Border areas like West Cavan and Leitrim and the status of women had benefited greatly from EU policies and the substantial funds they had injected into the region.

This was stated by Independent MEP Marian Harkin when she addressed a meeting of the Shannon Valley Women’s Group in Dowra on Friday, September 1st.

The positive impact of EU policies could be very clearly seen in the cross border Peace  Reconciliation fund which had provided €1.3 billion for projects on both sides of the border, she said.  She pointed out that the EU continued to fund Peace and Reconciliation measures with €160 million pledged for the period from 2007 to 2013.

It was obvious that EU funding would taper off in future and it would be up to the Irish and British governments to maintain peace and reconciliation funding at the level necessary to redress the problems caused in border areas through 30 years of conflict, Marian Harkin said.  She urged community groups to initiate and maintain pressure on the two governments to ensure continuity in the provision of funds which were vital to the social and economic re-invigoration of border areas.

The equality agenda from which women had benefited greatly had been driven by the EU and much of Ireland’s equality legislation on equal pay, parental leave, pregnant workers and the Daphne programme to counter violence against women had emerged from Ireland’s membership of the EU, the Independent MEP said.

It was possible for individual citizens to raise issues at EU level and where necessary to seek redress for grievances through the EU institutions including the European Parliament, she said.  As an MEP she had the means to influence legislation and she instanced a measure on truck blind spot mirrors which she had proposed and which was progressing towards legislation which would save hundreds of lives in the EU in years to come.  As an MEP she was accessible to all citizens and could ask questions and put forward suggestions on their behalf at EU level, she said.

Marian Harkin emphasised the role and importance of the rural transport initiative which had proved so successful on a pilot basis.  This programme, which was now to be mainstreamed, had made a significant improvement to the quality of life for people, and especially older people, living in remote rural areas and it’s extension to new areas was of the utmost importance, she said.