What Seán spoke about.

16

Mar

2023

GA Speech

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Long term commitment to animal welfare (debate)

Lord, you are still here, God bless you. And finally, congratulations to Clare Daly, for speaking in Irish and having a happy St. Patrick's Day for you all tomorrow. Thank you very much. So the recently published staff working document on the fitness check of the animal welfare legislation is an important step in the ongoing review of the animal welfare legislation. New legislative proposals must …

16

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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European Citizens’ Initiative "Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment" (debate)

A Uachtaráin, the title of this is pleasing: save bees and farmers. Because I have a feeling if it was a few years ago, it would be ‘save bees’, with no reference to farmers. Now we recognise clearly that they are interdependent. You can’t save one without the other. In fairness to the new CAP, it does try and support farmers in this regard because the space for nature and biodiversity measures re…

15

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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European Semester for economic policy coordination 2023 (A9-0044/2023 - Irene Tinagli)

A Uachtaráin, this report for Economic Policy Coordination outlines the European Parliament’s contribution to the annual European Semester cycle, very supportive. The report describes the economic risks Member States are facing and highlights the necessary steps to alleviate these challenges. The report recognises the risks of a high debt-to-GDP ratio in Member States, and that the recent increase…

15

Mar

2023

GA Speech

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Adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion (B9-0099/2023, B9-0116/2023)

Mr President, this offer calls on Member States today to make the minimum national income fit for the at-risk-of-poverty rate. The offer sets out ways that Member States can use to reform their income schemes to make them more effective, helping people out of poverty and contributing to the integration of the labour market for those who can work. Without reforming a national minimum income, the of…

15

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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The further repressions against the people of Belarus, in particular the cases of Andrzej Poczobut and Ales Bialiatski (B9-0163/2023, RC-B9-0164/2023, B9-0164/2023, B9-0165/2023, B9-0166/2023, B9-0167/2023, B9-0168/2023)

Mr President, I would like to say firstly, I am surprised that the EPP did not have a speaker on the Cambodian discussion. As rapporteur for ASEAN, I met the opposition, Sam Rainsy, and the delegation today and I would have been willing to speak. Apropos this topic, Lukashenko’s regime in Belarus has continued its repression against the Belarusian people, with civil society representatives, human …

15

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Iran: in particular the poisoning of hundreds of school girls

Mr President, once again we are witnessing the Iranian regime’s vicious repression of its women. In September, Iranian security forces repeatedly used violence and intimidation to silence women and girls peacefully protesting the regime’s anti-women policies. We are now contending with what could be potentially one of the most heinous and inhumane acts of systemic abuse against Iranian women. The …

15

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Combating discrimination in the EU - the long-awaited horizontal anti-discrimination directive (debate)

Mr President, the European Union is a great project guaranteeing equality for nations and for citizens. But there’s one thing to guarantee it in law, it’s another thing to put it into practice. And this is the nub of the problem. Too many groups in the European Union, be they people with disabilities, minority groups because of sexual orientation, religious beliefs, Travellers, as my colleague Mar…

15

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Cross-border adoptions from third countries (debate)

Mr President, I think this is a very important discussion. I enjoyed listening to the debates, and everybody is united that we must do everything we can to have proper, legitimate adoption procedures and, above all, to give support to those who want to adopt. I believe that there are thousands of prospective parents, adoptive parents, in Europe who would do so if they were given the guidance and i…

15

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Conclusions of the Special European Council meeting of 9 February and preparation of the European Council meeting of 23-24 March 2023 (debate)

Madam President, this mandate thus far has been marked by our commitment to climate change, which is good. So we have net zero emissions, we have Fit for 55 with the Green Deal, etc. But that also has led to headlines across Europe saying the EU is forcing us to do this and forcing us to do that. Now, I would like to see the rest of this mandate being dedicated to highlighting the supports we can …

14

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Implementation report on the Agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU - The Windsor Framework (debate)

Mr President, into the breach comes Kelly. I welcome the political agreement on the Windsor Framework and commend particularly Vice—President Šefčovič and his team on achieving this result, which is the product of much effort and patience. The new arrangements address the real—life concerns of citizens and businesses in Northern Ireland, while also ensuring that the EU single market is protected t…

14

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Data Act (debate)

Madam President, in my first mandate, I had the privilege of being a rapporteur for the GDPR, which was all about protecting people’s data. Now things have moved on, and it’s really about utilising data for people’s advantage. Speakers mentioned that 80% of our industrial data is not utilised. So, there is a challenge there to make us competitive and I’m sure Commissioner Breton will be addressing…

13

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Energy performance of buildings (recast) (debate)

, Commissioner, I’m pleased I left home at 02.00 this morning to get here for this debate and previously for the EPP discussion on the same. The energy crisis has shown us how vulnerable Europe is to sudden energy price hikes. Even after this crisis is over, gas prices will remain significantly higher than before 2022. The new normal will hit the pockets of people in the worst performing buildings…

16

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Availability of fertilisers in the EU (debate)

Madam President, a Uachtaráin, first point, the terrible invasion by Russia on Ukraine has not only shown that we are too dependent on Russia for our energy supply, but even more so on Russia and Belarus for fertilizers. This has to stop, so we need to import less and produce more. Second point, because fertilizers have now doubled almost in price, we need an emergency financial package for farmer…

15

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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European Central Bank - annual report 2022 (debate)

Madam President, I would like to thank the rapporteurs, as well as President Lagarde for her work, particularly in the ECB’s interest in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) for which I am rapporteur. Inflation driven by high energy costs demonstrates the need for the ECB to further incentivise renovations in order to fulfil its price stability mandate. Buildings are the EU’s most …

14

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Electoral rights of mobile Union citizens in European Parliament elections (A9-0297/2022 - Damian Boeselager)

A Uachtaráin, there are nearly 13.7 million EU citizens residing in a Member State other than that of their own nationality. The right of those EU citizens to vote in European Parliament elections has been enshrined in EU treaties for decades. Nevertheless, these citizens face a number of barriers in exercising this important EU right. This proposal will ensure EU citizens are able to exercise the…

14

Feb

2023

GA Speech

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REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans (A9-0260/2022 - Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, Siegfried Mureşan, Dragoş Pîslaru)

Mr President, in response to the hardships and global energy market disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU introduced the REPowerEU Plan. REPowerEU is a plan to: saving energy, generating clean energy, and diversifying our energy supplies. This plan aims to strengthen and diversify the EU’s current energy supplies to make Europe independent from Russian fossil fuels well before…

14

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Union Secure Connectivity Programme 2023-2027 (A9-0249/2022 - Christophe Grudler)

A Uachtaráin, satellite infrastructure plays a vital role in ensuring seamless communication in a digital society. Under this proposal, the Union Secure Connectivity Programme provides for a satellite communication infrastructure that is secure, flexible and resilient for EU Member States and citizens. This proposal will also ensure EU citizens receive a fit—for—purpose mobile and broadband satell…

14

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Establishment of an independent EU Ethics Body (debate)

A Uachtaráin, maintaining a high level of confidence among citizens in European Union institutions is imperative, and anyone who holds public office should meet high ethical standards. Unfortunately, the scandals that have emerged in recent months have diminished the confidence and trust that EU citizens have in the EU institutions and in the EU project. While ethics standards already exist within…

2

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Preparation of the EU-Ukraine Summit (RC-B9-0092/2023, B9-0092/2023, B9-0093/2023, B9-0094/2023, B9-0095/2023, B9-0096/2023)

A Uachtaráin, the Russian leadership has shown its cruelty towards the Ukrainian people, engaging in war crimes as part of its standard operations on a daily basis. But not only this: they have also shown a complete indifference to their own soldiers, sending wave after wave as cannon fodder to their deaths. I voted in favour of this resolution for many reasons. I support Ukraine’s independence an…

2

Feb

2023

GA Speech

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Revision of the European Works Councils Directive (A9-0295/2022 - Dennis Radtke)

Mr President, I support this own-initiative report, which calls for an ambitious revision of the European Works Council Directive. This is a long-awaited review. This directive offers an important opportunity to promote a transnational and pan-European economy that works for all. I welcome this measured report which seeks to adapt the European Works Council Directive in a targeted manner. This bal…

2

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Transparency and targeting of political advertising (A9-0009/2023 - Sandro Gozi)

A Uachtaráin, I was happy to vote in favour of this report on the transparency and targeting of political advertising. The report aims to make it easier for citizens to recognise a political advertisement, to know what they are seeing and who paid for it. One of our greatest challenges today is the fight against disinformation and external interferences to our democratic processes while maintainin…

19

Jan

2023

GA Speech

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Investment practices of sustainable investment funds (debate)

Mr President, investing around a set of principles, rather than investing solely profit-oriented, is not a new idea. This idea goes back as far as the creation of the concept of investment itself. Today, it is well understood that we need to be mindful and cautious about the climate and social conditions of employees. As a result, the functions of the project for investment management have changed…

19

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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The Global Gateway Initiative (debate)

A Uachtaráin, Commissioner, with the pandemic, and now Putin’s callous war on Ukraine and even Brexit, it’s clear that the global environment is becoming increasingly fractured. As Europe faces increasing economic and security challenges, building sustainable partnerships based on shared values is key for the EU’s standing in the global environment. Yet over the last decade, other global powers ha…

19

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Revision of the European Works Councils Directive (debate)

Yes, fair point. Obviously the EPP has a very good approach to industrial development and ensuring that jobs are a priority. One of the points often made by our leader Manfred Weber is ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’. But obviously conditions have to come with those jobs, and obviously there is a responsibility both on employers and employees. And I think by having this working directive, where we all agree on…

19

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Revision of the European Works Councils Directive (debate)

A Uachtaráin, I welcome this legislative own-initiative report, which calls for an ambitious and long-awaited revision of the European Works Council Directive. The EWC Directive sets out important provisions on the right to information and consultation of employees on matters of transnational character in large undertakings, which are fundamental parts of EU social policy. They are also key elemen…