Sinn Féin’s MEPs have got ‘stuck in’ to committee work and are finding much common ground on both sides of the border to defend at EU level, writes Europe Correspondent Ann Cahill

A close look at Sean Sherlock, Alan Kelly and Michael McCarthy

IRELAND had some of the best performers in the European Parliament over the past term, punching above their weight and taking full advantage of the huge additional powers the MEPs have gained.

Mary Fitzpatrick smiles down in splendid isolation from the ESB poles of Main Street, Swords. She is alone among Euro election candidates in occupying high vantage on the thoroughfare. All the other posters are for the locals, candidates of a lesser political god, but perhaps one that has far more relevance to the lives of the voters.

I SAID last week that it’s amazing how events can overshadow an election campaign. Last weekend, of course, it was the arrest of Sinn Féin party leader, Gerry Adams. But this past weekend’s events make you wonder whether we are living in a democracy at all.

The cost of paying pensions to former ministers has fallen by almost €700,000 to just over €3.7m over the past three years.

Coalition parties have stuck with sitting MEPs to run in the looming Euro polls.

Junior Finance Minister Brian Hayes has denied his decision to seek a Fine Gael nomination to run for the European Parliament is because he took part in the failed 2010 heave against party leader Enda Kenny.

Junior finance minister Brian Hayes has insisted he will not be bounced into standing for Fine Gael in the European elections.

Former presidents, ministers, and judicial office holders cost the taxpayer €15.6m in pension and severance payments last year, according to figures released yesterday.

The figures show that while numerous former ministers enjoy huge pensions, some are volunteering money back to the State because of the condition of the public finances.

The son of former Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa has been found not guilty through insanity of assaulting his father in their Dublin home.

The son of former Labour MEP Proinsias de Rossa has today been found not guilty of an assault on his father, by reason of insanity.

A court has today heard psychiatric evidence that the son of the former Labour MEP Proinsias de Rossa suffered from schizoaffective disorder when he carried out a frenzied attack on his father.

A jury is being asked to decide if the son of former Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa was insane when he assaulted his father in their Dublin home.

A jury is being asked to decide if the son of former Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa was insane when he assaulted his father in their Dublin home.

A jury has been sworn in to try the son of former Labour MEP Proinsías de Rossa for an attack on his father.

There is a raft of helicopters at the ready to transport EU leaders to their summit today if the road from the airport is blocked due to a general strike by Belgian unions.

THIS time last year we were on the verge of the announcement of a general election and the prospect of the ousting of Fianna Fáil.

THE Government could accept a ban on Ireland and other eurozone countries accessing the EU’s aid fund if they do not adopt the new treaty, according to Finance Minister Michael Noonan.

A son of Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa, who is charged with assaulting his father, is fit to stand trial, a judge was told today.

FINANCE Minister Michael Noonan travels to Berlin today to convince his German counterpart not to force a referendum on Ireland.

THE resignation of MEP Proinsias De Rossa has led to a row over how his successor as Labour delegation leader should be chosen.

The Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa has announced that he is stepping down from the European Parliament next month.

VETERAN Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa is to quit his post next month after nearly 13 years in Brussels.

Former Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello is expected to replace Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa when he steps down as an MEP next month.

Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa is to step down as a Member of the European Parliament next month.

A son of Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa, who is charged with assaulting his father, is to spend Christmas on remand in the Central Mental Hospital.

THE secretary general of the Department of Finance, Kevin Cardiff was cleared to become a member of the EU Court of Auditors by the European Parliament amid claims of political abuse and intimidation by some MEPs.

A SON of Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa, who is charged with assaulting his father, was “not fit” to attend his court hearing yesterday as he is receiving “ongoing psychiatric treatment”.

A son of Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa, who is charged with assaulting his father, was “not fit” to attend his court hearing today as he is receiving “ongoing psychiatric treatment”.

TAOISEACH Enda Kenny has refused to say if the Government will proceed with Kevin Cardiff’s nomination to a lucrative EU post after he was rejected at a key stage of the process.

The European Parliament's Budgetary Control Committee has rejected by one vote the appointment of Kevin Cardiff to the European Court of Auditors.

A SON of a Labour MEP who is charged with assaulting his father has been transferred to the Central Mental Hospital for treatment.

A SCHEME to make millions of euro available for nationwide high-speed broadband, cheap green energy and fast transport links to the centre of Europe has been welcome by the Government as a vital step toward creating growth and jobs.

Labour Party MEP Proinsias de Rossa has welcoming the commitment from the EU Commission President to keep Greece in the Eurozone.

The hard line being taken by Berlin against Irish demands to lower the bailout interest rate is a mistake, according to Labour Party MEP Proinsias de Rossa.

THE creativity and innovation skills needed to foster economic growth feature less than the EU average in Irish schools programmes, an international study has found.

IRELAND should automatically get a 1% reduction in the interest rate on its EU loan after June, European Commission sources have confirmed.

THE new Government got advance warning from the European Commission last night that it cannot change the goalposts of the agreement for the€67 billion EU-IMF loan.

It is understood a deal on the future coalition government can be reached by the end of today, although there are still some outstanding issues between Fine Gael and Labour.

“A GOOD start, but more to do” was the response from Brussels on the Government’s four-year programme.

MUCH of the €25 million being paid out by the EU to help get laid-off Irish workers back into employment may have to be returned, MEPs have warned.

TÁNAISTE Mary Coughlan has been accused of failing former SR Technics workers with delays while she was in charge of the Department of Enterprise meaning that much of a €7.5 million retraining fund supplied by the EU may have to be returned unspent.