EuroParlRadio

Thousands of youth come together for Europe’s future – Walsh

Thousands of young people – including Irish participants - will gather in Strasbourg and online over the next two days to help shape Europe’s future.

The European Youth Event (EYE) will feature dozens of activities, debates and workshops. They’ll focus on topics such as the environment, democracy, human rights and social inequalities.

The goal is to come up with ideas that can feed into a new EU initiative called the Conference on the Future of Europe. That’s about engaging EU citizens in influencing the direction of the EU over the coming years.  

Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh who’s attending the event says it’s essential to get young people’s input into Europe’s future.  

Out words: growing in

Dur: 00:26

Arctic needs protection and cooperation – O’Sullivan

The fragile Arctic region must be protected, says Grace O’Sullivan. Melting ice caps, the decline in polar bears and other species are some of the fears for the region. On top of that, there is interest in taping the Arctic for natural resources like oil and gas. Now the European Parliament has voted through a resolution calling for international cooperation, a descalation to Russia’s military build-up, and a commitment to environmental protection. Green MEP, and former Greenpeace activist, Grace O’Sullivan, has welcomed the vote. She says Europe is recognising the high value of the Arctic both for nature and politics.

Out words: Protect the Arctic

Dur: 0’22”

Ireland ‘incredibly successful’ on removal of ‘at least’ from tax text – Andrews

The removal of the words ‘at least’ from the OECD’s global tax reforms proposals has been in Ireland’s ‘towering national interests’.

So says Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews. The original proposal called for a minimum global corporate tax rate of ‘at least’ fifteen percent.

However, the government was concerned the inclusion of the words ‘at least’ could lead to calls for even higher corporate tax rates in the future. They negotiated for the text to be changed.

Here’s Barry Andrews.

Out words: this issue

Dur: 00:22

Interview with Ciaran Cuffe on energy crisis in EU PODCAST

The EU needs to develop a range of energy connectors across the EU to increase its own energy sources and reduce its dependency on the likes of Russia for gas supplies.

So says Green MEP Ciarán Cuffe who was speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

MEPs this week debated the fallout of surging gas prices in Europe. Some MEPs said the crisis was a wake-up call for a faster transition to renewable energy.

Journalist Angelique Ferat caught up with Ciarán Cuffe in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. She began the interview by asking him what the EU should do to tackle surging gas prices and supply shortages.

Out words: elsewhere

Dur: 3:22

Move to renewables or be ‘held hostage by oligarchs’ - Cuffe

Ireland and other EU countries need to accelerate the development of renewable energy sources to avoid surging gas prices and supply shortages.  

That’s the recommendation from Green MEP Ciarán Cuffe who was speaking in Strasbourg where the European Parliament this week debated the energy crisis in Europe.  

Out words: been cheaper

Dur: 00:14

Energy Supergrids & Interconnectors needed for EU – Cuffe

The EU needs to develop a range of energy connectors across the EU to increase its own sources of energy and reduce its dependency on the likes of Russia for gas supplies.

So says Green MEP Ciarán Cuffe who was speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

MEPs this week debated the fallout of surging gas prices in Europe. Some said the crisis was a wake-up call for a faster transition to renewable energy.

Here’s Ciarán Cuffe.

Out words: political regime

Dur: 00: 33

Irish banks “profiteering” on mortgages - Kelleher

Billy Kelleher has accused banks of unfairly profiteering on mortgages. Interest rates on mortgages in Ireland are running at more than double the Eurozone average, according to data from the European Central Bank. Fianna Fáil MEP, Billy Kelleher, says in part it is because, since the 2008 financial crisis, Irish banks have had to maintain bigger cash reserves compared to other European countries. But he claims the banks are also being greedy and charging too much.

Out words: Through the system

Dur: 0’21”

EU pandemics authority “positive” step - Markey

A new EU pandemics authority has been welcomed by Colm Markey. The European Health Emergency preparedness and Response Authority will monitor for possible future health dangers around the globe. And, if there worst happens again, the authority will co-ordinate the buying up of medical supplies like vaccines to be distributed as quickly as possible across the European Union. Fine Gael MEP, Colm Markey, believes being braced for the worst will save lives.

Out words: In the future

Dur: 0’20”

Strengthens right to challenge on environmental grounds

Citizens and NGOs now have a stronger right to challenge decisions on environmental grounds – that’s according to Deirdre Clune. The European Parliament has voted to extend powers under the UN’s so-called Aarhus Convention. The convention gives citizens and campaign groups the right to information and to demand a review if they believe environmental standards are not being met. Those rights are now being strengthened and written into EU law. Fine Gael MEP, Deirdre Clune, has welcomed the move.   

Out words: Issues to court

Dur: 0’25”

‘Cheating’ Ireland must get ‘house in order’ – MacManus on Pandora Papers

MEPs in the European Parliament have called for laws that would end dodgy practices such as tax avoidance, money laundering, existence of shell companies and tax havens.

The MEPs were debating the revelations in the Pandora Papers that came from a global media investigation into a massive leak of financial documents. They exposed how politicians and millionaires around the world created offshore companies to hide assets and avoid tax.

The leaked documents revealed how Ireland is being used as an offshore location by wealthy people and businesses in the likes of Russia, Uzbekistan and other countries.

During the European Parliament debate, Sinn Fein MEP Chris MacManus excoriated Ireland for what he called its ‘cheating’ behaviour.

Out words: over greed  

Dur: 1:02