EuroParlRadio

Boylan demands Commission come up with GMO fix

The European Parliament voted again this week to oppose a new authorisation of genetically-modified crops on the EU market. Lynn Boylan, a Sinn Fein MEP representing Dublin, says though the Parliament is powerless to stop the authorisations, they are lodging their objections because they want the Commission to fix the current authorisation system, which Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said is broken and undemocratic. But the Commission has yet to come forward with a proposal to fix the system which is acceptable to national governments. Here's Boylan:

Ireland not the best example on protecting whistleblowers - Ni Riada

Members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week debated a resolution calling for a standard set of protections for whistleblowers across the EU. Ireland is one of a handful of EU states with legal protections for whistleblowers in place, and has been held out as a good example to follow. But Liadh Ni Riada, a Sinn Fein MEP representing Ireland South, says Ireland doesn't have a great track record on protecting those who divulge information.

 

European Parliament prepares resolution on protecting whistleblowers - Hayes

Members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week debated a resolution calling for a standard set of protections for whistleblowers across the EU. Brian Hayes, a Fine Fail MEP representing Dublin, says though it is not binding, the resolution will put pressure on EU countries to adopt whistleblower protection legislation similar to what Ireland has.

Brexit talks stalled until Brits 'get serious' about settling their EU bill - Ni Riada

Liadh Ni Riada, a Sinn Fein MEP representing Ireland South, says she is frustrated with the latest round of Brexit talks, after the British side suggested they are not willing to pay for financial commitments they made for spending after 2019.

Marian Harkin explains her vote to phase out glyphosate

Members of the European Parliament voted this week to recommend phasing out glyphosate, used in the weedkiiller Round-Up, within five years. The final decision will be up to the European Commission and member states.

The weedkiller is widely used by Irish farmers, and most Irish MEPs voted against the five-year phase-out. Marian Harkin, an independent who is one of just two MEPs who voted for the phase-out, said she is too concerned about the potential negative health effects of the substance to endorse having it stay on the market.

Multinational corporations in Ireland to blame for failure to secure Ophelia EU relief funds - Carthy

The Irish government is currently assessing the amount of damage from storm Ophelia, but already it looks like the damage will not be significant enough to be able to secure EU disaster relief funding. Thats because the damage has to be high enough to clear a specific hurdle, based on a country's GDP.

Several Irish MEPs this week in Brussels are calling for the rules for determing this hurdle to be changed. Matt Carthy, a Sinn Fein MEP from Midlands North-West, says Ireland's hurdle is being artificially inflated because multinational corporations domiciled in Ireland for tax reasons are driving up GDP.

MEPs told to stop resisting separate post-Brexit status for Northern Ireland - Carthy

Matt Carthy, a Sinn Fein member of the European Parliament representing Midlands North-West, has lashed out at British MEPs for refusing to consider a separate status for Northern Ireland, distinct from the rest of the UK, after Britain leaves the EU - in order to avoid a hard border with the Republic.

He says such a distinct status is already recognized by the Good Friday Agreement.

European Parliament to pass resolution condemning sexual harassment within its walls - Boylan

Members of the European Parliament are tomorrow morning expected to pass a resolution condemning sexual harassment alleged to have taken place within the institution's walls. It follows media reports detailing stories of sexual harassment by powerful MEPs taking advantage of young assistants and interns. The media investigations were prompted by the scandal surrounding film producer Harvey Weinstein in the United States.

Lynn Boylan, a Sinn Fein MEP representing Dublin, says the recent revelations show that there is a serious problem internationally with powerful men taking advantage of young women.

European Parliament was influential in Ibrahim Halawa's release - Boylan

Pier Antonio Panzeri, the chair of the European Parliament's human rights committee, today warmly welcomed the release of Ibrahim Halawa, the Irish citizen detained in an Egyptian prison for four years who returned home to Dublin yesterday.

The European Parliament passed a resolution in December 2015 calling for Halawa's release. Lynn Boylan, a Sinn Fein MEP for Dublin who has visited Halawa in prison, said today that the Parliament's resolution was influential in securing his release.

European Parliament pledges support for Good Friday Agreement in EU budget - Ni Riada

Members of the European Parliament meeting in Strasbourg have approved an amendment to the EU budget, put forward by Liadh Ni Riada, a Sinn Fein MEP representing Ireland South, that pledges that MEPs will maintain monetary support for the Good Friday Agreement in the context of the EU budget. Ni Riada says in light of the threats to the peace process posed by Brexit, such support is important.