Ireland may lose one MEP as Spain seeks bigger numbers

IRELAND stands to lose a seat in the European Parliament if a proposal from Spain is endorsed during negotiations on the EU Reform Treaty.

Spain is seeking extra MEPs in the parliament to compensate for a four-million population growth in recent years.

Ireland currently has 13 MEPs, down from 15 and is already due to lose one seat in the next elections in 2009, as part of an overall plan to reduce the total number of MEPs which now stands at a mammoth 785.