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Wed 09 Sep 2007Fine Gael blames Roche as State unlikely to gain MEPOpposition parties have criticised the Government for doing "too little, too late" in its bid to secure an extra seat at the European Parliament. Fine Gael and Labour both said the Government had been disappointingly slow in lobbying Brussels to get one of 16 extra seats at the parliament that will become available from 2009.The criticism came as the parliament's constitutional affairs committee recommended Ireland's representation should remain at 12 seats after the next European elections. In contrast, Spain, France, Britain, Austria, Poland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Bulgaria, Latvia and Sweden would win extra seats under its proposal.