Blog Archive
Childers criticises Tullow oils plans to flare natural gas in Uganda
Posted on February 18, 2010 by Andy White
Tullow Oil’s oil production-sharing agreement with the Ugandan government could have severe environmental consequences for Sub-Saharan Africa, Labour MEP Nessa Childers has asserted.
The Ireland East MEP said, “I am concerned at reports revealed today in a report published by a UK-based NGO which indicates that Tullow’s oil production contract with the Uganadan government will permit practically open-ended consent for the company to engage in the ‘flaring’ of natural gas which is not used in petroleum operations.
“According to the World Bank, some 150 billion cubic metres of natural gas is being flared and vented globally on an annual basis. That is equivalent to 30% of the European Union’s gas consumption. And the annual 35 billion cubic metres of gas flared in Sub-Saharan Africa alone could generate half of that continent’s power consumption. Flaring gas has a massive global impact on climate change, adding about 400 million tons of CO2 in annual emissions.
“Uganda is moving towards oil production this year or next and Tullow, a company with its roots in Ireland has played a major role in the development of the embryonic Ugandan oil industry. The contract allows for an extremely worrying degree of flaring which will have environmental consequences for the region.
“It is recognised internationally that flaring becomes a major issue where regulatory frameworks are weak. The very fact that there is a weak or practically absent oil production regulatory regime in much of this part of Africa should not give big oil companies carte blanche to take measures that will impact on the African and indeed the global climate situation.
“Tullow is a respected international company. I accept too that the company has made a clear commitment to good international and industry practice in the region. However, these are easy commitments to make when one sees that there are few if any national standards governing this area of activity, as is the case in Uganda. I would urge Tullow and Uganda to sign up to the World Banks Global Gas Flaring Reduction partnership and work responsibly together and with the international community to reduce gas flaring in Africa.”
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Parliament exerts its democratic power on US data deal
Posted on February 11, 2010 by Andy White
Speaking today in Strasbourg after helping vote down a bad EU-US deal which would have transferred in-bulk European citizens' bank data to Washington, Nessa Childers MEP has said: "If the US took the European Parliament for granted in the past, they will not do so again. Given new powers under the Lisbon Treaty, the Parliament is now one of the most powerful democratic institutions in the world, directly representing nearly half a billion citizens and must be respected.
"At the end of last year, European Governments made a mistake believing it would be possible to force the Parliament to give its consent on a bad agreement based more on the US approach to security than on the EU's defence of citizens' fundamental rights.
"My opposition has always been driven towards improving the current agreement. I now expect the US and EU Governments to come to terms with the determination of the Parliament and I call on the EU Commission to immediately start negotiations on a better long term data deal.
"On data retention periods, bulk transfers of data, and EU citizens' rights to legal redress, the Parliament had made clear its red lines.
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"We are all fully committed to the fight against terrorism, but our response has to be more targeted and proportionate than this. I hope a better agreement for essential financial data sharing can be concluded as soon as possible."
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Barroso's fine words on climate change must be backed up by firm action from new commission
Posted on February 10, 2010 by Andy White
The fine words of the European Commission President on his plans for the EU incoming Commission to take the global lead on fighting climate change must be backed up by firm action, Nessa Childers MEP said at the European Parliament in Strasbourg today.
Ms Childers said: “I welcome the formal appointment today of a dedicated EU Commissioner. In supporting the candidacy of Connie Hedegaard today, the Parliament has acknowledged the need to put climate change at the top of the EU’s agenda.
“Appointing a Commissioner with a clear mandate on climate is a positive first step ahead of the UN Mexico negotiations.
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Childers urges government to get the finger out to support local former SR technics workers
Posted on February 10, 2010 by Andy White
Labour MEP Nessa Childers has urged the government to ‘get the finger out’ to ensure that local former SR Technics staff can benefit from the European Union’s fund to support workers in major enterprises who have lost their jobs due to the relocation of a business operation to a country outside of the EU.
Nessa Childers said, “Hundreds of people in Meath, Louth, Kildare and Wicklow were employed in SRT and I am now pressing the Irish government to get the finger out to ensure that much-needed funding under the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund is released to support former SRT workers to up-skill, retrain or start new businesses.
“This Fund will be utilised by former Dell workers in Limerick and the Mid-West and it will prove to be an enormous benefit to them, their families and communities.
“The Irish government made a provisional application to be considered for the Fund only last October, many, many months after the SRT crisis first emerged. I was disappointed to learn recently that the Irish authorities had yet to furnish the European Commission with sufficient information to allow for a decision to be made on allocating funds to the former SRT workers. This delay is completely unacceptable and I have this week asked the European Commission for a further update on the status of the application.
“The counties of Meath, Louth, Wicklow and Kildare have been hit hard by the economic crisis and the SRT closure has had a major impact on the areas I represent. I am urging the government not to waste any more time in advancing this application to ensure that those who have lost their jobs at SRT can get back into the workplace without any further delay.”
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Meath students impress Childers with knowledge of EU and awareness of political & social issues
Posted on February 08, 2010 by Andy White
Labour MEP Nessa Childers visited three Meath second-level schools last Friday, coming away ‘enormously impressed’ with the level of knowledge about the workings of the European Union demonstrated by local students.
The Leinster MEP who was elected last June visited Dunshughlin Community College, Beaufort College in Navan and Boyne Community School in Trim where she was accompanied by local Labour public representatives including the current Chair of Meath VEC, Cllr. Tommy Grimes of Kells.
On her visit to Meath, she was also welcomed by the Mayor of Navan, Cllr. Joe Reilly and the Mayor of Kells, Cllr. Brian Curran.
In Kells, Ms. Childers met with representatives of the local Chamber of Commerce and local Labour Party members, all of whom raised the various economic, employment and tourism challenges facing the Kells area.
The Labour MEP said, “I would like to thank the CEO of Meath VEC, the individual school principals, staff and most of all the students who are the lifeblood of any school community for making me so welcome last week.
“I believe it is important that MEPs remain in touch with the local communities who elected them. In doing so, I also see myself as having a role to play in acting as a vehicle for debate and discussion on the EU.
“In a sense, I want to bridge the local, national and European and ensure that young people in Meath and elsewhere in Leinster get the opportunity to have their voices and views heard.
“I was extremely impressed and encouraged at the level of knowledge the young people I met had about the EU and their level of engagement in political and social affairs fills me full of hope for the future.”
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Offending member states could be forced to clean up their act by European waste tsar
Posted on February 03, 2010 by Andy White
Consistent failures by EU Members States, including Ireland, to implement and enforce EU waste law means that the European Commission has now set its sights on forming a powerful new body with the powers to directly inspect and take strong action against waste facilities that do not meet EU standards, Nessa Childers MEP has said.
Labour’s MEP for Ireland East who is a member of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee welcomed the proposed move which was recommended by a European Commission study published this week.
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Childers seeks EU investigation into pollution at Kilkenny farm
Posted on February 03, 2010 by Andy White
The European Parliament Petitions Committee today heard calls from Leinster Labour MEP Nessa Childers for the European Commission to conduct an independent investigation into claims that elevated levels of a dangerous pollutant is poisoning cattle at a farm in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.
Nessa Childers said: “An independent investigation carried out by the European Commission is the only way we can reach a definitive conclusion to this long-running saga. Dan Brennan’s struggle has gone on for too long and it is high time he and his family received closure on this difficult chapter in their lives.
“I will be visiting the farm shortly to meet with the Brennan family and their advisors in order to assist them to move the process on.
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SHOCKING TREATMENT OF LENIHAN FAMILY BREACHES LETTER AND SPIRIT OF MEDIA PRIVACY CODES - CHILDERS
Posted on January 21, 2010 by Eamonn O'Gara
The shocking treatment of Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan and his family in the context of media reports into the Minister’s health is a ‘clear and disturbing breach’ of the Broadcasting Commissions of Ireland’s Code of Programme Standards and the Press Ombudsman’s Privacy Code, according to Labour MEP, Nessa Childers.
“Even a cursory reading of the relevant sections of these Codes shows that the media outlets who went public with the revelations about the Minister’s health status drove a coach and four through the letter and spirit of the frameworks governing print and broadcast media standards in Ireland.
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EU and Ireland should show courage and talk to Hamas
Posted on January 20, 2010 by Andy White
Nessa Childers, Labour MEP for Ireland East has urged the EU and the Irish government to ‘take a courageous step and meet with Hamas’ in the interests of moving peace forward in the Middle East.
Nessa Childers has returned from a visit to Gaza as part of the largest political delegation ever to travel to the Strip. It consisted of 14 MEPs and 34 MPs from 13 countries. The visit included meetings with leading elected members of Hamas including former Prime Minister of the Palestinian unity government - Ismail Haniya, Irishman John Ging, Head of UNRWA in Gaza and the Egyptian Foreign Minister - Ahmed Aboul Gheit, in Cairo.
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Un climate talks system needs life saving surgery, Childers tells European Parliament
Posted on January 20, 2010 by Andy White
Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg today (Wednesday, 20th January), Labour MEP Nessa Childers said that the UN climate talks system “needs life-saving surgery before the next round of negotiations in Mexico.”
A member of the Parliament’s Environment Committee, Childers said, “I attended the Copenhagen summit and on the basis of what I experienced, I am right to be concerned about how easy it was for the US, China and others to circumvent the UN structure, sideline the EU and agree an arrangement which fell far short of global expectations.
“One thing is crystal clear to me – the UN climate talks system needs life-saving surgery before Mexico. To borrow a phrase, there truly was ‘something rotten in the State of Denmark’ last December. Copenhagen was a both political failure and an organisational fiasco.”
Nessa Childers told the European Parliament, “Its organisation by the UN and its Danish hosts was derisory, and contributed to a negative atmosphere from the beginning. At one side of the table President Obama was hamstrung by domestic commitments, while on the other China was semi-detached and participated in name but not in action.
“The irony of the situation is this. The longer the US, China and others frustrate, delay and prevaricate on a deal the tougher the targets for reduction will, of necessity, become.
“As far as I am concerned, the EU and this Parliament needs to honestly examine how it approaches international talks of this magnitude in the future. Europe must be much more assertive in standing up for itself and in doing so should continue to set ambitious targets for itself involving targets in emissions reductions of 30%.
“The COP15 forum provided the EU with an opportunity to assert its new 'Lisbon Treaty' credentials. However it made little impact in its efforts to lead the rest of the world. It now needs to seriously reassess how it approaches such occasions.
“Luckily opportunities still exist, not least in the global race to become a leading 21st Century green economy. Action in this regard and a fresh approach will provide an important impetus approaching the next round of climate talks in Mexico later this year.”
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