of European Affairs and a trainer in the trade union sponsored Partnership Unit of the Educational and Training Services Trust.

She is the Sinn Fein representative for Dublin West and is keenly involved in many local community groups. She is a member of the Sinn Fein Ard Chomhairle and the party representative to the National Forum on Europe. She currently works for the party in co-ordinating the work of Sinn Fein elected representatives across the island.

Bairbre de Brun - SF, Six County

Bairbre de Brun is the Sinn Fein spokesperson on equality and human rights and is an Assembly member for West Belfast. Born in Dublin, she lives in the Andersonstown area of Belfast. She is a teacher by profession and taught in the growing sector of Irish medium education. Bairbre began her political career as a member of the National Committee against the H-Blocks and Armagh Gaol in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She worked in the Women's Department and was head of both the Cultural and International Departments.

She is a fluent Irish speaker and an expert in human rights and equality issues. She is a member of the Ard Chomhairle and of the Sinn Fein negotiating team and has travelled extensively both in Ireland and abroad to promote the peace process. Elected as a Sinn Fein Assembly member for West Belfast in 1998, Bairbre was nominated by the party to the newly formed Executive as Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

John Dwyer - SF, East

Councillor John Dwyer is the party's EU spokesperson on Employment, Workers' Rights and the Environment. Previously a Health and Safety Officer, he has been a trade union official for 17 years. He has been a member of Sinn Fein's ruling Ard Chomhairle and one of the party's key strategists.

John has been the driving force behind acclaimed and creative solutions to a wide range of problems. These include getting local councils to buy private developments to meet social housing needs and for councils to impose levies on derelict sites to stop land speculation and get land banks into use for housing. He is also to the fore in health and environmental campaigns.

A member of New Ross Town Council since 1999, John was educated in New Ross CBS, Waterford Institute of Technology and UCD. He is married to Lorraine and has four children.

Pearse Doherty - SF, Northwest

Pearse Doherty, from Gweedore, is 26 years of age and is the Sinn Fein representative for Donegal South West. A civil engineer by profession, Pearse is a committed Gaeilgeoir and a member of MIJAG, the national group that campaigns against the high cost of motor insurance.

He is involved in many campaigns working to bring forward innovative proposals to develop the North West as a whole and one of his main priorities is job creation

Ta Piaras, ata cailithe mar innealtoir sibhialta, ina bhall de Sinn Fein o 1994. Bhi se ar dhuine de chomhbhunaitheoiri Ogra Shinn Fein, ait a raibh freagrachtai aige mar oifigeach feachtais agus slogaidh ar an Choiste.

David Cullinane - SF, South

David Cullinane is the Sinn Fein representative for Waterford and is a member of the party's Ard Chomhairle. He is also keenly involved in Munster Sinn Fein and is a leading player in its re-development.

He played a leading role in the first and second Nice Treaty referendum campaigns and is involved in the campaign to secure a radiotherapy unit in the South East.

David was educated at St Pauls Community College Lisduggan and later at the Dublin Institute of Technology studying management. David is a student of the School of Philosophy and Economic Science. He is currently employed as Assistant Spare Parts Manager at Autoboland Garage Waterford.

David is actively involved in community development. He is a Director and Management Committee member of the Larchville & Lisduggan Community Development Project. David is a committee member of Waterford Against Racism, a broad-based group set up to combat racism.

He was the party's candidate for Waterford in the 2002 General Election and received 2,955 votes.

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