Pat Cox

An MEP can have more influence, by far, than a backbench TD here.

We saw it in an extreme case with John Hume, who became one of the most influential MEPs, or Pat Cox, who was elected as an Independent and became President of Parliament.

So that's an example of how we must be serious and to elect MEPs who understand Europe, who are serious about it, who want to become rapporteurs on subjects that can interact with IBEC and other organisations rather than people who will parade on the domestic stage as if that's what it was all about.

So the process for Ireland and Europe has to start in homes and schools and universities.

You'll remember perhaps Catherine Day, who's a former secretary general of the European Commission.

We had Pat Cox, who was previously president of the European Parliament.

We have, of course, other players in terms of David O'Sullivan, who is currently working on sanctions.

For the EU, we had Mairead McGuinness, who is both Parliament and the Commission, and we have our current, of course, reigning commissioner, Michael McGrath, who has also been visiting here in Eurofant and has spoken to us in this studio.