Cox to stand down from EU post

PRESIDENT of the European Parliament Pat Cox will make his farewell speech today after two and a half years as its president, but his future career path is still uncertain.

The Munster MEP was refusing to give any clues about his intentions last night but the general feeling was he will step down after 15 years in the Parliament.

Today will be the last day in the Parliament for seven of Ireland’s 15 MEPs: John Cushnahan, Joe McCartin and Mary Banotti, Fine Gael; Liam Hyland, Niall Andrews and Jim Fitzsimons, Fianna Fáil; and Nuala Ahern of the Greens will not run again. Neither will John Hume and Ian Paisley in Northern Ireland.