Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Selfie central

It's the first day of the new European Parliament and these Irish MEPs were really excited

It’s all happening in Strasbourg…

Updated 3.47pm

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT met for the first time since May’s elections with Ireland’s 11 MEPs taking their seats in Strasbourg this morning.

The first day saw the newbies taking part in the vote for the new president of the European Parliament with Martin Schutlz winning with 409 votes.

The make-up of the Irish contingent on the continent has changed dramatically with Labour losing all its MEPs and Sinn Féin returning three in the Republic.

When you include Northern Ireland’s Martina Anderson that makes four and means that a selfie becomes all the more difficult.

But they pulled it off:

Midlands North West MEP Matt Carthy is only buzzing:

Fine Gael returned four MEPs including the newly-elected Deirdre Clune in Ireland South and Brian Hayes in Dublin.

Both were all smiles as they arrived in the French city this morning:

For Ireland South MEP Seán Kelly it’s familiar territory having retained the seat he first won in 2009:

He knows what he’s doing and he knows what he needs:

Meanwhile Nessa Childers was the surprise package in Dublin where she took one of the three seats in the capital, edging out Eamon Ryan.

She retained an MEP seat she first won as a Labour candidate in 2009 so this is all familiar to her too. But the independent still seemed pretty excited about this:

This is also familiar territory for independent Marian Harkin who won a third term in May and was taking note of some “wise words” this morning:

Finally, Luke Ming Flanagan told his Facebook followers he voted for Dimitris Papadimoulis for one of the vice presidents positions in the Parliament. He also explained why he only arrived after Martin Schulz was already elected:

In case you can’t read it, here’s what he had to say:

Earlier Martin Schulz a German Socialist was elected to the position of President. Unfortunately due to my wife, who is pregnant, becoming ill on Sunday it was only possible for me to get here after the vote. Happy to report that my wife is now in much better form and the baby(in the womb) too!

First published 12.49pm

Read: It’s now cheaper to use your phone in the EU

Read: Here are 10 things we’ve learned from the 2014 European elections

Your Voice
Readers Comments
26
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.