A CONFERENCE on neutrality kept a Green Party MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, from returning from Brussels in time to vote. Ms McKenna has defended her decision to remain at the European Parliament session in Brussels rather than come home to vote on Thursday.

Ms McKenna, the Independent MEP, Mr Pat Cox, and the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, Mr Lowry, all failed to exercise their civil right because of commitments abroad.

Ms McKenna said she had to chair and speak at separate sessions of a European Maastricht critics' debate on the Inter-Governmental Conference on Thursday afternoon. She was responding to criticism by the Fianna Fail MEP, Mr Niall Andrews, who attended a morning plenary session in Brussels before flying to Dublin. Mr Cox, who had intended to vote No, said a flight delay from Heathrow prevented him from making his local polling booth in time.