The fact that information regarding the itinerary of a public visit by the EU Agriculture Commissioner, Mariann Fischer-Boel to the North and West of Ireland was classified as private and unavailable to a local MEP, was described as 'astonishing' by North and West Independent MEP, Marian Harkin.

Speaking in the European Parliament today, Marian Harkin expressed her astonishment that despite contact with the European Commission office in Dublin and five telephone calls to the Commission Office in Brussels, she was unable to obtain any information regarding the Commissioner's visit.

'Agriculture is a very important issue in my constituency and I considered that a bit of joined-up thinking and working together would be in everybody's interest. As a messenger from the people and a link to the European institutions, I could not believe it when my office was informed that, even though this was a public visit with public engagements, the information was private and unavailable to me, as a member of the European Parliament' said Marian Harkin.

'Is this the same Commission with the 'Plan D for Dialogue and Debate'? - is this the same Commission that asks MEPs to communicate the benefits of European and then firmly shuts the door on those MEPs when visiting their local area?' questioned MEP Harkin. 'I had to wait until Saturday's paper to read the details of the Commissioner's itinerary - what was 'private ' on Friday was public on Saturday - indeed this information was  given to journalists on Thursday and Friday - why not to MEPs?

Speaking after her contribution in the Parliament, Marian Harkin said that while the visit to Cavan and Donegal was most welcome and long overdue, a refusal to divulge any details of her visit to elected members of the Parliament, clearly demonstrates contempt for the role of parliamentarians by the European Commission.