Independent MEP Marian Harkin has announced she will not contest the European Parliament Elections in May.

Marian Harkin is serving her third term as an MEP for the Midlands-Northwest constituency, having been elected in the European elections of 2004, 2009 and 2014.

She also served as a TD for Sligo / Leitrim from 2002 to 2007.

She told Midwest News today that she has served the people of the Midlands, North West constituency for three terms and believes she has made a positive contribution.

She said it's been a tough decision to make, but she believes it's the right decision for her at this time.

Ms Harkin also says she still has a huge interest in politics and aims, in some way, in the future to make a further contribution but has not yet decided what form that might take.

Former MEP Marian Harkin has confirmed she will not be running for Fine Gael in the next General Election.

The Sligo woman had been at the centre of speculation in recent weeks, as the party seeks a running mate to partner Boyle based Senator Frank Feighan in the next race for the Dail.

It had been suggested this week that the ex-MEP, who stepped down from her role in Europe in May’s elections, might be tempted to run for the party, but last night confirmed via twitter that she would not be joining Fine Gael.

Ministers are meeting this morning in what's likely to be the last cabinet meeting of this Government.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is expected to outline his plans for holding a general election.

A senior Fine Gael source has told Midwest News that they expect the Dáil will be dissolved later today, but it could be anytime between now and Thursday, if polling day is to take place on 7th February, as widely expected.

Former MEP Marian Harkin has confirmed she will contest the general election in the Sligo / Leitrim constituency as an independent candidate.

Ms Harkin previously served as a TD for Sligo-Leitrim from 2002 to 2007,and as an MEP for Midlands-Northwest from 2004 until last year's European elections.

The government is being urged to act on new powers it will have to determine VAT rates on defibrillators.

MEPs, who are meeting in Strasbourg, have backed an overhaul of the VAT system across Europe.

Member states will have more flexibility, in certain cases, to decide the rate applied to some products - including defibrillators, which currently attract a 23 per cent rate.

In the past the Irish government has said its hands are tied when it to comes to decision making on VAT.

Independent MEP for Midlands North-West, Marian Harkin, wants the Government to now remove VAT from defibrillators:

Midlands-Northwest MEP  Marian Harkin has not yet decided whether she will contest next year’s European elections.

The Independent MEP has served as a member of the European Parliament since 2004.

Speaking on Midwest Radio’s Tommy Marren show this morning, Marian Harkin said she has not yet reached a decision on standing for election again in 2019….

A change in July to the Social Welfare COVID-19 Amendment Bill could leave recipients of PUP payments liable to substantial tax bills at a time of significant challenge to their incomes.

This warning was issued in the Dail when Sligo Deputy Marian Harkin TD told Minister of State at the Department of Finance Sean Fleming, that clarification was needed on the tax situation which arose from the July change which brought the Pandemic Unemployment Payment scheme (PUP) into the list of social welfare payments and, therefore, taxable.

Deputy Harkin says the PUP payment was classified as an urgent needs payment, and therefore not taxable, and is asking the Minister to clarify if there is change to that position.

She says if the payment was now to be taxable many of the 600,000 recipients would have future tax bills.