Flanagan urges fellow Irish MEPs not to support von der Leyen

Speaking after he was deemed elected, Luke "Ming" Flanagan thanked voters who had placed their trust in him and pledged that he would not let them down.

He paid an emotional tribute to his late parents and father-in-law, saying he missed them particularly at a time like this.

The Roscommon native urged his fellow Irish MEPs not to support the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission, accusing her of giving "unconditional support for Israel's genocide".

Mr Flanagan said his immediate priorities were to secure a place on the EU Agriculture Committee, to get justice for farmers in the region and to use the Petitions Committee to get support for those whose homes were impacted by defective concrete blocks.