Centre-right conservative parties are expected to remain the biggest political group in the European Parliament, with Ireland among the eight countries where they will be returned.

THE running of the European Parliament costs every person in the 27 states €3 a year, but very few of the near half billion citizens actually know whether this is good value, or even what they get for it.

A WEBSITE that shows exactly how MEPs vote and how often they attend parliament sessions was launched yesterday, and immediately led to a row between Irish politicians, and changes to the site.