EuroParlRadio

Members of the European Parliament’s Agriculture committee need to see first-hand the impact Brexit is having on farmers in the border regions.

So says Midlands North-West MEP Chris MacManus. He’s invited members of the committee to visit his constituency to talk to the farmers and the farming organisations there. He believes such a visit would help them better understand the challenges farmers face as a result of Brexit.

Out words: Irish farmer

Dur: 00:29

Sinn Fein MEP Chris MacManus has invited members of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee to visit his constituency and talk to farmers there.

The Midlands North-West MEP wants his European colleagues to see and hear how Brexit is impacting on farmers in the region. He said it’s important they hear first-hand how farmers are being effected by Brexit and other global challenges.

Out words: understanding  

Dur: 00:20

The majority of MEPs this week backed measures to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption in the EU building sector by 2030 with the aim of making it climate neutral by 2050. And they want all new buildings to have zero-emissions from 2028. 

MEPs say national renovation plans should include support schemes to facilitate access to grants and funding. And they want targeted grants and subsidies for energy-saving renovations for vulnerable households.

Ireland South MEP Grace O’Sullivan spoke to Karen Coleman in the European Parliament in Strasbourg about the vote and what it will mean for people in Ireland. Here’s that interview.

Out words: an impact  

Dur: 02:57

The European Parliament this week assessed how the Brexit withdrawal agreement has been working since its implementation three years ago. They welcomed the Windsor deal and the subsequent announcement that the UK government will halt its controversial Northern Ireland protocol bill.

Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly spoke to Karen Coleman from EuroParlRadio in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. They discussed the Windsor deal, EU-UK relations and how the new framework will work in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Here’s that interview.

Out words: the way

Dur: 05:55

Fine Gael MEP Colm Markey is calling for a ban on the use of the social media platform TikTok on government issued phones. The Midlands North-West MEP has written to both the Ceann Comhairle and the Taoiseach, urging them to instigate the TikTok ban.

Both the European Commission and the European Parliament have already banned staff from using the app on official devices. Colm Markey is calling for a similar ban in Ireland.

Well Karen Coleman from EuroParlRadio caught up with Colm Markey in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week and she spoke to him about banning TikTok.

Out words: the road

Dur: 02:21

Fine Gael MEP Colm Markey is calling for a ban on the use of the social media platform TikTok on government issued phones. The Midlands North-West MEP has written to both the Ceann Comhairle and the Taoiseach, urging them to instigate the TikTok ban.  

Both the European Commission and the European Parliament have already banned staff from using the app on official devices. Colm Markey is calling for a similar ban in Ireland. He says “Ireland is behind the curve on this issue”.  

Out words: be considered

Dur: 00:21

The European Parliament today (Thursday) strongly condemned what it’s calling the “atrocious attempt to silence women and girls”. Since last November thousands of girls and women across Iran have been attacked with toxic chemicals to prevent them from attending education. 

Today’s resolution follows an address to MEPs during the week by the Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr Shirin Ebadi. The former judge was awarded the noble prize in 2003 for her work for democracy and human rights, focused especially on the rights of women and children. 

Fine Gael MEP Frances Fitzgerald who met Dr Ebadi, says her powerful address exposed how terrible the situation in Iran is.

Out words: her messages

Dur: 00:21

The poisoning of schoolgirls in Iran was condemned in the European Parliament today. In a resolution MEPs strongly criticised what they called the “atrocious attempt to silence women and girls”. 

Since last November thousands of girls and women across Iran have been attacked with toxic chemicals to prevent them from attending education. MEPs urged the Iranian authorities to ensure girls have non-discriminatory access to education. They’re calling on the Iranian regime to repeal any legislation that discriminates against girls and women.

Fine Gael MEP Frances Fitzgerald says the resolution will lead to more action against Iran.  

Out words: that regime

Dur: 00:13

More than ten thousand Irish people signed an EU petition calling for laws to phase out damaging pesticides and to help create bee-friendly farming. A million people in total signed a European Citizens’ Initiative called “Save bees and farmers, towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment.”

The European Parliament today debated the European Citizens’ Initiative. Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan says the European Commission has to act on such a significant petition.

Well EuroParlRadio’s Karen Coleman met Grace O’Sullivan in the European Parliament this week. And she asked her about the Citizens’ initiative.

Out words: it’s worth

Dur: 06:08

More than ten thousand Irish people signed an EU petition calling for laws to phase out damaging pesticides and to help create bee-friendly farming.

That’s according to Ireland South MEP Grace O’Sullivan. The European Parliament today debated a European Citizens’ Initiative called “Save bees and farmers, towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment.”

The initiative, that gathered more than a million verified signatures, calls for synthetic pesticides to be phased out by 2035 along with the restoration of biodiversity. And it demands support to farmers in the transition to more bee-friendly and environmentally safer farming practices.

Grace O’Sullivan says the European Commission has to act on such a significant petition.

Out words: on pollinators

Dur: 00:32