The European Parliament Office in Ireland
The European Parliament Information Office in Ireland provides information on the European Parliament's role and powers, on the Irish MEPs and their activities, and on issues currently being considered by the Parliament.
Latest News
5 February 2010: EP News - what will MEPs be working on next week in Strasbourg?
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A new European Commission - MEPs take final vote - Equal pay for equal work, paternity leave and access to contraception and abortion
- Sharing personal bank information with the US (SWIFT)
- Bodyscanners in airports?
- Possible funding for housing projects in Ireland?
- Taxation and the EU
3 February 2010: MEPs quiz final nominee for new European Commission
Today, 3 February, MEPs in the European Parliament's Development Committee questioned the new Bulgarian nominee Kristalina Georgieva about her qualifications and her intentions for the portfolio she has been assigned by the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso. Ms Georgieva has been assigned the International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response portfolio. MEPs emphasised concerns about coordination when working in this area, whether among her colleagues or with other actors. Many MEPs also asked questions about specific crises, including Haiti, Gaza and the Congo, among others.
3 February 2010: EP Civil Liberties Committee to vote on EU-US SWIFT Agreement
On Thursday, 4 February (2pm-5.30pm, Irish time), MEPs in the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee are due to discuss and vote on the controversial EU-US SWIFT Agreement. Since the Lisbon Treaty entered into force, the European Parliament must give its consent to (or reject) international agreements signed by the EU. The agreement is about transferring personal bank data between the EU and the US via the SWIFT network, in the context of the Terrorist Finance Tracking Programme.
