EuroParlRadio

People on SVR mortgages ‘being screwed’ by banks – Hayes

The European Central Bank needs to intervene to enable Irish banks to reduce their standard variable rates for mortgages. That’s the call being made by the Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes. He says Irish mortgage holders are paying around two percent (2%) more in their standard variable rates than their European counterparts. Earlier this week both AIB and KBC Bank announced a reduction of their SVRs by a quarter of a percent 0.25%. Here’s Brian Hayes. 

Dur: 00:38 

Hayes calls for review of mortgage deposit rules

The Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes is calling for a change to the current rules that require prospective homeowners to have a deposit of up to 20% of the value of the house. He was responding to new figures out this week from Daft.ie on the increasing prices of rental properties and the shortage of housing in Dublin in particular. Mr Hayes says he’s raised this issue with the European Central Bank’s chief Mario Draghi. 

Dur: 00:33 

TTIP leaks ‘confirm’ EU ready to ‘sell-out’ – Carthy

The Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy says the recent TTIP leaks confirm fears that the EU Commission is ready to ‘sell-out’ on a range of issues when it comes to brokering a trade agreement between the EU and the US. Mr Carthy was referring to leaked documents recently obtained by the environmental organisation Greenpeace. The papers contained information on the secretive trade talks on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. However, The EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom has stated that ‘no EU trade agreement’ will ever lower its level of protection of consumers, the environment or food safety. Here’s Matt Carthy. 

Dur: 00:43 

EU Job fund discriminating against disabled youth – Harkin

Young people with disabilities in Ireland are being discriminated against when it comes to accessing a European fund for unemployed young people. That’s the claim being made by the Independent MEP Marian Harkin. She says the current Youth Guarantee Scheme prevents people with disabilities from applying for it because they’re not on the live register but on other welfare registration payment systems. Marian Harkin says she’s made a formal complaint to the European Commission to get the Government to change the rules. 

Dur: 00:24

Background

The idea of the Youth guarantee scheme is to provide young people under the age of 25 with a good quality offer of employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within a short time of becoming unemployed.

MEP urges Dieselgate victims to be compensated – Clune

The Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune says European victims of the so-called Dieselgate scandal should get compensation from Volkswagon. Last year the US Environmental Protection Agency found that Volkswagon had fitted a “defeat device” in many of its diesel cars sold in the US. The device effectively cheated results of nitrogen oxide emissions tests. Deirdre Clune, who is on the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, says that, while thousands of people in the US have been compensated by VW,  in Europe the company has taken a much different approach.

Dur: 00:23 

Harkin calls for slowing down of EU trade deals

The Independent MEP Marian Harkin is calling for a slowing down of EU trade deals with major trading blocs such as Canada, the US and the Mercosur group of South American countries. Ms Harkin was speaking in the European Parliament where MEPs questioned the EU’s Trade Commissioner on news that a beef deal had been withdrawn from trade negotiations with the Mercosur states. However, Marian Harkin is warning the EU needs to put the brakes on other major deals such as the TTIP deal being negotiated between the EU and the US.

Dur: 00:38 

Carthy advises maintaining pressure on Mercosur beef promises

The Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy says it’s imperative that on-going pressure is applied to ensure that beef remains out of any EU trade deal with the Mercosur group of South American countries. Mr Carthy was reacting to comments made earlier in the week by the Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan. Commissioner Hogan told farmers in Wales that beef would be ‘off the menu’ and would be withdrawn from the Mercosur trade negotiations.

Dur: 00:37 

Independent TDs like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates – Carthy

It’s not often that one of Hollywood’s most famous actors and much loved films would be used in a description of Irish politicians. But that’s exactly what the Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy has done. The Midlands North-West MEP evoked a famous line from the film Forrest Gump and its actor Tom Hanks today, when he slammed the group of Independent TDs who’re supporting Fine Gael in government. Mr Carthy has implied they’ve effectively betrayed their voters.

Dur:  00:27

Beef off the Mercosur menu for the moment – McGuinness

The future prospect of cheaper imports of South American beef threatening the Irish beef industry has been alleviated for the moment. So says the Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness who echoed comments made earlier in the week by the Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan. Commissioner Hogan told farmers in Wales that beef would be ‘off the menu’ and would be withdrawn from trade negotiations with the Mercosur group of South American countries. But Mairead McGuinness is warning the ongoing EU-Mercosur trade talks have to be monitored closely to ensure beef doesn’t go back onto the menu.

Dur: 00:26 

We’ve won the Mercosur beef ‘battle’ – McGuinness

The Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness says MEPs have successfully managed to persuade the EU Commission not to give concessions on the beef trade to the Mercosur countries. Ms McGuinness was one of a number of MEPs who was concerned that the EU was prepared to sacrifice the European beef industry to gain other deals with the group of South American countries. The EU is currently negotiating a trade deal with the Mercosur countries. Ms McGuinness says the EU Commission now understands the importance of protecting the European agriculture industry from cheaper imports from South America.

Dur: 00:44