October 22nd2009
MEP Brian Crowley
Via Eurolink
IRELAND’S three Fianna Fáil MEPs have stood over their decision to abstain from a key vote in the European Parliament this week, against the wishes of their new group, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. The Liberal group was pushing for new legislation to guarantee media pluralism, because of concerns that Italy and some other EU countries might only have “partially free” media. But Munster MEP Brian Crowley, along with his Fianna Fáil MEP colleagues Liam Aylward and Pat “the Cope” Gallagher, failed to back the party line. As a result, the motion was defeated by just a handful of votes.
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September 3rd2009
LABOUR Party Spokesman on Agriculture and Food Seán Sherlock TD has welcomed the acknowledgement made by the European Agriculture Commissioner that the passing of the Lisbon Treaty would mean that the Common Agricultural Policy would come under “co-decision” which he says will allow greater powers for the European Parliament Agriculture Committee.
Following the speech made by Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel to the European Parliament this week, Deputy Sherlock agreed that there would be a significant expansion of the European Parliament Agriculture Committee’s powers should the Treaty get the green light.
“The powers of the Agricultural Committee will be extended if the Lisbon Treaty is passed. This will bring about a procedure called the “co-decision” process which allows the European Parliament to co-decide with the Council of Ministers and the European Commission in areas of agricultural policy.
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July 16th2009
Via Eurolink
CORK MEP Brian Crowley made a personal commitment to fishermen across the South this week that he would follow up on their contributions to an EU consultation process.
The European Commission has invited anyone involved in fishing to send in submissions by December 31st outlining their views on how to sustain the sector.
It comes ahead of EU plans to renegotiate the Common Fisheries Policy.
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July 16th2009
Alan Kelly
Via Eurolink
MUNSTER’S newly-elected Labour MEP Alan Kelly has vowed to fight at EU level on behalf of the thousands of workers who have lost their jobs across the south of the country.
Speaking as he took his seat for the first time in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week, Mr Kelly said his main priority was to ensure that staff laid off from major firms including Waterford Crystal and Dell get proper redundancy payments, pensions and retraining funds.
“The Government has been behind in making full use of the European Globalisation Fund, so I’m looking forward to knuckling down and seeing that this money is delivered swiftly to help retrain workers,” he said.
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July 3rd2009
Brian Crowley
Via Eurolink
Cork MEP Brian Crowley has lost out on two key positions in the European Parliament in the shake-up that followed the recent elections.
Mr Crowley had been President of the UEN group (Union for the Europe of the Nations) with the Parliament up until June, but he has had to give up this plum role since Fianna Fáil switched to join the ELDR (European Liberal Party) on the orders of the Taoiseach.
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