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DOZENS OF EU Parliament members have expressed “deep concern” over Elon Musk’s interference in European politics in a letter to senior members of the European Commission, calling on Brussels to protect member states.
Musk, who owns Tesla and SpaceX, has drawn fire for a string of attacks on European leaders as well as his support for the far-right German AfD party, whose head he hosted on his X social media platform last week.
It has also sparked a flurry of letter-writing by MEPs – both in support and against Musk.
The latest letter today took umbrage with his X posts about European politics.
“We are writing to express our deep concerns about Elon Musk’s interference, particularly in the German election campaign and, previously, in Ireland,” 38 MEPs wrote in the letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as well respective EU tech and justice commissioners Henna Virkkunen and Michael McGrath.
Virkkunen is expected to take part in a headline debate next week in the European Parliament on the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and its enforcement – amid concerns the commission is moving away from its previously bullish approach to social media platforms.
In today’s letter, the MEPs from parliamentary groups across the political spectrum noted that Musk “isn’t just a foreign billionaire” but also a future member of the incoming US administration under president-elect Donald Trump.
The MEPs, including Greens and liberals, accused Musk of artificially making his posts more visible to promote his personal views as well as “misleading content”.
“The European Commission must examine the compliance of Musk’s recent smear campaigns with the Digital Services Act,” the lawmakers said.
The EU in December 2023 launched a DSA probe into X but has yet to make any formal decision on how the platform tackles illegal content and information manipulation.
A rival letter circulated chiefly among right-wing lawmakers is calling for Musk to be invited to address the parliament, while MEPs were also encouraged to sign a proposal nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize.
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And by the time you get into college, get your degree the Leaving Cert is as relevant as putting your Junior Cert results on a CV.
I’m writing to you a year to the day since you posted this. Bet you weren’t expecting that
Hi Seán, I’m writing to you a year to the day since you posted that reply. Bet you weren’t expecting that either!!
I can’t stress that last point more that high points does not mean a more difficult course!
My own course MSISS in TCD was 385 and is basically business, maths and computers rolled into one. Had the highest fail rate of any course in Trinity last year!
Ignore the points. Put down what you WANT to do in college!
Well, gaining high points gives you options and I think most students would like to be in the position of not being limited by their Leaving Cert. But I take your point, as I did an very high points course and the TCD engineers kicked my ass in terms of work!
What do you work at after that David? Just curious
I have very mixed feelings on the CAO. My daughters received their results last Wednesday and on the Thursday one of them who had applied to a UK university received an offer from UCAS. (The UK equivalent)
Why does it take the CAO five days to release the offers? Can it really take five days for the CAO to liase with the various 3rd level institutes?
Would it not make sense for the offers to be made simultaneously with a students results even if it delays releasing the Leaving Cert results by a few days. For many kids stressed enough as it is, the five day gap is too much and with technology is unnecessary.
In the.meantime the other daughter has chewed her nails to the quick.
Eh this is Ireland and that would mean cutting down from two days to drink and celebrate to one day no can do
Would it not make sense to release the LC results a week or two earlier and then have final completion of the CAO a couple of days after the results. That way the students could tailor their course choices more closely to their results and take a little of the trauma out of the waiting.
The CAO system exists precisely so that isn’t necessary.
Excellent article Gavin. Having put my three through the points system I couldn’t have put it better myself.
Sorry, Gavan. And I hate it when people do not spell my name correctly!
The points system is not fit for purpose. The same points are awarded no matter what relevance the subject in question has to the course applied for. You can get to study medicine having failed biology! Daft.
You can get to do Medicine in TCD without doing Biology!!! As is the case with some of my first year students
I know a girl who is studying English having failed it in the leaving cert. It just makes no sense to me.
While some courses have a ridiculous minimum grade, in an irrelevant subject, as an added requirement to points.
Strange that! If you fail one of the core subjects- English being one of them, then you have not passed your LC & cannot go to university. I don’t know if the same applies for I.Ts but surely it’s a very sad reflection on someone who fails a subject at LC level and then is so deluded that they think themselves capable of going on to study it at 3rd level.
I know. That’s why all of us were shocked. She is in UCD.
I spoke to her the day of our debs and she said she was still accepted because she had the points and they had no actual additional requirements.
I think her degree was combined with other subjects too.
The year I sat my leaving English across the board was marked really harshly. We had a board member of the SEC in our school who advised sending the majority for re-checks.
Seriously? Go on her. Some schools simply don’t push students enough. Take it from expirience.
Antiquated system. There’s no reason to say that you won’t be good at a course in University because of the points you have, high or low. Leaving Cert is far too broad and has no reflection on research ability or independent thought…. essential in University. And nearly all University Courses have not been thought at a second level standard, so students have never seen them before, they could hate them, and everyone starts on an equal footing. More often the CAO points reflect supply and demand… which is related to the current economy…. 4 years is a long time… could be a whole new world by the time you have your degree.
Eight years ago I sat crying having narrowly (5 pts) missed out on my 1st choice in the CAO in Sciences. After much deliberation I accepted my 2nd choice in Business & Language. Thankfully, I couldn’t be happier with how everything worked out! To all those waiting on offers tomorrow, the very best of luck to you!! Not getting your 1st choice may be a perceived missed opportunity but it can also be the start of an incredible, unexpected experience!
Couldn’t agree more. I missed out on my first choice, not even by points, but by an irrelevant grade requirement!
I had cleared the course by 60 points and couldn’t do it. I had the option of repeating the subject I needed the grade for, but I felt I worked hard enough and wasn’t going to put myself through the stress again.
In the end I took a year out and returned a year later to a similar course. Again honestly the best thing I ever did. Sometimes these things happen, and while they may seem like the end of the world more often times than not they are in fact a blessing in disguise.
Everything happens for a reason and all that. :)
@Jillian. Well done. We’re you not a bit scared of accepting the offer considering science and business differ alot?
The sooner we move away from this ridiculous way of 3rd level options the better. Cant get into science with irish. Cant do architecture because you dont have french. Simply does not make sense. Assessment and aptitude the only way forward.
Wow.. I scraped my Leavin cert a long time ago.. Didnt apply for college for obvious reasons!!!!.. Plus my parents didnt have the money.
Achieved 120 points according to the table above.. Wonder what courses wouldve been available to me.. Flower arranging??!!
By the way i am earnin 35,000 a year now… See u dont need to go to college to earn a decent livin.. I am sure it helps tho
Good luck to all.. I admire all those young uns who study hard..
Signed
A thicko
Your attitude is great. So true, my parents didn’t even get as far as the LC the were told to go out and work. Later on in life the went back to education (with out a lc, through link schemes of course) and their doing well for themselves and one only has a level 6 certificate from plc, but were comfortably living. Just a saying the LC is a good indication to your career path but depends on how you approach further education it doesn’t determine your life or what you’ll actually do. I know someone who got 420 points in LC and dropped out, and then other people who have dropped outta school many years ago. It’s very much a case of life’s what you make it! Fair play!
I take a different view to those expressed. If someone wants ,vocavtionally, to study ,say, Dentistry why should a points race be the criterion? The vocational aspect does not rank in a points system. A student may be inclined to one course but “because I got the points I studied (say) Medicine”. What kind of a Doctor does that produce? The solution may be hard to find ,but it seems that more attention ought to be paid to it and a system devised to accommodate it. Difficult , but we have very highly paid Civil Servants (?) to come up with answers. To pressurise our youth with thec current system is harsh beyond words.
See ya in the common room next week Rory !
Mick H!! ( I agree with yer post )
Best of luck to everyone getting offers tomorrow. It’s one of the most nerve wracking things.
I sincerely hope that points for some courses don’t sky rocket, such an unfortunate kick in the guts when that happens.
I wouldn’t worry about the CEO to much . This government just wants you all to emigrate .
Get the point, not the points.
This article highlights the obvious failure of the education system.
A well educated student, ready to begin third level education (after 13 years of school!) should be capable of understanding how the CAO points system works without the need to spell it out to them.
I assume it is more relevant to parents and others, not the students themselves.
The article clearly states it is for those who may have a loved one awaiting results and wish to understand the system but are a bit mystified by it.
The only thing this highlights is your failure to actually read it.
Hope you read the questions in your JC and LC better than you read this article, Pauric. It clearly says in the fifth paragraph that it’s meant as a guide for those of us who didn’t go through the CAO system ourselves.
Hmmm.. Still mind boggling to me. I should really be worrying. Lol I also don’t understand how someone would have psychology as number 1 and settle for drama and theatre studies. I think if you don’t get your first option and unless your also 100% sure about your second option should you only then take your second option. If that’s not the case take a PLC, I know in my town there is a stigma around PLC which is off putting. However better dealing with that stigma and you knowing the truth about it and getting to where you wanna be then doing something your not happy with and dropping out. P.s stressful time for us teens!
Fair enough. I overlooked that bit.
What if I do Higher Level maths and it’s not in my top six grades?
Or even more importantly, if I do Higher Level maths and I receive the same grade in another subject, ie, two joint 5th highest grades.
It is about your top six subjects in terms of points, not grades, therefore maths would be included.
Itm ust be used in the top six to earn extra points
Say if I got 5A1s and I also got a B1 in Maths and a B1 in Biology, would I get bonus points or not?
Two questions:
Q1 – Take a course that has 50 places .. 75 applicants.
30 applicants with highest points get place ….
45 applicants remaining (with exactly same points) to fill 20 places …
How are the remaining places allocated .. ??
Q2 – Am I right in saying .. that the points allocated to the course the following year .. is derived from the lowest points it took to fill a course in the current year …
(money riding on this one !!)
This would be more credible if there wasn’t a very basic error in it: B2 was quoted as being worth 80 points whereas it’s only worth 75! By the way I left school with only a Group Cert.
Nope a B2 is 80 points.
It is 80 isn’t it? B1 is 85, A2 90 and then A1 100? As far as I recall.
have your say