MEP

MEP's from Ireland
North & South

News from Irish in EU
Add a link

Sep 2006:

As Mary Harney - Irish Tanaiste - stands down as both Leader of Progressive Democrats and as Irish Tanaiste, Michael McDowell is likely to take over the mantle of the smaller Government party.

Meanwhile,
In the European Parliament,
Proinsias de Rossa,
Speaking at the European Parliament plenary meeting in Strasbourg stated "President Bush has confirmed,... that the USA has operated secret, illegal detention centres run by the CIA, and where suspects have been held and interrogated without the protection of international law... There is strong circumstantial evidence that some are in Europe."

MEP Mairead McGuinness tells the Agricultural Science Association
"Securing new energy supplies and keeping a lid on costs is vital for the future economic growth of the EU"

"The baby before birth is the most vulnerable human being, unable to speak on its own behalf and in need of the strongest possible advocacy at UN level, Council of Europe level, EU level and state level, and at every level within the state." MEP Kathy Sinnott in Geneva June '06

MICROSOFT FINES UNFAIR AND UNJUSTIFIED
"It appears unnecessary and unjust and raises fundamental questions about the entire process. Imposing fines even before Microsoft has been allowed to deliver the last package makes the process appear a charade and appears to infringe on the natural justice that all companies should be entitled to before the EU." Brian Crowley MEP

Check Here for further details

20 Mar 2005:

Proinsias De Rossa calls EU to end Voter Discrimination in Ireland,
AND gets EP Employment Committee backing to protect Public Services

Proinsias De Rossa, Labour MEP for Dublin, has called for an immediate end to discrimination against non-nationals residents who want to register to vote.

"I applaud the European Commission which has today undertaken to raise this matter directly with the Ireland's Permanent Representative to the European Union. I hope their intervention will lead to an immediate end to this unacceptable practice which amounts to voter discrimination.

Mr De Rossa is a member of the European Parliament's Petitions Committee which has received a complaint that the registration procedure non-nationals are asked to undertake is discriminatory. In order to register to vote in elections to the European Parliament non-nationals must fill in form EP1 which contains a statutory declaration that must be signed by a notary public, a peace commissioner or a commissioner for oaths. However the voter has to pay for the services of either a notary public or a commissioner for oaths.

Speaking after the Petitions Committee meeting in Brussels Mr De Rossa said "It is totally outrageous that while some of us are doing our best to tackle the democratic deficit the Irish Government is placing obstacles in the way of people wanting to exercise their right to vote. The right to vote should be free to everyone and should never carry a price-tag. The Government must end this discriminatory practice at once.

....
EP supports De Rossa call for protection of Public Services

The European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee has today adopted a call by Proinsias De Rossa, Labour MEP for Dublin, for a Framework Directive on Public Services.

Speaking in Brussels just after the Committee voted overwhelmingly in favour of his report, Mr De Rossa said "I am delighted that the Employment Committee has come out so strongly in favour of clarity and protection for public services. I hope that Commissioner McCreevy pays attention to this vote and recognises that he can't continue to play games on this crucially important issue."

Mr De Rossa's report calls for a framework directive which would emphasise universal access to quality services. It also calls for exclusion of public services of general interest from the scope of the Services Directive.

Referring to Commissioner McCreevy's belated acknowledgement that the draft Services Directive proposed by his predecessor is woefully inadequate Mr De Rossa said "It's now high time for Charlie McCreevy to take a fresh look at this whole issue. He has a unique opportunity to introduce measures to give everybody the right to avail of quality public services delivered by workers enjoying proper employment conditions. I just hope he listens to today's strong message from the European Parliament's Employment Committee.

Further information available on Proinsias De Rossa's website at www.derossa.com

19th Nov 2004:
So now that the 16 MEP's have had a few months to settle in to their new posts, let's have a look at what European Party, and committees and delegations each is on:

Mr James NICHOLSON
Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats, Member EPP-ED
European Parliament, Quaestor
Parliament's Bureau, Quaestor
Quaestors, Member
Committee on Regional Development, Member
Committee on Agriculture, Substitute
Committee on Fisheries, Substitute
Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand, Member
Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula, Substitute
Delegation for relations with the United States, Substitute
Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Substitute

Mr James Hugh ALLISTER
Non-attached Members, Member (NI)
European Parliament, Member
Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Member
Committee on Fisheries, Member
Committee on International Trade, Substitute
Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Member

Mrs Bairbre de BRÚN
Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left, Member (EUL/NGL)
European Parliament, Member
Committee on Regional Development, Member
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Substitute
Delegation for relations with the United States, Member
Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America, Substitute

Mr Liam AYLWARD
Union for Europe of the Nations Group, Member UEN
European Parliament, Member
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Member
Committee on Agriculture, Substitute
Committee on Fisheries, Substitute
Delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Substitute
Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Member

Mr Eoin RYAN
Union for Europe of the Nations Group, Member UEN
European Parliament, Member
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, Member
Committee on Development, Substitute
Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Member
Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Substitute

Mr Gay MITCHELL
Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats, Member EPP-ED
European Parliament, Member
Committee on Development, Member
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, Member
Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China, Substitute
Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Vice-president

Mr Proinsias DE ROSSA
Socialist Group in the European Parliament, Member PES
European Parliament, Member
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Member
Committee on Petitions, Member
Committee on Foreign Affairs, Substitute
Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council, Vice-Chairman

Mrs Mary Lou McDONALD
Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left, Member of the Bureau (EUL/NGL)
European Parliament, Member
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Member
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Substitute
Delegation for relations with Switzerland, Iceland and Norway and to the European Economic Area (EEA) Joint Parliamentary Committee, Member
Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, Substitute

Mrs Mairead McGUINNESS
Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats, Member EPP-ED
European Parliament, Member
Committee on Agriculture, Member
Committee on Petitions, Member
Committee on Budgets, Substitute
Delegation to the EU-Romania Joint Parliamentary Committee, Member
Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand, Substitute

Mrs Avril DOYLE
Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats, Member of the Bureau EPP-ED
European Parliament, Member
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Member
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Substitute
Temporary committee on policy challenges and budgetary means of the enlarged Union 2007-2013, Substitute
Delegation for relations with the Gulf States, including Yemen, Vice-Chairwoman
Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China, Substitute

Mrs Kathy SINNOTT
Independence/Democracy Group, Member of the Bureau EDD
European Parliament, Member
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Member
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Member
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Substitute
Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Substitute
Committee on Foreign Affairs, Substitute
Committee on Transport and Tourism, Substitute
Delegation to the EU-Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee, Substitute
Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, Substitute
Delegation for relations with the United States, Member
Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula, Substitute
Delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, Substitute

Mr Brian CROWLEY
Union for Europe of the Nations Group, Co-president UEN
European Parliament, Member
Conference of Presidents, Member
Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Member
Committee on Fisheries, Substitute
Committee on Legal Affairs, Substitute
Delegation for relations with the United States, Member
Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union (including Libya), Substitute

Mr Simon COVENEY
Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats, Member EPP-ED
European Parliament, Member
Committee on Foreign Affairs, Member
Committee on Fisheries, Substitute
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, Substitute
Subcommittee on Human Rights, Substitute
Delegation for relations with the United States, Member
Delegation for relations with Iran, Substitute

Mr Jim HIGGINS
Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats, Member EPP-ED
European Parliament, Member
Committee on Regional Development, Member
Committee on Transport and Tourism, Substitute
Delegation for relations with Canada, Member
Delegation for relations with Japan, Substitute

Mr Seán Ó NEACHTAIN
Union for Europe of the Nations Group, Member UEN
European Parliament, Member
Conference of Delegation Chairmen, Member
Committee on Fisheries, Member
Committee on Transport and Tourism, Member
Committee on Budgets, Substitute
Delegation for relations with Canada, Chairman
Delegation for relations with South Africa, Substitute

Mrs Marian HARKIN
Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, Member of the Bureau ELDR
European Parliament, Member
Committee on Regional Development, Member
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Substitute
Delegation for relations with Canada, Member
Delegation for relations with the United States, Substitute

####

7th July:
You might be interested to know that in Europe, the Parliament is divided into 7 political groups ( and 1 non-attached group ).
EPP-ED Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats
PES Group of the Party of European Socialists
ELDR Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party
EUL/NGL Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left
Greens/EFA Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
UEN Union for Europe of the Nations Group
EDD Group for a Europe of Democracies and Diversities
NI Non-attached

Political Parties in Ireland (North and South ) appear to be associated as follows:
Fine Gaels MEP's are members of EPP-ED
Fianna Fail MEP's are members of UEN
DUP MEP's are NI
UUP MEP's are members of EPP-ED
Labour MEP's are members of PES
Ireland's New Independents and Sinn Fein MEP's have not yet (to our knowledge) associated with one of these parties. Outgoing Green MEP's Nuala Ahern and Patricia McKenna were members of Greens/EFA, Independents Rosemary (Dana) Scallon was a member of EPP-ED, Pat Cox (outgoing President of the EP) a member of ELDR.
Returning MEP Proinsias De Rossa is Vice-president of the PES.

Each MEP may sit on a number of EU Committees. For example:
Jim Nicholson sits on the Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism, has represented on the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Committee on Fisheries. He is Chairman of the
Delegation for relations with the United States, and is an active member on the Conference of Delegation Chairmen.
Avril Doyle has been active on the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy, was a representative on Agriculture and Rural Development, and was a delegate for relations with South Africa.
Sean O Neachtain is on the Committee on Fisheries, and on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy. He has also represented on the Committee on Budgets.
Brian Crowley is a member on the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market, and has represented on the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, and on the Committee on Fisheries.
He is a Delegate for relations with the United States.
Proinsias De Rossa is Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Petitions, is active on the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, and has represented on the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy. He is also a delegate for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Over the next few years, we will bring you updates of activities in EU by the all 16 delegates.

######

13th June, 2004, there were 16 new members of the European Parliament elected from Ireland - North and South:
These came from Parties : 5 FineGael, 4 FiannaFail, 2 Independent, 2 SinnFein 1 Labour, 1 Democratic Unionist Party, 1 Ulster Unionist Party
3 NorthWest (Ind, FG, FF), 3 East (FG, FF, FG), 4 Dublin (FF, FG, SF, Lab), 3 South (FF, FG, Ind), 3 Northern Ireland (DUP, SF, UUP )
From North West: Marian Harkin (Independent), Jim Higgins (FG), and Sean O Neachtain (FF)
From East: Liam Aylward (FF), Avril Doyle (FG), Mairead McGuinness (FG)
From Dublin: Proinsias DeRossa (Labour), Mary Lou MacDonald (SF), Gay Mitchell (FG), Eoin Ryan (FF)
From South (Munster): Simon Coveney(FG), Brian Crowley (FF) and Kathy Sinnott (Independent).
From Northern Ireland, Jim Allister (DUP), Bairbre de Brun (SF), Jim (James) Nicholson (UUP)

We will follow the progress of all 16 MEP's over the next 4-5 years. We are sure that they would be delighted to keep you informed of their representation. We at www.EuropeanIrish.com have since the election results, sent out congratulations to each new MEP.
To date, July7th 2004, we have received a response from 3 of the 16 MEPs: Avril Doyle, Jim Mitchell and Brian Crowley.