Maria Walsh is a sitting MEP representing the Midlands-North-West constituency and has been a member of the European Parliament since 2019. Born in Boston, the former Rose of Tralee is the youngest serving Irish MEP. She is a member of the European People’s Party group in parliament.

I believe agriculture, migration and the rise of populism and right-wing forces are three of the most pivotal issues currently facing the European Union.

The Common Agricultural Policy is central to the livelihoods of Irish farm families and represents over 30% of the total EU budget. But since its inception, the CAP has faced continuous change from its initial design of supporting farmers to produce quality food at a lower cost, to now meeting food shortages worldwide in an ever changing climate. Supporting our farmers as we all go through the green transition is key to ensuring the future of European agriculture, and I believe innovation will make this transition more equitable and profitable. If re-elected, I’ll continue to prioritise CAP reform, as well as my work with Irish farm families introducing new technologies to make their everyday lives easier and safer, and their enterprises more sustainable.

The movement of people due to multiple conflicts, including those fleeing Israel’s genocide in Gaza; famine and drought is an issue challenging countries across Europe and the world. The EU has failed on its migration policy to date, hence why I welcome the new EU Migration and Asylum Pact, the first ever comprehensive European plan with the political backing needed to address migration. As a small island nation, global challenges have a significant impact on our country and we cannot afford to take an isolationist approach to the defining global issue of migration.

For Ireland, the Pact will reduce the number of applications we have to process, decrease the time people spend in State-provided accommodation and provide our authorities with the ability to return people who are not entitled to be here to other European countries. During the lead-in period over the next two years, I would like to see the Government put the necessary resources in place to ensure we can properly implement the Pact.

The protection of democracy and truth is one of the defining issues of the upcoming European elections. Populist and right-wing actors are creating division across Europe, and perhaps more concerningly, they are spreading lies and misinformation. Going far beyond the necessary questioning of Europe in the best interests of their constituents, many of them are also Eurosceptic and actively undermine the European democratic project.

I would like to see stronger EU regulation of news and social media platforms to curtail the spread of false information. However, the ultimate responsibility to protect the truth and democracy, both at home and in Europe, lies with us as political representatives. We cannot bend to populism, and we must actively call out lies and hypocrisy when we see it.

If I am re-elected, I will sit with the European People’s Party Group (EPP Group) as I currently do in the Parliament.

The EPP Group is the largest and most influential group in Europe, and it is a broad church of centre and centre-right members from across all 27 Member States.

The EPP stands for democracy, fairness and opportunity. Our priorities include agriculture and supporting farmers through the green transition; ensuring thriving economies across Europe and advancing pro-business legislation; and supporting workers and families with well paid jobs and high quality healthcare.

Underpinning all of our work is equality for our EU citizens. Within this mandate alone, we have delivered on the first LGBTI+ Strategy and the first legislative action to end Gender Based Violence with leadership from MEP Frances Fitzgerald. My own work included ensuring mental health is a political priority, as well as putting money back into women’s pockets through the Equal Pay Directive and protecting victims of human trafficking, issues which I have delivered legislation on over the past five years.

As a sitting MEP, I am an experienced candidate with a strong track record. Having served five years in the European Parliament, I have the experience and knowledge needed to get things done. I’ve written legislation, negotiated key agreements and have lobbied for Ireland’s interests at the decision making table.

I am a strong and impactful representative for the West of Ireland in Europe. I represent small family farmers, I represent rural towns and villages, I represent young people and the next generation.

I am proudly pro-European. The EU has transformed our country for the better over the past 51 years, yet many of the candidates running in this election are Eurosceptic. They don’t like the EU, they don’t understand the EU and they won’t achieve real progress within the EU. While I’m not afraid to question the European institutions when necessary, I understand the value and importance of the EU to Ireland and will always work with our international partners in the best interests of the Midlands-North West.