Election Daily podcast: Small parties on the attack against independent candidates

Plus talking points from RTÉ's Dublin debate

Listen | 17:34
BrÍd Smith TD of People Before Profit on the campaign trail in Moore Street Dublin ahead of the European Elections. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
BrÍd Smith TD of People Before Profit on the campaign trail in Moore Street Dublin ahead of the European Elections. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times

Hugh Linehan is joined by Jennifer Bray and Pat Leahy to discuss Wednesday on the campaign trail:

Independent candidates are “wolves in sheep’s clothing”, warned People Before Profit at a campaign event today. What does that mean, and why are the small parties so worried about the impact of this rag-tag category of opponent on election day?

The Nitrates Derogation is something that matters hugely to rural Ireland, so in election week you don’t want to wade into controversy over whether it should be retained, as Fianna Fáil’s Chris Andrews discovered today.

Plus: An element of Pat’s analysis of the Dublin European election came in for sharp criticism from Social Democrats candidate Sinéad Gibney when she was asked about it by RTE’s Sarah McInerney during a televised debate.