Nessa's Blog
‘Media Diversity: why does it matter?’ Conference programme
Posted on January 23, 2012 by Bronwen Maher
Radisson Blu, Golden Lane, Dublin 8
Monday 6th February 2012
09.00 Coffee and registration
09.30 Session 1 - Chair: Professor John Horgan, The Press Ombudsman.
Nessa Childers MEP - Opening Address
09.40 Media ownership in the European Union: trends and regulation
Dr. Alison Harcourt –Exeter University, author of European Union Institutions and the Regulations of Media Markets, on regulation of traditional and new media markets at European and EU members state levels.
Discussion
10.20 Panel: Media Ownership in Ireland. Chair: Karen Coleman, Broadcaster, Journalist & Author.
Dr Roddy Flynn - School of Communications, Dublin City University on up-to-date data on media ownership trends in Ireland.
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Major Conference on Media Diversity to take place on 6 February next
Posted on January 11, 2012 by Bronwen Maher
A major conference on media diversity, being hosted by Nessa Childers MEP, will take place on 6 February in the Radisson Blu Hotel which is located in Dublin’s Golden Lane. The conference, Media Diversity: Why Does it Matter?, is open to all members of the public but is being particularly aimed at political activists, students, journalists, other media workers, academics and anyone interested in the role of media and society.
The purpose of the conference is to explore the implications for traditional notions of democratic accountability and journalistic independence of the emergence and dominance of multi-national media corporations.
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'Media Diversity: Why Does it Matter?' 6th February, 2012 in the Radisson Blu, Golden Lane, Dublin 8
Posted on December 12, 2011 by Bronwen Maher
The conference will be of interest to political activists, students, journalists and academics and anyone interested in the rerole of media and society.The conference 'Media Diversity: Why Does it Matter?' will address the issue of diversity in media ownership, reflecting work in the EU and coincides with the publication of legislation to regulate media mergers due to be passed through the Irish Parliament early next year. The conference will also discuss the issues raised by the UK parliamentary enquiry into phone hacking. News and information on speakers will be posted in the New Year, and in the meantime you are invited to register to attend, full details below.
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Cancer Survivors urged never to start smoking because of heightened risk of secondary cancer
Posted on November 28, 2011 by Bronwen Maher
Nessa Childers MEP
'Saving lives a second time'
Speech delivered to the ‘Irish Conference on Survivorship after Cancer during Childhood and Adolescence’, held on November 26 2011
Introduction
Fellow speakers and distinguished guests- as a politician, it's not often I'm able to stand in a room and feel that most of the people I'm speaking with are in broad agreement on an issue, so this is a privilege.
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Fact finding visit to Dundalk and Blackrock
Posted on November 28, 2011 by Bronwen Maher
Visited Dundalk Town and Blackrock last Friday 25th November, which included a meeting with Noel Matthews of Matthews Coach Hire Dundalk, to see ‘in-cab’ breathalysers in situ in their coaches.
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Peatlands Petition hearing in European Parliament
Posted on November 22, 2011 by Bronwen Maher
I attended the Peatlands Petition earlier today, which related to the continued extraction of peat from Irish bogs. It was raised in the European Parliament's petition committee by Friends of the Irish Environment (FoIE).
The FoIE raised three main points. Firstly, Ireland’s relationship with its peat is one of exploitation, not conservation. Secondly, there has been a total failure to apply EU law in relation to protected peatlands, and thirdly, this has far-reaching impacts in terms of climate change, biodiversity, water quality, flooding and even the rule of law in Ireland.
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Minister Hogan must abide by Programme for Government on Climate Change
Posted on November 06, 2011 by Bronwen Maher
Minister Hogan must abide by the Programme for Government and introduce a climate change bill. Only weeks before the UN climate conference in Durban, I am shocked at the apparent backtracking of Minister Hogan on climate change commitments promised in the Programme for Government.
Labour Party members voted to enter government with Fine Gael on the basis of that Programme for Government, and the commitment to a climate change bill is one of the most important parts of that agreement. To break this commitment would be to break the trust of that agreement with the Labour Party.
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Constituency Visit to Borris and Carlow Town Friday 4th November 2011.
Posted on November 05, 2011 by Bronwen Maher
Ann Phelan TD and Cllr. William Quinn, and my group started the day with a visit to Borris Food and Craft market. We then travelled to the Seven Oaks Hotel in Carlow Town to meet John Boyd, Lorraine Hynes, and Marie Walsh, members of Carlow Tidy Towns.
Janette O'Brien, Carlow County Council Community and Enterprise Services, and Michael Brennan Town Clerk, Carlow Town Council, were also inattendance as both are centrally involved in supporting the work of the Tidy Towns Committee. We were also joined by Cllr Des Hurley, and the meeting in the Seven Oaks Hotel was followed by a guided tour of the Visual Theatre and Contemporary Arts Centre.
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Constituency visit to Portarlington- Thurs Nov 3rd
Posted on November 03, 2011 by Shane Griffin
I will be in Portarlington for a constituency visit today, visiting my colleague Senator John Whelan and meeting with economic and cultural stakeholders active in the area. Such visits are crucially important to my work as an MEP- They provide feedback and perspective on the concerns and challenges facing my Ireland East constituency, which I can then bring back to Brussels and relay to the European Parliament.
If you're in Portarlington today and would like to meet me and discuss my work in Brussels or Ireland, please come along. My itenerary is as follows;
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MEPs vote to remove child porn websites, and to prevent online grooming and child sex tourism
Posted on October 27, 2011 by Bronwen Maher
In Strasbourg today the European Parliament voted through a new EU directive to remove child porn websites, the new EU law was originally proposed by the Socialists and Democrats political group. The new provisions include better protection measures such as the removal of child porn websites; more effective prosecution of criminals; and special support for victims. The key elements in the fight against child abuse are the harmonisation of criminal offences and penalties, and better preventive measures.
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