Nina Carberry, one of two candidates put forward by Fine Gael for the upcoming European elections, has denied there is any strategy to pairing her with Maria Walsh. Ms Carberry told the Joe Finnegan Show that although Maria lives on the west of the vast constituency and she on the east, both candidates are seeking individual success and will represent all constituents if successful.
While the former jockey said she and her colleague are "perfectly geographically placed", she said there was "not so much" strategy or vote management by Fine Gael in the party's decision to run both in this election. Fine Gael won two seats during the last European election This time, Sinn Féin are also running two candidates, and Fianna Fáil are running three this time.
The 2022 winner of Dancing with Stars also laughed off suggestions she was a star candidate high on profile, short on substance: "Ah, I've lots of substance," she said, "I have been a jockey, took out my licence at 16 and fought my corner in a very male-dominated sport and, I think I've achieved a lot in that. I won an Irish Grand national and followed in the footsteps of my two brothers who previously won it, and my Dad, and for me to be only the second woman to do that I am very proud of that and, as you mentioned, I've had successes in Cheltenham, which, is at the highest level; and I am very proud of the path I've paved in sport for women and they've achieved more than me since so, I'm very proud of that, too."
