Question to:	Patricia McKenna
Issue:	Environment
03.06.2009 Question sent by	Dear Patricia, If, as you say, the politicians of Ireland are severly lacking in commitment to just about all and any of the "agreed" environmental initiatives - and this appears to have been acceptable to Europe so far. Can I ask, if you should be elected, what actual and effective mechanism/s of enforcement will become available to you if you should wish to improve this situation?
05.06.2009 Reply from Patricia McKenna	Dear , Thank you for your question. One of the most effective things an MEP can do in regard to this issue is to push the Commission to follow up and force member states to live up to the Directives that they themselves have agreed to. To date Ireland has been sadly lacking in respect to compliance, plus the Commission process is long drawn out and the Commission is always reluctant to fine member states for failure to comply. I think however this is starting to change. Furthermore, the Environment Commission is under resourced and needs more support, ; which is an issue that I have been pushing for years. But there is no doubt that having MEPs fighting for this issue is of great benefit to NGOs working at the local as well as international level. All the best, Patricia.
Source:	http://www.candidatewatch.ie/patricia_mckenna-30374-22684.html