Fine Gael continues its attacks on Nessa Childers

DOYLE CRITICISM: FINE GAEL has intensified its attacks upon Labour’s European Parliament candidate for the East Nessa Childers…

DOYLE CRITICISM:FINE GAEL has intensified its attacks upon Labour's European Parliament candidate for the East Nessa Childers.

On Saturday, outgoing Fine Gael MEP Avril Doyle said Ms Childers was “a Foxrock girl” who was being used by Labour to attract a Fianna Fáil vote because she is the daughter of the late President of Ireland Erskine Childers.

Asked if he defended Ms Doyle’s attack, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the Wexford-based MEP was “certainly speaking from a position of experience and information here”.

Fine Gael has moved to increase the attacks upon Ms Childers, who has featured strongly in opinion polls, following gaffes made on a local radio interview on Friday.

Speaking on KCLR Radio, Ms Childers said she did not “have a huge knowledge about agriculture”, and said she was “not quite sure” what a question from a listener about the live export of cattle was about.

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Mark Hennessy

Mark Hennessy

Mark Hennessy is Ireland and Britain Editor with The Irish Times