How the European Union could intervene to help Ireland and it’s citizens through current economic difficulties dominated discussion at the consultation meeting organised by Marian Harkin MEP in Claremorris on Saturday, November 8th.

The meeting was organised by the Independent MEP to report on recent issues debated in the European parliament, to obtain views on social policy needs, and to provide information on the range of opportunities which exist for citizens to raise matters at EU level.

Issues which were raised at the meeting included concern that financial institutions would be far better regulated in future and that a mechanism was needed to prevent peoples’ houses and businesses being repossessed by banks which had behaved carelessly in their lending policies.

Health and disability issues were also discussed in detail while environment matters raised included a discussion on restriction of turf cutting and restrictions involved in building rural houses.  In detailing recent developments at EU level, Marian Harkin spoke of the recent adoption of a directive which required temporary workers to be paid the same as other workers from the day of commencement of work.

She advised that people should seek information from MEPs on EU consultation processes and take opportunities to respond to calls for proposals especially in relation to youth affairs.   She detailed her work in relation to volunteering and carers stressing the need for Ireland to follow the lead of other countries by providing ‘satellite’ accounts alongside national accounts in order to put a financial value on the contribution of volunteers to the economy.

Marian Harkin also detailed her work with carers which followed on her establishment of a Carers Interest Group, with fellow Independent MEP Kathy Sinnott, and spoke of the recent European Court of Justice decision in favour of a carer who had in the opinion of the court been discriminated against in relation to the time she had needed to take from her job to care for her special needs son.

Access to the EU Ombudsman for people with complaints against the EU institutions can be obtained through downloading from a website (http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu) or through post from the European Ombudsman’s Office, (1 Avenue du President Robert Schuman, CS 30403, Fr-67001 Strasbourg Cedex, France), Marian Harkin explained.  There is also an online network called SOLVIT which is geared to solving problems for citizens or businesses and avoiding the necessity of legal proceedings, she told the attendance at the Claremorris meeting.

         
Marian Harkin detailed a number of consultations and dialogues currently open to EU citizens and one with particular relevance to Ireland was the public consultation “Schools for the 21st Century”, she said.  This consultation included matters such as schools competences, schools and social inclusion, and the role of teachers, Marian Harkin MEP said.