Leinster retirement groups live it up on EU tour (23/4/09)
April 23, 2009 at 4:19 pm Leave a comment
A group of fifty people from every county in Leinster enjoyed a trip to the continent last week to visit the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Participants on the five-day excursion included members of the Enniscorthy Active Retirement Group and the Frisky Fifties group from Dublin. The visitors were welcomed in Strasbourg by Ireland East MEP Avril Doyle, who showed them around the EU institutions and treated them to a sumptuous dinner in the historic French city.
‘If I’d known how fascinating the Parliament was going to be I would have come years ago!’ said one visitor after their day-tour. Avril Doyle, who only has six weeks to go before she quits European politics in June, was delighted to welcome her constituents. ‘I hope their day in Strasbourg gave them a greater understanding of the role of an MEP and how the reports on which we vote impact their lives. After all, 80 per cent of Irish legislation comes through the European Parliament!’ said the Fine Gael MEP.
Every Irish MEP is entitled to bring a hundred constituents out to the European Parliament each year. The cost of the trip is subsidised by the EU, so participants pay less than €500 all in.
As well as visiting Strasbourg, the visitors also enjoyed a cruise on the Rhine and visits to the Moselle Valley, Cologne, Heidleberg and the famous spa town of Baden Baden.
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