EuroParlRadio

No evidence Norwegian Air will use low-paid crews on Cork-US flights – Clune

The Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune says there is no evidence to support claims that Norwegian air will use low-paid crews on transatlantic flights from Cork and Shannon to the US. Ms Clune, who is on the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, was responding to statements made by the US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders. He’s calling on the US Department of Transportation to refuse permission to Norwegian Airlines International to fly to the US from European cities such as Cork. The Democratic candidate is claiming Norwegian Air will outsource cheap labour from Thailand and that it will undercut the wages and benefits of airline workers throughout the US. Here’s Deirdre Clune.

Dur: 00:34

Clune rubbishes Sanders’ claims about Norwegian Air Cork-US flights

The Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune has dismissed claims by the US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, that Norwegian Air is using Ireland as a flag of convenience. Mr Sanders doesn’t want the US Department of Transportation to grant permission to Norwegian Airlines International to fly to the US from European cities such as Cork. The Democratic candidate is claiming Norwegian Air will employ low-paid crews and undermine working conditions for cabin crew operating on transatlantic flights. However, Deirdre Clune, who is on the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, says Mr Sanders’ claims are unwarranted.

Dur:  00:36 

Ni Riada ‘very disappointed’ with Humphreys’ expanded role

The Sinn Fein MEP Liadh Ni Riada has heavily criticised the expansion of Heather Humphreys’ ministerial role to include Rural Affairs. The Ireland South MEP says Rural Affairs is too big a brief to be split with the Gaeltacht and Arts and Heritage. She’s afraid the Minister won’t have enough time to devote to the Irish language and culture.

Dur: 00:30 

Humphreys appointment erodes importance of Gaeltacht & Arts – Ni Riada

The expansion of Heather Humphreys’ ministerial portfolio to include Rural Affairs makes no sense and it will erode the importance of the Gaeltacht and the Arts. So says the Sinn Fein MEP Liadh Ni Riada. The Ireland South MEP says the addition of Rural Affairs to Minister Humphreys’ existing responsibility for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht will impact negatively on the Irish language and culture.  

Dur:  00:39 

Water charge payers should be refunded if charges scrapped – Hayes

The Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes says people who paid their water charges will have to be refunded if the charges are eventually scrapped. The Dublin MEP says Ireland will be subject to EU fines and penalties if it doesn’t find a way of making people pay for their consumption of water. However, Mr Hayes says people should be entitled to a refund if a decision is made to scrap the charges.

Dur:  00:22 

Idea of ending water charges ‘ludicrous and juvenile’ – Hayes

Ireland will be subject to EU fines and penalties if it doesn’t find a way of making people pay for their consumption of water. That’s the view of the Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes who was speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The Dublin MEP says that, under the EU’s Water Framework directive, Ireland is obliged to charge people for their water and that we can’t suspend water charges indefinitely.  

Dur: 00:40

 

MEP left stranded by airline over-booking ‘sharp practice’ Sean Kelly

EuroParlRadio's editor Karen Coleman, talks to the Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly about his experience of being stranded at Dublin airport after being the victim of an airline 'over-booking' incident. Now he's calling for a ban on airlines engaging in the practice of over-booking. 

Dur: 5:27 

MEP left stranded by airline ‘sharp practice’ – Kelly

An Irish MEP was left stranded by an airline at Dublin airport yesterday even though he was booked on the flight and had paid for his ticket well in advance. The Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly had been booked on a Lufthansa (German airline) flight from Dublin to Frankfurt yesterday. But when he arrived at the check-in desk at Dublin airport yesterday morning he was told the flight was full and that he couldn’t get on it. Now the Ireland South MEP is vowing to get the practice of over-booking flights banned.

Dur: 00:36 

MEP slams airline over ‘despicable’ over-booking – Kelly

An Irish MEP is vowing to get the EU to ban airlines from over-booking passengers on the same flights after becoming a victim of the practice himself.  Sean Kelly had been booked on a Lufthansa flight from Dublin to Frankfurt in Germany yesterday. But when he arrived at the check-in desk at Dublin airport yesterday morning he was told the flight was full and that he couldn’t get on it. This happened even though the Ireland South MEP says he had arrived almost 2 hours in advance and that he’d booked and paid for his ticket months ago. 

Dur: 00:27 

MEP demands EU action on media ownership in Ireland – Boylan

The Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan is demanding that the EU Commission investigates the high concentration of media ownership in Ireland. An EU-funded report recently published by the Florence-based Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom, found that Ireland was exposed to a ‘high risk’ when it comes to concentration of media ownership. The report referred to the fact that the businessman Denis O’Brien ‘enjoys a dominant position within the print and the commercial radio sector’. However, the report also stated that this dominance is countered by the dominant position of RTE, in both the television and radio markets. But Lynn Boylan is warning that no one individual should control so much of the media.   

Dur: 00:36