MEP revels away from ‘party politics games’

When he was elected to the European Parliament in May, Brian Hayes decided to immerse himself in a new environment, reports Europe Correspondent Ann Cahill

Irish members of the European Parliament are playing party politics when they should be pulling together as part of ‘team Ireland’, according to newcomer Brian Hayes.

The former junior minister in the Department of Finance took the unusual step of moving his family to Brussels after he won a seat for Fine Gael in Dublin in May. He has been on a steep learning curve since, having succeeded in getting a seat on the prestigious economics committee in the parliament of 751 members.