Search Results for 'European Commission'

An NUI Galway project, led by INSIGHT will offer Europeans the opportunity to understand key EU policies and issues. The project, an EU Commission eGovernment project aims to give Europeans a voice in policy creation.

A public enquiry could result from allegations of flawed and suppressed information regarding controversial proposal to construct a massive salmon farm in Galway Bay.

Fine Gael Mayo TD for Mayo Michelle Mulherin has received confirmation from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, that stipulations can be made to ensure that local workers are prioritised during construction phase in public contracts. Deputy Mulherin has called for this stipulation to applied in the case of the construction of the State’s largest wind energy farm at Oweninny. “I have received confirmation from Minister Howlin in response to a parliamentary question I submitted that there is a mechanism available which could be utilised to give priority to local workers in public construction contracts. I believe this can and should be applied in the case of the wind energy farm at Oweninny,” she said. “In response to my initial proposal that local people be prioritised for employment in the construction of the wind farm at Oweninny, Bord na Móna and Coillte stated that they are prohibited from prioritising local staff because of EU procurement rules. However Minister Howlin’s statement confirms that this is not the case. However Minister Howlin has confirmed to me that the European Commission issued guidance in 2010 that in pursuance of certain social objectives the public procurement process can be used to prioritise employment and training opportunities for young unemployed or long-term unemployed, in a contract for services awarded by these state companies. In the case of the wind farm at Oweninny, it is my contention that such a clause should be used and a derogation sought to provide work for locals who are long term unemployed and for training and apprenticeship opportunities for young people.”

If the government refuses to bring forward proposals to reform the Seanad Fianna Fail which led opposition to its abolition should make reform a central plank to its manifesto for the next General Election.

Jim Higgins MEP for Ireland North West has been most active in terms of questioning the European Commission in the first four years of the current five year European Parliament term. New figures show that MEP Jim Higgins asked 513 questions to the European Commission, which is made up of 27 commissioners, in the period July 2009 to July 2013. MEPs are entitled to ask written questions of the commission in order to hold the commission to account. MEP Higgins has asked a wide range of questions, on transport, fisheries, and market competition matters in particular.

The rumour mill went into overdrive that an Taoiseach Enda Kenny is tipped to take over a major position in the EU in 2014, after an article appeared in the Irish Independent this week which reported that the Taoiseach is being linked with two top positions—The European Council President and the European Commission President.

Travel websites are storing details of searches from individual computers to deduce how interested a consumer is in a particular flight or car rental.

Mayo is set to host a new international arts programme following a successful EU bid for €200,000. Mayo County Council arts office’s, public art programme, working with project partners in UK and Spain, has secured the funding from the education, audio-visual and culture executive of the European Commission towards the contemporary visual and digital arts programme Changing Tracks, part of the European Union’s culture programme 2007 to 2013. In total, 476 applications were submitted from across Europe, with 114 selected for funding.

MEP for Ireland North West and member of the European Parliament's Fisheries Committee, Jim Higgins, has welcomed proposed EU measures announced this week to limit the over-fishing of North Atlantic mackerel stocks.

Independent MEP Marian Harkin MEP this week expressed her delight that MEPs have agreed a roadmap to ensure more women take their place on company boards in the European Union.