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NEWLY-ELECTED IRISH MEP Michael McNamara has joined the centrist Renew group in the European Parliament, the same group that Fianna Fáil belong to.
The group welcomed independent McNamara on X (formerly Twitter) today while Independent Ireland’s Ciaran Mullooly has confirmed he has applied to join Renew.
Renew is a coalition of centrist and centre-left parties in Europe, including the ALDE which Fianna Fáil is a veteran member of, and lost up to 20 seats after the election in June.
While the introduction of two new members will be welcomed by the group, the new MEPs will have to decide if they will follow the group in supporting Ursula von der Leyen’s second term as European Commission President.
Last week the European leaders backed von der Leyen and nominated her for a second term. MEPs will vote to approve or reject this nomination later this month.
A high-level deal has taken place between Renew, the European People’s Party (Fine Gael’s group) and the Socialists and Democrats (the Labour Party’s group) to support von der Leyen’s bid retain her position as the EU’s top decision maker.
Fianna Fáil MEPs have been very critical of von der Leyen over her handling of the conflict in Gaza and disagree with her stances on defence policy and the EU.
Many ministers and Fianna Fáil TDs, including Tánaiste Micheál Martin, have said they will “engage” with their party’s MEPs ahead of the vote in July.
During their campaigns, Fianna Fáil MEPs said they would not be voting for the German politician, but have yet to say if the high-level deal has or will change their mind, when asked by The Journal.
All Irish Renew members, including McNamara and Mullooly, told The Journal before the elections that they would not be supporting von der Leyen. Aodhan Ó Ríordáin, the only Irish MEP in the Socialists and Democrats, said he will also not be supporting her.
However, Mullooly told RTÉ News this evening that he is “keeping an open mind” about his decision as he wants to hear what the nominated President will do to stop the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Mullooly last week told The Journal that he is seeking a seat on the Parliament’s agriculture committee and the employment and social affairs committee.
He added that he wants 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.
McNamara, who campaigned for peace and businesses, agriculture and energy regulation reform said before the election: “The European Union needs to remain a force for peace in Europe.”
The former Clare TD was welcomed by fellow MEP and President of the group in the European Parliament Valerie Hayer this evening.
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The health service isn’t “overlooked”. It’s just terribly ran and inefficient.
@Seán Ó hAnnracháin: Agree the Irish Health Service consumes 11% of our GDP v 9% average for other EU countries. Transparency needed on unit production. How many total manhours per procedure (direct and all indirect) v international benchmarks? Please publish.
- 2 Tier Irish Health System is obscene.
- Belfast buses from West Cork for cataract operations.
Tidal wave of health and mental issue s will follow.
The worse is yet to come.
‘Overlooked’ as in intentionally underfunded to scare people into the arrms of private health insurance companies.
“That’s the standard technique of privatization: defund, make sure things don’t work, people get angry, you hand it over to private capital” – Noam Chomsky
@The Risen: Funding has increased by 1/5 over the past 5 years, so the HSE is definitely not being “underunded”, but epically mis-managed. But don’t let facts get in the way of your little rants.
@The Risen: it’s a thought but I don’t really think so there are a lot off buffoons in charge
@The Risen: nothing underfunded about our health service… It’s run by a bunch of interest groups who are more concerned with their share rather than the health of the nation. Top heavy management that wasn’t thinned out in the move from Health Boards to the HSE maintains the lack of value and continuing inefficiency of any investment. Hospitals owned or managed by “patrons” despite being funded and developed by the state limit the mobility and efficiency of trained staff. Working practices designed to ensure as much staff as possible are paid at higher levels and a ridiculous consultant contract all contribute to ensure that any individual procedure actually costs more than the equivalent in a private setting, any of the double jobbing consultants will confirm this.
@The Risen: You say this because the HSE SHOULD BE a leftists’ wet dream – a big public sector (union dominated) organisation running our health system for the benefit of the public. But it’s a disaster. But that’s ok, because just blame the mean Gov or those evil capitalists. Hate to burst your bubble, but the HSE is the way it is because it is dominated by public sector vested interests (i.e Unions). There is no real accountability. There is no desire from within for change and any significant change is fought tooth nail because the status quo suits the special interests (i.e PS unions)- they’ve carved it out this way. At least if you’re paying for a service, the provider has an interest in providing you a good service. The HSE bureaucrat has no such interest, they are paid regardless.
All future governments will tie up the banking crisis borrowings with loans from Covid and will blame “Covid” for everything for years to come.
What health service as its near impossible to even see a GP these days
have your say