MEPS defend low rate of attendance

IRISH MEPs were on the defensive yesterday after it emerged that they had some of the lowest attendance rates of any members of the European Parliament.

Analysis of the sign-in sheets at the parliament in Strasbourg showed Ireland’s 13 MEPs had an attendance rate of 88%, the sixth lowest of the 25 member states.

Marian Harkin, Independent MEP for Connacht/ Ulster, turned up least regularly of the Irish members, with an attendance rate of 74%, but her constituency colleague, Fianna Fáil MEP Seán Ó Neachtain, had the highest record at 95%.