Alignment with parliament groupings vital for parties

SINN FÉIN could end up sitting where the Reverend Ian Paisley sat in the European Parliament if it wins a seat in the elections. But so could the MEPs from Fianna Fáil.

The political group to which an MEP in the new 732-member parliament belongs is vital when it comes to promoting interests in the increasingly powerful European Parliament.

The groups decide who sits on the president's bureau, divide out the influential chairmanships of the parliament's committees, appoint the members to these committees and set the agenda for the plenary sessions in the parliament, including allocating speaking time to MEPs.

The more important posts are divided out among the larger groups which also take the lion's share of seats on committees. And with Ireland having just 13 seats, it is all the more important to capitalise on the power political groups can give competent MEPs.

Fianna Fáil tends to be on the sidelines in the parliament because it does not belong to one of the more powerful groups.

National political parties choose their political group when their country joins the EU but Fianna Fáil lost out when they were beaten by Fine Gael to the group where they might feel most comfortable, the European People's Party (EPP).

After the 1999 election this group, made up of parties of the right and centre, were the largest in the parliament with 37% of the seats, a gain of 52.

Former Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader John Bruton benefited from the clout of belonging to such a big party when he was put on the praesidium the organising inner group that came up with the European Constitution due to be agreed by heads of government next week in Brussels.

Instead Fianna Fáil has been left joining ad-hoc groups formed after parliament elections. In 1999 it ended up with the union for a Europe of Nations Group (UEN) at the time led by 13 French nationalist MEPs and a group of Italians, Portuguese and Danes.

It is generally opposed to further EU integration.

Sinn Féin would like to join one of the two Green groups in the parliament the Confederal Group of European United Left and Nordic Green Left (GUE) that brings together Scandinavian left/green and communist parties from France, Greece and Portugal.

As the only 32-county political party, Sinn Féin is expected to do well in the polls and win at least a seat in the North tomorrow. They have had discussions with the GUE group.

The Labour party fits easily into the Party of European Socialists that is the second largest group in the parliament with 180 seats. It lost its status as the largest group in 1999, and is not expected to regain it this time. Dublin MEP Pronsias De Rossa has been one of its vice- presidents over the past five years.

The Progressive Democrats affiliated themselves to the Liberal group the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR) and Pat Cox has been a member since becoming an MEP 15 years ago. With just 8% or 50 seats it held the balance of power in the outgoing parliament allowing chairman, Mr Cox to negotiate a deal with the largest EPP group that saw him hold parliament presidency for a half-term.

The Greens are a mixture of Green Party members from a number of countries including Ireland and regional parties including from the Basque country, Scotland and Wales.