Mairead McGuinness MEP Vice-Chairman, EPP Group
HARD WORKING, STRAIGHT TALKING summer 2013
Major Changes In Euro Constituencies European Parliament elections take place on a date from 22-25th May 2014. Our current four European constituencies are set to change significantly with the number of Irish MEPs being reduced by one to 11. The seat reduction arises from the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty that sets the maximum number of MEPs at 751. Ireland is not the only Member State to lose out, others including Austria, Belgium and Germany will also be impacted. Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan TD, has published legislation providing for a Boundary Commission to revise the constituencies. There will be a period of public consultation in August and it is expected that the new constituency boundaries will be known by October 1st. The existing European constituencies are Dublin, East, North-West and South (see map). There is considerable speculation about the likely outcome of the review.
Accommodating 11 MEPs could see a reduction in the number of constituencies to three, with two four seat constituencies outside of Dublin and a boundary somewhere in the middle of the country; Dublin meanwhile would remain as a three seat constituency. Alternatively, the revision could see an enlarged Dublin region that would include counties around Dublin and it becoming a five seat constituency, with the remainder of the country divided into two three seat constituencies.
?
North West 3 Seats
Of course, the constituency revision may end up with some entirely different configurations!
Dublin 3 Seats
East 3 Seats
Naturally I’m very keen to see what will happen in the review. It looks very likely that my constituency of Ireland East will be significantly impacted. Where will it end up – partly in the South, Dublin or the North-West?!
South 3 Seats
Mairead Tops Poll to Win Vice-Chair of the EPP group My new role as Vice-Chair of the largest political group in the European Parliament, the EPP, involves chairing the important Working Group on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, as well as being actively involved in all the work of the leadership of the Group. It was a great honour to be elected to the position. There was tough competition to serve on the Presidency of the Group and I was particularly pleased to be elected on the first
count by a significant majority of my colleagues from all EU Member States. The EPP Group has chosen Ireland as the location to launch its 2014 European Parliament Elections campaign in March next year. I look forward to welcoming my EPP colleagues to Ireland on this important occasion. They will be challenging but hopefully successful elections. It is hard to believe that by then I will have served 10 years in the European Parliament. Tempus fugit.
Contact Mairead
Brussels Office: Tel: +32 2 28 47214
@MaireadMcGMEP
mairead.mcguinness@ep.europa.eu www.maireadmcguinness.ie
Constituency Office: Mentrim, Drumconrath, Navan, Co. Meath Tel: 041 685 4633
Mairead McGuinness
News in Brief
CAP Deal Done
Youth Guarantee
With political agreement on a reformed CAP secured, the debate moves back to Ireland on how best to implement the policy.
The Youth Guarantee is a specific measure aimed at addressing unacceptable levels of youth unemployment in the EU, currently running at over 20% on average. However, in some Member States, including Greece, levels of youth unemployment are significantly higher – in excess of 55%. The Youth Guarantee is a commitment by Member States to their young people: making sure they are offered a job, further education or work-focused training four months, at the latest, after leaving education or after becoming unemployed.
In future, 30% of Direct Payments will be linked to environmental measures beneficial to the climate and the environment, especially biodiversity. Extra support will be targeted towards young farmers through a mandatory ‘top-up‘ of 25% on their entitlements up to a certain limit. Historic-based payments will be phased out gradually, but not entirely, over the period of the reform, with flexibility for Member States to manage this adjustment. By 2019, the minimum
payment will be 60% of the national average. In Ireland, we can use 8% of our national envelope on coupled support, with an additional 2% targeted to the production of protein crops. Sugar quotas will end in September 2017, giving Ireland the opportunity, if conditions are right, to re-establish its sugar industry. Significant flexibility will be given to Member States to implement the CAP to fit their circumstances.
All the EU Institutions – Parliament, Commission and Council – are united in prioritising the issue of youth unemployment. Young people need to be given greater hope for the future and work is central to that. Some €6 billion has been allocated to fund projects in Member States where youth unemployment levels are greater than 20%. Experience shows that where youth guarantee schemes are already in place in some Member States those who participated were able to find employment faster than those who did not. Discussing the final CAP reform agreement reached in Brussels; Mairead with Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney TD and the Chairman of the Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, Paolo De Castro MEP.
Budget post-2013 THE MULTIANNUAL FINANcIAL FRAMEWORK (THE EU’s budget for 2014-2020) has been set at a maximum of €960 billion – representing a cut on previous periods and reflecting difficulties in member states over national contributions to the EU budget. Graduate Claire Lynch on a recent visit to the Parliament pictured with Mairead and Irish Press Officer, Cliona Connolly.
Croatia Joins Up On July 1st, the EU welcomed Croatia as its 28th Member. The country has worked hard over its ten year accession period to meet the criteria for membership. Croatia has a population of 4.4 million; tourism is a major sector of the economy, with the country well known for its natural beauty. Croatia will have eleven MEPs, five of whom have joined the EPP Group. Čestitam Hrvatska! (Congratulations Croatia!)
How the budget will be used, including a measure to help tackle youth unemployment, was finally agreed in the last days of the Irish Presidency. Greater flexibility to allow the carry over of unspent funds, from one year to the next, and to shift money among budget headings has also been agreed and will make the budget more adaptable. The European Commission will conduct an interim review of the budget by the end of 2016, with the possibility of proposing changes. Many MEPs believe that tying expenditure over a seven year period is too long.
In addition to the review clause, consideration will be given to limit future budgetary periods to five years. Those concessions reflect the belief among many MEPs and EU officials that the pending budget is unduly influenced by a historic economic crisis that has strained public finances across Europe, and that there should be some opportunity to amend the budget if circumstances change. In reality, big adjustments may be impossible because they would require unanimous support from all 28 Member States.
MEPs get hundreds of emails every day and each one receives attention. This is one of the primary ways we have of keeping in touch with our constituents. Email me at mairead.mcguinness@ep.europa.eu
Banking Union Plans Fixing Europe’s banking system is a cornerstone for achieving economic recovery. In any healthy functioning economy banks are a key component of business and enterprise development as well as consumer credit; they must be restored to that role. Amongst other things, this requires that banks have the necessary skills to make sound assessments of business projects and other lending proposals and to be able to analyse both opportunity and risk. At EU level there is a firm focus on banking with some progress being made towards a ‘Banking Union’, an idea put forward by the European Parliament in 2010. There are several elements to it including improved banking supervision via a single bank supervisor, a common crisis management and resolution system and a uniform approach to protect depositors savings. A key aspect of banking union is to break the link between banks and
national budgets. Ideally, if we place our banks under more common supervision, with funds earmarked at EU level to assist troubled banks, there should be less pressure on Member States to fund ailing banks. The banking union proposal could see banks placed under the direct supervision of the ECB (European Central Bank), with it being responsible for licensing credit institutions, ensuring compliance with key banking requirements and having the power to close down banks if necessary. The European Commission wants to be the final judge over how the agreement is implemented but some Member States have concerns, particularly Germany. The creation of a bank resolution fund of €60-€70 billion is also provided for, with banks contributing directly to the fund. However, there is disagreement about how much banks should pay. The proposal would see banks funding more and depositors contributing less. Fixing Europe’s banks and getting them fit for purpose is essential, as is trying to ensure that we do not face another such crisis in the future. However, should one occur, the idea is that we would have the mechanisms in place to tackle it before it damages the economy.
Economic recovery is complex but progress is being made.
The Member States hold the key. For banking union to work they have to be willing to give more control to a new regulatory framework. There is much work to be done.
The Complexities of Recovery The mood music in the EU is definitely calmer now, steadier than it has been for some time. When the crisis broke in 2008 a sense of panic prevailed. Debates in the Parliament were harsh, divisive and in many cases unhelpful in getting to grips with the real work in hand – to chart a way forward. Progress is being made in managing the economic and financial difficulties. That said, concerns about the social crisis of high unemployment and youth unemployment in particular is also very real. The impact of restructuring on vulnerable sections of society is a concern. To create much needed jobs, we need growth. To get growth we need confidence and we need entrepreneurs to take risks and invest. We also need demand to take off, which also requires confidence. Restructuring is taking
place in our economies. Restoring competitiveness and adjusting spending to make it more sustainable is vital. The word ‘austerity’ has become a catch cry of opposition. In economic terms austerity describes policies to reduce budget deficits during difficult economic times. It is one side of an adjustment process that has to be matched with measures to help employment and business to stimulate growth. The political debate suggests that if we abandon adjustment programmes (austerity) then everything will be fine. This is plainly not the case. Criticism of policies aimed at restructuring economies and national budgets, under the umbrella of an attack on austerity, misses the point. We need restructuring and we need rebuilding.
News in Brief EU Ombudsman Irish Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, was successfully elected as European Ombudsman by MEPs in July, following a tough campaign between six candidates. Emily is the first woman to achieve the position and she will replace Nikiforos Diamandouros who is retiring. She will take up her new role in October. The European Ombudsman investigates complaints about maladministration in the institutions and bodies of the European Union. If you are an EU citizen or live in the EU, you can make a complaint to the European Ombudsman. www.ombudsman.europa.eu
Karen Donoghue and Lee Clancy, teachers at St. Lawrence’s National School, Kindlestown, Greystones, visited the Parliament as part of the Blue Star Programme – an initiative for primary schools using classroom projects and activities to foster better understanding and knowledge of the EU and how it affects us all.
Data protection Data protection is a crucial issue at EU level. The Prism scandal, which revealed the level of secret surveillance of the EU by the US, has put the issue of privacy and data protection to the top of the agenda. Real pressure is being exerted to speed up the data protection proposal, currently stuck in committee stage of the Parliament, and have it enacted before the European Elections next year. The aim is to protect the personal data of EU citizens from abuse by creating a single uniform EU-wide law. US companies operating in the EU, including Facebook and Google amongst others, are being asked to explain to what extent they share the personal data of EU citizens with US authorities. With so much personal data made available each day by citizens it is crucial that we can ensure privacy and protection of that information.
MEPs get hundreds of emails every day and each email receives attention. This is one of the primary ways we have of Follow me on Twitter @MaireadMcGMEP or Facebook Mairead keeping in touch with our constituents. Email: mairead.mcguinness@europarl.europa.eu WebsiteMcGuinness www.maireadmcguinness.ie
Visitor Group May 2013
ent in Strasbourg in May.
Our visitor group from Ireland East in the European Parliam
McHale Machinery at Agra 2013, in Leipz ig, Germany; Mairead with Peter Jahr MEP, Wolfgang Vogel, President of the Farmers Union of Saxony, and Manf red Pröbstle, Regional Fendt Sales Manager, South Germ any.
Welcoming EU Co mmissioner Dacia n Cioloş to Co. Meath; M airead with Ministe r Simon Coveney and newl y-elected TD for Meath East, Helen McEnte e.
School, at St. Peter’s National Marking Europe Day pal Pat nci Pri are d irea with Ma Dromiskin, Co. Louth; Blue Star the in t par k too o wh Mulligan and pupils t brings the ary school initiative tha Programme – a prim . EU to the classroom
Fyona Brussels; Eithne Scallan and A unique craft display in European the in lay disp Ros Tapestry on White with the Wexford Parliament in Brussels.
John O’Mahony an d Jenny Coyle from Ferdia Fine Foods, Irish food hosted by Co. Louth at a ma Mairead in the Eu jor showcase of ropean Parliament to mark St. Patrick’s Day. Visit the following websites for more information about the EU and the Parliament.
The European Parliament www.europarl.europa.eu
The European Commission in Ireland www.ec.europa.eu/ireland
EPP Group in the European Parliament www.eppgroup.eu
The European Commission www.ec.europa.eu
The European Parliament in Ireland www.europarl.ie
Council of the European Union www.consilium.europa.eu
One of the most important aspects of my work is to listen to you and keep you informed about what is happening in Europe. The quickest way to keep up-to-date and watch what is happening is through my website www.maireadmcguinness.ie Log on for news, comment and information.