As someone who is not in any of the golden circles of power and influence, I know what it's like to be kept in the dark about issues and decisions that affect me. My first priority as an MEP would be to let the people of Dublin know about issues that affect them before they come up for discussion.

I'm a Euro-Realist but I am worried, as are many responsible people, by the scale and speed of monetary and political integration. Why the rush to join the PfP? Whether it's a good or bad thing, why not discuss the implications of joining the PfP publicly, something the Taoiseach was prepared to do when in opposition.

Our four sitting Dublin MEPs recently all approved a report which recommended the extension of abortion to all EU countries. I'm standing on behalf of those who respect human life in all its stages.