EuroParlRadio

New EP President will bring energy, youth & vision– Markey

The European Parliament’s newly elected president will bring energy, youth and a “much-needed vision” to the EU institution.  

That’s according to Fine Gael MEP Colm Markey. This morning the majority of MEPs voted to elect the Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola to be president of the parliament for the next two and a half years.

She takes over from the late David Sassoli who died last week just before the end of his term in office. The forty three (43) year old is the youngest ever president of the Parliament and only the third woman to hold that position.

Here’s Colm Markey.

Out words: as well

Dur: 00:16

European Parliament’s new female President speech extracts - Podcast

The youngest ever president of the European Parliament has just been elected. Forty three year old Roberta Metsola from Malta is only the third woman to hold the position.

The centre-right MEP who is a former vice-president of the Parliament, was elected this morning in the first round of voting. She’ll hold the presidency for the next two and a half years. She succeeds Italy’s David Sassoli who died last week just before the end of his term in office.

During her acceptance speech in the Parliament in Strasbourg, she paid tribute to Ashling Murphy and said she stood on the shoulders of giants including those women whose lives were ‘stolen’ this year.

You can hear highlights from Roberta Metsola’s speech in the following podcast. It begins with her reference to the late David Sassoli.

Out words: for them

Dur: 05:43

EU wants “sounder” Brexit relations - Clune

The EU wants relations with the UK to be on a “sounder footing” – that’s according to Fine Gael MEP, Deirdre Clune. The European Commission has proposed changing EU law to ensure Northern Ireland can continue to access medicines licenced in Britain. Ireland, Malta and Cyprus would also be able to keep using British-approved drugs, but only for three more years. Deirdre Clune says in solving the medicines problem, the EU is reaching out to the UK to try to make Brexit work.

Out words: For Northern Ireland

Dur: 0’25”

Ashling Murphy remembered by European Parliament’s new president

The new president of the European Parliament paid tribute to Ashling Murphy this morning following her election to the position.

Malta’s Roberta Metsola was elected by the majority of MEPs in the first round of voting today. She succeeds Italy’s David Sassoli who died last week just before the end of his term in office. The centre-right MEP is only the third woman to become president of the European Parliament and she will be its youngest leader ever at just forty three (43).

During her acceptance speech in the Parliament in Strasbourg, she said she stood on the shoulders of giants including those women whose lives were ‘stolen’ this year.

Out words: for them

Dur:  00:40

Ireland given extra time to source drugs - Clune

Ireland has three years to rejig its supply of medicines, under proposals from the European Commission. There was concern that Ireland could face drug shortages now that the UK has left the EU. Now the European Commission has proposed to allow Ireland, Cyprus and Malta to use British-licenced drugs for three more years. Northern Ireland would be allowed to use GB medicines indefinitely. The European Parliament has begun discussing the new legislation. Fine Gael MEP, Deirdre Clune, has been following the issue in the public health committee. She has welcomed giving Ireland extra time.

Out words: For other markets

Dur: 0’20”

Youngest president ever of European Parliament elected – Roberta Metsola

The European Parliament has just elected a Maltese woman to be the new President of the European Parliament. Forty three year (43) old Roberta Metsola was elected on the first round of voting this morning in Strasbourg.

She will be the youngest president of the Parliament so far and comes from the centre-right European People’s Party Group, the EPP. Ms Metsola succeeds Italy’s David Sassoli who died last week just before the end of his term in office.  

Speaking immediately after her election, she told MEPs the European Parliament would stand firm against forces trying to undermine Europe.

Out words: divide us

Dur: 00:40

Pay transparency needed for gender pay gap – Fitzgerald

Getting companies to reveal how much they pay their male and female employees will be one way to address the gender pay and pension gaps across the EU. So says Fine Gael MEP Frances Fitzgerald.  

The European Parliament this week called on member states to take practical measures to ensure that women have equal access to the labour market and employment. And they want the gender pay and pension pay gap to be significantly reduced.

Frances Fitzgerald says pay transparency is being brought in across the EU but details of what size of company it will apply to are unclear.   

Out words: 29 percent

Dur: 00:14

More girls needed for STEM subjects for gender equality – Fitzgerald

More girls should be encouraged to study science, technology, engineering and maths or STEM topics at school in order to tackle gender inequalities in Europe.  So says Fine Gael MEP Frances Fitzgerald.

The European Parliament this week called on member states to take practical measures to ensure that women have equal access to the labour market and employment. And they want the gender pay and pension gaps to be significantly reduced.

According to the European Institute for Gender Equality the EU is at least sixty years away from achieving complete gender equality. Frances Fitzgerald says less girls are taking up STEM subjects and that needs to be addressed.

Out words: will remain

Dur: 00:24

Lift intellectual property rights for global Covid vaccination – O’Sullivan

Green MEP Grace O’Sullivan is calling for the lifting of intellectual property rights for Covid 19 vaccines so that everyone across the globe can get access to them.

During a debate in the European Parliament this week, MEPs said the EU has a responsibility to ensure vaccines are fairly distributed across the globe. They called for a spirit of solidarity and reiterated that nobody is safe until everybody is safe.

Here's Grace O’Sullivan.

Out words: the essence

Dur: 00:30

Interview Markey on curbing powers of online platforms – Podcast

Big online platforms like Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple are set to face stiff operating procedures within the EU following the results of a vote in the European Parliament.

The vast majority of MEPs have just supported EU moves to put an end to unfair business practices by some of the world’s digital tech giants.

They’ve approved the proposed Digital Markets Act which aims to stop so-called gatekeeper platforms from imposing unfair conditions on businesses and consumers. These include ranking their own services and products higher up than other smaller competitors.

EuroParlRadio editor Karen Coleman spoke to Fine Gael MEP Colm Markey about the proposed Act and what it will mean for consumers.

Out words: important too

Dur: 01:40