Europe’s task is to provide solutions for ordinary people. It must offer answers for those

• Young and old whose wages and jobs and homes are under pressure

• Whose savings and pensions are exposed to the market meltdown

• Whose essential services from healthcare to childcare are the first to be cut

• Who are deeply worried about their future and that of their children

As we face into this recession, I believe Europe – a revitalised Union of Member States, committed to cooperating to solve problems – is more important than ever.

It is clearer now than it has been for a long time that Labour, and our Socialist colleagues in Europe, is correct when we say we must have an economy that serves society, a social market economy. For 15 years politics at European level has been dominated by doctrinaire conservative economics and politics. But it does not have to be like that. We can re-launch the European project to achieve fairness at home and in the world at large. In Ireland that means voting for the Labour party – at Council level, for the Dail and for the European Parliament.

The last time there was a global economic crisis of this magnitude was in the 1930s. Then, like now, it was ordinary people who suffered – whose homes, livelihoods and futures were on the line, even though it was not of their doing. That experience, followed by a world war, taught millions of Europeans that we can only prevent these problems by working together at the European level. And that realisation, in turn, gave rise to the European Union. The doctrinaire conservatives, Thatcher, Reagan, Bush etc, fought back and we have had in more recent years a return to a dog eat dog economics, and we all can see where this has led.

We can turn this crisis around providing that Ireland and the other European states co-ordinate our policy responses, ensuring that as many people as possible can hold onto their jobs, homes, decent incomes and pensions, while providing adequate support for those who are thrown out of work or lose pensions. This is also the occasion to put in place sufficient regulation so that citizens are never again left to the greed of the bankers and speculators.

Our task now is not only to rebuild our economy. We must also rebuild our community based on fairness and solidarity. In Ireland that requires investing in social and in physical infrastructure. It requires investing in people, and above all investing in our children, their care and their education, guaranteeing their future, not destroying it.

This is the approach I have taken in the European parliament up to now and which I hope to continue in the next parliament with your support.

Proinsias De Rossa MEP

Labour party/Socialist group

Looking forward - Programme

Together with his Socialist colleagues in the European Parliament, Proinsias is working to:

• Launch the recovery of the European economy and prevent new financial crises

• Renew Europe’s Social Agenda to deliver fairness in society

• Make Europe a global force against climate change

• Advance gender equality

• Develop a fair European migration policy

• Enhance Europe’s role in promoting peace and development, and combating global poverty.

Questions to Proinsias De Rossa

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more questions to Proinsias De Rossa

EU defence

19.05.2009
Question from

Thanks for your answer to my query about the EDA and it´s role if Lisbon is ratified.. From your answer I take it you agree with the Irish having to improve our military capabilities. Your argument that the EDA makes this a cheaper option because we buy in bulk and buy similar equipment, is missing the point I made. Your mention of conscription has nothing to do with my query, it is just putting spin on a genuine query. I will put the query to you in such a way that you cannot mix it up or spin it into a fudge..
It is a fact , in the treaty, It states that "you SHALL progressively improve your military capabilities" The ammount that each state spends WILL be decided by Europe and this will be overseen by the EDA. Europe will tell us how much % of our GDP they believe should be spent. That is very clear! We need our money for machines that save lives not machines that kill. Do you agree with Ireland being an equal partner in this EDA spending all our taxpayers money? Should we not be spending this money on educating our children, helping our people get good healthcare or creation of jobs for our young people.. Is it not a fair point to make?

Reply from
Proinsias De Rossa

no reply so far

Research and technology

19.05.2009
Question from

Can you forsee marine research research being integrated into wider food industry research in Ireland in the near future?

20.05.2009
Reply from
Proinsias De Rossa

Dear ,

Thank you for your message. Prior to the final adoption of the EU´s 7th Research and Development Framework (2007-13) in 2006, I received correspondence from Irish interests arguing for the inclusion of marine research and in our November 2006 vote on establishing a ´Framework for Community Action in the field of Marine Environmental Policy´, MEPs did insert the following amendments:

23) Account should also be taken of biodiversity and the potential for marine research associated with deep-water environments off the outermost regions and support should be given, under specific programmes, for the drawing-up of scientific studies with a view to the improved characterisation of deep-water ecosystems.

25 ) Since the programmes of measures executed under Marine Strategies will be effective and as cost-effective as possible only if they are devised on the basis of a sound scientific knowledge of the state of the marine environment in a particular area and tailored as closely as possible to the needs of the waters concerned in the case of each Member State and within the general perspective of the Marine Region concerned, it is necessary to provide for the preparation at national level of an appropriate framework, including marine research and monitoring operations, for informed policy-making.

(29) Support for research into the marine environment should be enshrined in the Seventh Framework Programme on research and development (2007-2013).

I think the extent to which these provisions are acted upon in Ireland is a matter primarily for the Irish research community and policy-makers but if re-elected to the EP on 5 June, I will afterwards ask the Commission about the extent to which EU R&D; funds have been allocated for marine research in Ireland and about forthcoming calls for proposals in this area which may be of interest.

Best wishes,

Proinsias

Economy

19.05.2009
Question from
Jim

What is your opinion of open borders within the EU for the free movement of workers including those from future accession states?

Reply from
Proinsias De Rossa

2 interested people are waiting for reply

Education

17.05.2009
Question from

I am currently a student finishing Transition Year and my parents will face significant difficulties sending me to a good university if fees are reinstated in Ireland. What is your position on university fees and if the Fianna Fáil government does reinstate them, will you take action in Europe to ensure that whatever the Parliament can do to alleviate financial difficulties of middle-and-working class Dublin families trying to make a better life for their children.

I scored 5 As and 5 Bs in my Junior Certificate examinations, and I hope to score above 500 points in my Leaving Certificate, and I wish to go into law, but there is practically no chance of me being able to get through college and the further education required to practice if fees are instated in Irish universities. I promise that if you commit to helping students get through the tough times and come out as a new, well educated workforce ready to come out running with the end of the recession, I will try to convince my parents to vote for yourself.

Reply from
Proinsias De Rossa

no reply so far

Jobs

14.05.2009
Question from

I would like to know your views on the Liberalisation of the Postal Service, which is due to happen in January 2011.
Will you work to ensure quality postal services in Ireland and do you recognise the vital role played by An Post in delivering the Universal Service Obligation(USO)?
Will you work to ensure appropiate financial support in order to maintain the USO, but not at a cost to the taxpayer given that An Post is currently run without government support?

Finally, will you demonstrate that postal services should provide important, decent and stable jobs that have to be protected even in times of liberalisation and financial crisis?

20.05.2009
Reply from
Proinsias De Rossa

Dear ,

Thanks for your question. In July 2007, the EP agreed to the final stage of the controlled liberalisation of the postal service, a process which began 15 years ago. In particular, the Labour Party and our sister parties in the European Parliament insisted that the liberalisation deadline be pushed back from 2009 (as favoured by Member States´ Governments) to 2011, that the universal service, as provided by An Post, must include at least one delivery and collection five days a week for every citizen, on the need to maintain a well-functioning postal network with a sufficient number of access points in remote or sparsely populated areas, on the includion of working conditions in Member States´ authorisation procedures, and on the imposition of conditions on the supply of postal services for non-economic reasons, such as compliance with employment conditions and social security schemes laid down by law and/or by collective agreements.

With regard to funding, the directive provides that if the Government determines that the universal service obligations entail a net cost, it will draw up a financing plan and notify the Commission. The Commission must provide assistance to the Government on the implementation of this Directive, including on the calculation of any net cost of the universal service, in line with guidelines set out in the directive.

It´s important to realise that had this directive not been approved by the EP two years ago, liberalisation would have occured on 1 January 2009 and without many of the protections inserted by Labour and its allies during the negotiation of this proposal between 2006 and 2007. I was happy that we achieved the best deal we could possibly have got in the circumstances of a conservative-led European Parliament and Council. I believe the directive respects the rights and obligations of postal operators like An Post and all workers operating in the postal services.

This directive must now of course be implemented into Irish law and followed through at national level by December 2010. If returned to the European Parliament on 5 June, I will work with Labour TDs and with Labour councillors to monitor how this is done in Ireland and I will not hesitate to highlight breaches and problems at European level. The European Commission must also report back to MEPs on implementation of the directive at regular intervals and I will take a full part in this process.

I would also add that Labour´s European manifesto, available at www.derossa.com, commits Labour to include a ´social progress clause´ in every piece of European law, to take social impact assessments into account when developing new laws, and to a full assessment of the process of liberalisation.

Best wishes,

Proinsias