Mayo Fine Gael TD Michael Ring will not be actively seeking a European nomination but if asked to go for Europe by his party he will give it serious consideration.
That is what he told students in St Louis Community School in Kiltimagh last Friday afternoon.
Deputy Ring confirmed his party have told him to be on “standby” but Fine Gael are currently carrying out internal polls to determine who would be the best candidate to secure them a seat in Brussels.
According to the Westport deputy the most important thing for Fine Gael is to hold their seat but they are concerned about a threat by Libertas founder Declan Ganley who may put his name on the ballot paper.
Dep Ring has one wish to fulfil before he is ready to leave the Dáil and that is to take up a ministerial position. After 14 years in public life his two departments of preference would be environment and transport.
While he would consider putting his name forward for Europe, he doesn’t know if he would be happy there. “Personally I love the Dáil,” he told the CSPE Junior Cert students. “I would consider it but genuinely don’t know what to do. I like the day-to-day politics, the banter, question time, crossfire between parties. I’m not going to a convention looking for a nomination but if they want me to go I’ll consider it.”
