THE HORSE TRADING has begun in Brussels as the newly elected MEPs evaluate their positions and start setting their agendas for the next five years.

The Journal asked some of Ireland’s new MEPs what issues they hope to tackle now that they are elected or re-elected, and what committees they hope to be a member of ahead of the first sitting of the new European Parliament in July.

It’s clear the group are focused on both short-term issues, such as opposing the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen for a second tenure, and long-term issues, such as the future of the common agriculture policy.

Independent Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, who topped the poll in Midlands-North West and is going into his third term, said securing a seat on the agriculture and rural development (AGRI) committee is his “number one priority”.

In May, the Council of the EU greelit a review of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), after protests in Brussels and France, that will look to make the scheme less paperwork-heavy and a simpler, more predictable process.

Flanagan seemed determined to ensure the review is completed on time: “The CAP must be reviewed by 2027. This process will begin next year. I aim to be the lead MEP in The Left group on this file.”

Expectedly, a seat on the AGRI committee is being tightly contested for between Irish MEPs. Fine Gael’s Maria Walsh and Independent Ireland’s Ciaran Mullooly are also hoping to have a successful bid for an AGRI committee seat.

Walsh similarly said would be important for Fine Gael to hold a seat on the committee during the renegotiation of the CAP in 2027. It seems the MEP is also looking to take on what some might see as heavier, legislation-led committee work during her second term.

Walsh, who previously held a seat on the employment and culture and education committees, said she plans to gain a seat on the regional development, justice and home affairs, and gender equality committees in this term.

“I will be working to secure funding for the Midlands-North West communities that need assistance through the Green Transition from the EU’s Just Transition Fund under the Regional Development Committee,” Walsh added.

Mullooly said that the AGRI committee is one of eight committees he has registered his interest for ahead of choosing of grouping next week.

Mullooly, a newcomer who was elected on the final count last week in Midlands-North West, said he wanted to work to generate better compensation for family farms in Ireland and the EU as well as aid rural development.

Separately, Flanagan added that he hopes to be able to continue his work with the European Parliament’s petitions committee, who earlier this year published a report and list of recommendations on the defective concrete blocks in Ireland.

He said he believes the Government has “clearly ignored” the findings of the report, which said the mica redress scheme needed to be “improved”, and that it must be addressed at EU level.

He and Sinn Féin’s MEP Lynn Boylan both told The Journal that they will be opposing Ursula von der Leyen’s bid to a second term as European Commission president, citing her position on the conflict in Gaza and concerns over the “militarisation” of the EU.

Boylan said she will also be “keeping climate and biodiversity at the forefront” of her term and will be seeking a position on the environmental committee.

Mullooly said he also wants to work on the employment and social affairs committee to work on a “people-centred” Just Transition Fund, an important piece of Green legislation looks to compensate areas of society and the economy as the use of peat is banned.

Fianna Fáil’s Cynthia Ní Murchú says she wants to sit on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety committee to tackle how the Just Transition is impacting farmers.

The newly-elected MEP told The Journal the fund needed to be “fair, balanced, proportionate and evenly spread between all sectors”.

Additionally, Ní Murchu is seeking a seat on the Internal Markets committee – seeking to create stronger regulations on social media, such as age verification – and the transport committee to take steps towards the ‘Vision Zero’ road safety initiative.

Seán Kelly, Fine Gael’s longest-serving MEP who was elected on the first count for his fourth term in Europe, said he hopes to continue his work on the parliament’s energy committee.

A large task for this new batch of MEPs will be focusing of shifting the European economy away from fossil fuels and towards renewable sources of energy, as the last term focused heavily on implementing ‘Net Zero’ strategies.

Frameworks will also need to be implemented so that the EU can meet its first major targets in its Green Deal, which plans to cut emissions by 55% in 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Kelly said: “I will be advocating for an ambitious strategy for a sustainable European Economy powered by Irish renewables. The fact is that Ireland can be the powerhouse of Europe with the right plan and a properly functioning planning.”

The Capital Markets Union (CMU) is another important piece of legislation that will feature in much of the European Parliament’s coverage over the next number of years.

The CMU aims to make it easier for small, medium and start-up businesses in the EU to avail of and give them better access to funding from shareholders, banks and other lenders elsewhere on the continent.

It is understood the European Commission were disappointed that the EU leaders seemed slow to encourage action on this legislation during the last term until, in March, where Prime Ministers directed MEPs to complete and adopt the anticipated framework.

Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher told The Journal he plans to be “actively working on the development of the Capital Markets Union” over the next term in Parliament and is seeking to retain his position on the Economic and Monetary Affairs committee to do so.

The Ireland South MEP, who’s going into his second term, is hoping to also retain his position on the Environment, Food Safety and Public Health Committee as well.

(From left) Cowen, Ni Mhurchu, Andrews and Kelleher were all elected as Fianna Fáil MEPs. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Along with his party-mate in Dublin, Barry Andrews, Kelleher is seeking to be appointed to a foreign affairs or civil liberties committee. Both MEPs were in Brussels last week proposing the agenda for the Renew group and seeking nominations to committees. 

Andrews told The Journal that he hopes to retain his seat on the post-Brexit working group, the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, as well as his seat on the development committee.

The Dublin MEP, also re-elected for a second term, hopes to continue a “humanitarian agenda in Europe”, particularly as the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine continue.

He added: “I am particularly interested in the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, where I want to influence energy policy and European competitiveness.”

The MEP said that, after his campaign, he acknowledged there is a need for a “comprehensive housing strategy for young people in Europe, ensuring affordable and accessible options”, and promoted the development of one last week.

Labour Party MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has four key elements to his term: workers’ rights, housing, push for the enactment of climate policy and building better ties between the EU and the UK.

Ó Ríordáin told The Journal he wants to promote and improve wage increases for workers, ban unpaid internships and work towards an EU-wide right to disconnect, a move Ireland domestically took during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Dublin MEP added that there is a need for European investment schemes for affordable housing and a coordinated approach to climate action across the EU member states.