What Chris spoke about.

8

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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CO2 emission standards for cars and vans (A9-0150/2022 - Jan Huitema)

Madam President, I just want to give comment on the CO2 emissions for cars and vans. This file is one of the many jigsaw pieces that makes up the European Green Deal. Of course, on its own, it seems isolated and its goals sometimes challenging, but coupled with the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation and national measures to improve access to high—quality public transport, it is an importa…

8

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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This is Europe - Debate with the Taoiseach of Ireland, Micheál Martin (debate)

Madam President, I say to the Taoiseach: in his final speech to this Parliament, John Hume proposed that the EU should have a commissioner for peace and reconciliation, whose mission would be to promote dialogue and help create a world in which there is no longer any war. We are no closer to that vision, but it is worth holding on to. And I echo these sentiments in the hope that a similar approach…

18

May

2022

EN Speech

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Madam President, people in the north of Ireland recently voted to elect Sinn Féin as the largest party to an assembly where everyone bar the DUP wants the Protocol and the Assembly to work. The British Government loudly proclaim that they are defending the Good Friday Agreement, but the reality is, is that they constantly attack and undermine it. They claim to uphold international law while unilat…

18

May

2022

EN Speech

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Minimum level of taxation for multinational groups (debate)

Madam President, I want to thank Ms Lalucq. Today is a necessary legal step for the implementation of what was agreed at the OECD, and that agreement should be implemented. It’s an agreement among sovereign countries to make sure hugely wealthy and profitable multinationals begin paying a fair share, or at the very least a share. That is long overdue. All countries which signed up should implement…

2

May

2022

EN Speech

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr President, I want to raise an issue that is of some concern for fishing and coastal communities in my constituency. Recently, a dispute arose between fishermen and fish producers with the statutory Sea Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) at Killybegs in Donegal, where two fishing vessels were blocked and so forced to land their catch in Derry, for an hour’s drive back to Killybegs rather than al…

5

Apr

2022

GA Speech

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Guidelines for the 2023 budget – Section III (A9-0062/2022 - Nicolae Ştefănuță)

Mr. President, although I welcome many in this report, I was not in a position to support it in the end. We are facing a huge challenge, especially due to COVID-19. This report focuses too much on expanding the EU’s powers, rather than tackling the cost-of-living crisis. What is needed is a budget that puts citizens first and I do not see that in this report. In addition, there is too much emphasi…

5

Apr

2022

EN Speech

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Future of fisheries in the Channel, North Sea, Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean (A9-0042/2022 - Manuel Pizarro)

Mr President, I too welcome this report on the impact of Brexit for our coastal and fishing communities. It’s clear that Ireland’s fishing sector has been walloped by Brexit as the trade deal amounts to a 15% overall cut to our fishing quota. And our coastal and fishing communities don’t need lip service, they need action. They need our government to sit down with our EU counterparts and the Europ…

23

Mar

2022

EN Speech

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Pilot regime for market infrastructures based on distributed ledger technology (debate)

Madam President, I wish to thank Mr Van Overtveldt for his fair and diligent work on this file. Unfortunately, the end result goes much too far in the direction of deregulation for The Left Group. This is best summed up by the fact that thresholds set by the Commission proposal to contain this pilot project have been increased recklessly. The European Central Bank (ECB), for example, expressed con…

9

Mar

2022

EN Speech

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European Semester for economic policy coordination: annual sustainable growth survey 2022 – European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social aspects in the annual sustainable growth strategy survey 2022 (debate)

Madam President, so far 2022 has been a year of trauma and shock. War in Europe has returned to compound the escalating cost-of-living crisis. Such is the context for us to discuss EU economic planning. The weeks and months ahead are uncertain and we must retain the maximum flexibility to deal with any situation. That means ruling out a return to the fiscal rules in nine months’ time. It is simply…

20

Jan

2022

EN Speech

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Empowering European Youth: post-pandemic employment and social recovery (debate)

Mr President, I welcome this question from the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs. Our young people have suffered hugely during COVID. They have sacrificed years of their young lives to keep others safe. Decent pay, a living wage and properly resourced mental health services are important to many young people and must be championed in a post-COVID world and immediately. Specific policies f…

14

Dec

2021

EN Speech

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European framework for employees' participation rights and the revision of the European Works Council Directive (debate)

Mr President, Irish trade unionists have raised with me their concern, which I know they’ve communicated to the Commission, that post-Brexit the strategic use of Ireland as headquarters for European works councils has increased. And why is this a concern? Because Ireland’s implementation of the Works Council Directive is haphazard. I am pleased the Commission has confirmed to me in writing that it…

25

Nov

2021

EN Speech

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International ports’ congestions and increased transport costs affecting the EU (debate)

Mr President, I welcome the debate on congestion at international ports and increased transport costs affecting the EU. This debate has particular relevance in my own country of Ireland. As an island nation where, pre—Brexit, much of our exports had gone via Britain to the continent. It is important we continue to develop transport links between the island of Ireland and Europe. Increasing port tr…

23

Nov

2021

EN Speech

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Multilateral negotiations in view of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva, 30 November to 3 December 2021 (debate)

Madam President, as EU countries roll out COVID—19 booster vaccines, and new treatments are approved, millions still have no access to affordable vaccines and treatments. While over 61% of European populations have been vaccinated, less than 7% of people in low—income countries have received their first dose. Central to this stark inequality are intellectual property monopolies, which allow Big Ph…

23

Nov

2021

EN Speech

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Common agricultural policy - support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States and financed by the EAGF and by the EAFRD - Common agricultural policy: financing, management and monitoring - Common agricultural policy – amendment of the CMO and other regulations (debate)

Madam President, since becoming an MEP, I’ve been involved in the CAP negotiations, focusing on the performance and monitoring part. When summing up this new CAP reform, the phrase ‘don’t let perfect be the enemy of good’ comes to mind. Yes, there are issues, but supporting this CAP blocks in hard-won progress. Without doubt, this will be a fairer CAP than the last. And again, it can be improved a…

11

Nov

2021

EN Speech

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Disclosure of income tax information by certain undertakings and branches (A9-0305/2021 - Evelyn Regner, Ibán García Del Blanco)

Mr President, it is with mixed emotions that I support this trilogue deal. On the one hand, I welcome any greater transparency over tax affairs. This is simply about openness and some level of public scrutiny of the tax affairs of companies, some of which have turnovers equivalent to the GDP of small countries. However, I deplore the actions of the Irish Government and others in diluting and tryin…

10

Nov

2021

GA Speech

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr President, I would like to speak on the European citizens’ initiative ‘No Profit On Pandemic’. COVID-19 spreads like a wild fire. This initiative is therefore calling on the European Commission to ensure that everyone, regardless of their country, has the right to a remedy. Public money has been paid to develop our vaccines. Therefore, it is not right that big companies should be profiting from…

21

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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Insurance of motor vehicles (debate)

Mr President, I want to welcome this directive. This directive protects drivers when travelling in the EU. It also adds new rights in terms of claim history, even if your previous insurer was in a different EU country. I know this was something that frustrated many people in Ireland. It also provides greater clarity for when an insurer goes out of business. When this happened to Maltese-registered…

20

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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Preparation of the European Council meeting of 21-22 October 2021 (debate)

Madam President, People’s ability to power and warm their homes is a fundamental right – a right threatened by soaring energy prices. In Ireland, there have been over 30 price hikes announced by suppliers this year. We have seen decisive action across Europe to protect energy-poor households. The Irish Government must follow suit. The Commission has outlined that the best long-term solution is the…

6

Oct

2021

EN Speech

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Pandora Papers: implications on the efforts to combat money laundering, tax evasion and avoidance (debate)

Madam President, international investigative journalists have shone a light on many who crave the spotlight in their professional and political lives but wish for their secret wealth to be shrouded in darkness. I commend the work of these journalists. It reminds those who need reminding that our world is a viciously unequal place. As countries scramble for millions to fund health and social servic…

7

Jul

2021

EN Speech

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Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 24-25 June 2021 (debate)

Madam President, the EU Council looked at the national plans for economic recovery and resilience, but I must highlight to this Parliament worrying issues of transparency and democracy. Ireland’s National Plan seems to be a secret! Drawn up with scant consultation or outreach, the plan was submitted without democratic debate and we now know much of it was redacted, visible to neither the public no…

5

Jul

2021

EN Speech

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European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (debate)

Madam President, two weeks ago in our capital city, Dublin, a flotilla of fishing vessels sailed up the River Liffey to protest against the continuously bad deals they have received from the EU and successive Irish governments. The message was clear: the common fisheries policy (CFP) is destroying the Irish fishing industry. Brexit, quota cuts, prioritising money for bureaucracy and enforcement in…