Your MEPs – Do you know what they do?

Given that MEPs spend much of their time working in Brussels and Strasbourg, they don't always make the headlines at home.

And yet, the record shows, Members of the European Parliament are amongst the most hard working politicians anywhere; for example, the current crop of the 13 Irish MEPs have a stunning attendance record – around 90% and, in some cases, higher.

And, as to the alleged champagne lifestyle – well, the European Parliament, with its 785 deputies and nearly 5,000 staff costs each EU citizen the princely sum of € 3 per year. To put this in perspective, the budget of the entire European Union costs each citizen € 235 per year – or 1% of gross national income across the 27 member states, a tiny proportion of what we all pay in taxes.