The Independents and other party female candidates
There are 10 independent female candidates running, two People Before Profit Alliance female candidates and one Christian Solidarity Party female candidate. Clare Daly Ind (Dublin North)
Airport worker, trade union activist. Member Fingal County Council since 1999. By far the best candidate in Dublin North. Would be a superb addition to the Dáil in support of her party colleague, Joe Higgins. Great chance of being elected. Served a month's imprisonment over the bin-charges campaign. Issues: estate management fees, water charges, the bin tax, fully publicly-funded national health service.
Joan Collins Ind (Dublin South Central)
Member of Dublin City Council since 2004. Maybe the best candidate in Dublin South Central. Left-wing with a long history of local activism. Issues: against closure of Crumlin Children's Hospital, against war in Iraq. More affordable housing and against development without adequate planning.
Roisin Healy Ind (Dublin South Central)
Trained in paediatrics. Roisin retired in January from her position as consultant in charge of the Emergency Department of Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin. Issues: against moving the national chidlrens hospital – wants a review of the decision. Focusing her campaign on children's rights.
Esther Uzell Ind (Dublin South East)
Brother of Joseph Raferty shot dead in April 2005 she claims, by a Sinn Féin member. Running on this issue and says she will give expression to the voice of the voiceless. Seeking to alert the electorate to the "dangers" of voting for Sinn Féin candidate Daithí Doolan. Sinn Féin has denied any republican involvement in the murder.
Catherine Connolly Ind (Galway East)
Resigned from the Labour Party last June to run as an Independent. Member Galway City Council since 1999. Lord Mayor of Galway 2004-2005. Issues: Galway City Council's housing waiting list; public transport for Galway city centre and more social and affordable housing.
Margaret Cox Ind (Galway East)
Businesswoman. Elected to Galway County Council in 1995. Elected to the Seanad in 1997 and 2002. Disappointed as candidate for Fianna Fáil in 2002 election. Resigned from Fianna Fáil in April. Issues: the €3,000 million was promised by the government to the BMW region and not spent, Breastcheck. the Galway City Outer By-pass.
Catherine Murphy Ind (Kildare North)
Member of Kildare county council 1991-2005, elected to the Dáil in 2005 by-election.
She has taken the High Court case with Finian McGrath challenging the constitutionality of the current constituency boundaries. Issues: planning education; waste disposal and recycling.
Beverley Flynn Ind (Mayo)
A Member Mayo County Council 1996-2003. The best candidate in Mayo. A former financial-services manager, and daughter of Padraig Flynn, former Fianna Fáil minister. She was first elected to the Dáil in 1997 for Fianna Fáil. Expelled from the party in April 2001, after failing in her Supreme Court appeal against the loss of her libel action against RTÉ (a jury accepted she had been involved in the sale of illegal financial products). Issues: education, health.
Evelyn Cawley Ind (Wicklow)
Social worker, lecturer in Dublin Institute of Technology; member Greystones Town Council: 1999-2004. Involved in Save Greystones Harbour campaign. Could scupper chances of Deirdre de Burca of the Green Party. Issues: planning, traffic, rail links for commuters.
Mary Roche Ind (Waterford)
Elected to Waterford council in 1999. Resigned from FF in 2003 due to the failure to deliver on the 2002 General Election promise of radiotherapy for Waterford. Issues: Upgrading of Waterford IT to University of the South East. More investment in hospitals in Waterford. Improving facilities for young and old people. Improve rail link to Dublin.
Carmel McKenna People Before Profit Alliance (Wicklow)
A member of the Labour Party for 30 years. She has been fighting to get full A&E service reinstated at Loughlinstown Hospital: it is the only health board area without an A&E paediatric service. This is her main campaign issue. Other issues: childcare – more crèche facilities, get full-time fire service for Bray and North Wicklow, corruption in the planning system.
Brid Smith People Before Profit Alliance (Dublin South Central)
As a trade-union activist she was the first woman shop steward in the National Busworkers Union when she worked in CIE. Involved in the anti-bin tax campaign which has had a huge profile in the Dublin West area. Imprisoned for her part in this campaign in 2003. Issues: bin charges, water charges, overcrowding in hospitals, lack of funding in schools, reduction of the pupil-teacher ratio, crèche facilities.
Mary Doherty Christian Solidarity Party (Donegal North East)
Mary is a retired nurse, has worked in the pro-life campaign for years. Issues: anti-abortion, Catholic morals, reform the health service, more transport for the Donegal area.