Fine Gael MEPs secure membership of key European Parliament committees

The Fine Gael delegation in the European Parliament has secured membership of the most sought-after European Parliament committees, as the new parliamentary term officially began in Strasbourg this week.

Speaking from Strasbourg, the leader of the Fine Gael delegation in the European Parliament, Mairead McGuinness, confirmed the committee memberships of the following committees:

Mairead McGuinness (Midlands North West)

– Full membership of Agriculture & Rural Development/AGRI, substitute on Environment, Public Health & Food Safety/ENVI

Sean Kelly (South)

– Full membership of Industry and Energy/ITRE, substitute on Internal Market/INTA

Brian Hayes (Dublin)

– Full membership of Economic & Monetary Affairs/ECON, substitute on Development/DEVE & Budgetary control/CONT

Deirdre Clune (South)

– Full membership of Transport & Tourism/TRAN, substitute on Employment & Social Affairs/EMPL

“We have been successful in securing membership of committees which are important to Ireland and the EU. These committees will be pivotal in driving the agenda for growth and jobs in the EU,” McGuinness said.

“The next five years in the European Parliament must focus on creating the right environment for small and medium sized enterprises to grow and prosper. This will include ensuring that banks begin to lend to the real economy and that interest rates are competitive to allow for investment and growth.

“The committees of parliament are central in shaping legislation and increasingly, I believe the committees must also be willing to reject proposals from the Commission which do not meet the agenda of growth and jobs in the EU. Unnecessary red tape must be removed.

“We chose these particular committees, as listed, because of their strategic role in furthering the stability, jobs and growth agenda. Clearly, there are other significant committees within Parliament, such as Petitions, Legal Affairs and others, which the Fine Gael delegation will also oversee in representing Ireland,” she added.

The parliamentary committees draw up, amend and adopt European legislative proposals and own-initiative reports. Committees consider Commission and Council proposals and, where necessary, draw up reports to be presented to the plenary assembly. The newly formed committees will hold their constitutive meetings in Brussels next week.

Commenting on her election, as the second Irish MEP ever to be elected, to the post of Vice-President of the European Parliament yesterday (Tuesday) after a resounding vote of confidence from her European colleagues in Strasbourg, McGuinness said it is an honour for the country and a role which she looks forward to filling as the first Irish woman to hold such a position in the Parliament.