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Irish 'cold-storage' MEPs Deirdre Clune and Barry Andrews have taken their seats

Fianna Fáil’s Barry Andrews has given his first address to parliament after what he called “a tough week” for his party.

IRISH MEPS WHO were elected to the European Parliament last May, but couldn’t take part until the UK officially left the EU, have finally taken their seats. 

Fine Gael’s Deirdre Clune and Fianna Fáil’s Barry Andrews are able to take up their roles as MEPs this week, and have taken part in the first plenary session of the European Parliament without the UK.

They haven’t been paid as MEPs since being elected. Clune, as a former MEP, was entitled to ‘transitional’ pay for 6 months after the last parliament dissolved.

Because of their election on 24 May last year, but the uncertainty of Brexit, it’s lead to the nickname ‘cold-storage- MEPs – meaning their tenure as a political representative had been put on hold until the UK agreed on the conditions under which it would leave.

This week

One of the first debates that Clune and Andrews will take part in is a resolution on the proposed mandate for trade negotiations between the EU and UK tomorrow.

Other issues up for discussion this week include the coronavirus, pet trafficking and threats posed by artificial intelligence.

In his first address to parliament, Andrews asked EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier to “continue to talk about the UK as a trading partner, and not a trading competitor, and not to imagine that the UK has to be punished in order for the EU to thrive”.

‘Brexit’ officially happened on 31 January this year; nothing much has changed because the UK is still a part of the EU’s Custom Union and Single Market.

The UK’s representation in the European Parliament – its 73 MEPs – was retracted after this, meaning other countries will get now get a few new MEP in their place.

27 of the UK’s seats will be redistributed among 14 EU member states, increasing Ireland’s representation from 11 MEPs to 13.

The remaining 46 UK seats have been set aside for future allocations should new member states join the EU.

- with reporting from Adam Daly

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    Mute liam ward60
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    Dec 4th 2018, 7:57 AM

    Why do reporters encourage people to bring brollys with them in the wind and rain do they not know people don’t know how to use brollys properly

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    Mute Dearbhla Russell
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    Dec 4th 2018, 8:21 AM

    @liam ward60: everyones cranky on a tuesday.

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    Mute Josephine Carroll
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    Dec 4th 2018, 8:26 AM

    @liam ward60: especially the big ones …i seen a woman getting a nasty tip on the head with one and your one with umbrella just walked on…..

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Dec 4th 2018, 9:25 AM

    @Dearbhla Russell: eck you . Who you calling cranky? Im skakingvmy brolly at you .

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Dec 4th 2018, 1:29 PM

    @Dave Barrett: going to stir it up now! So is that two things women should not allowed have with out reading the instruction manual.

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    Mute Frank Martin
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    Dec 4th 2018, 8:56 AM

    Wow. Rain and cold weather!!! In Ireland!!! In December!!!!

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Dec 4th 2018, 9:30 AM

    @Frank Martin: possible flooding is always worth warning people about

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    Mute Colm O'Leary
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    Dec 4th 2018, 11:12 AM

    @Frank Martin: yes! Who’d have thought it?

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Dec 4th 2018, 1:00 PM

    @Frank Martin: well its certainly cool and now its rainibg here in the capital..Cork

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    Mute jmc1189
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    Dec 4th 2018, 11:30 PM

    @Dave Barrett: Capital of what? Hills?

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    Mute Josh Hanners
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    Dec 4th 2018, 5:20 PM

    “Windy” and “Umbrella” don’t belong in the same sentence.

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    Mute Ray Jakans
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    Dec 4th 2018, 2:10 PM

    2 days ago you said there is gonna be a snow, now rain?

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    Mute Ed
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    Dec 4th 2018, 7:36 PM

    A grand soft day.

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    Mute pbyrne
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    Dec 4th 2018, 9:12 PM

    Gonna get windy!

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