Peace fund will be renewed, says European Parliament President
The European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek has expressed confidence that funding for the EU’s Peace and Reconciliation Programme will be continued beyond 2013. (more…)
Delegation seeks release of Irish-trained doctors in Bahrain
An Irish delegation of politicians, medical professionals and human rights representatives will travel to Bahrain next week to investigate the alleged illegal detention of a group of medics arrested on trumped up sedition charges. (more…)
Ireland is Paddy last with EU identity card
An Irish MEP has urged the government to introduce national ID cards in order to keep track of the population and avoid situations like last month’s census, which revealed an extra 100,000 people living in the country. (more…)
Greedy mobile providers should cut roaming now
Phone companies should not wait until new EU legislation on roaming kicks in, they should start immediately to reduce the “astronomical” rates being charged for using mobiles abroad, the European Parliament heard this week. (more…)
MEPs seek quotas for women in business
Women could account for 30 per cent of top management in every stock-exchange listed company across the EU by 2015, if the European Commission heeds demands made by MEPs for binding gender quotas to be imposed in all member states. (more…)
Orang-utan campaigners welcome new EU labelling rules
Everyday food items in Irish supermarkets that hide the ingredient of palm oil under the catch-all term “vegetable oil” will be obliged to state clearly on the label which oils are contained in the product, under new rules agreed by MEPs this week. (more…)
Ireland will endorse cross-border traffic laws
New regulations on cross-border traffic offences agreed at the European Parliament this week will be implemented by the government here, according to a Northwest MEP. (more…)
EU funding potential for Irish sport
Local authorities in Ireland and sporting organisations including the GAA, IRFU and FAI will soon be able to apply for funding to the value of up to €440 billion euro under the EU’s new Regional Policy, following a decision in Strasbourg this week. (more…)
Dublin MEP says Irish return to Gaza flotilla is still an option
The Irish MEP who had hoped to be part of the second failed Gaza freedom flotilla has not ruled out a third attempt to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza in the near future. (more…)
EU to challenge Ireland’s VRT laws
A long-running campaign to exempt cross-border workers and students from paying Vehicle Registration Tax made a breakthrough this week, after the European Commission announced its intention to begin legal proceedings against Ireland for infringing freedom of movement. (more…)
