Looking forward to challenge as Leinster MEP

Posted on July 14, 2009 at 06:43 PM

After a long and hard election campaign I am looking forward to getting down to work as an MEP, on delivering economic recovery and social change. With Social Democratic parties losing out to the right in many member states this will certainly be a challenge but it is a challenge that I welcome, and one that must be met head on. 
 
With members and delegations from all over the 27 member states there is a real sense of purpose in the corridors of the Parliament building as we begin our new term. It is essential that we transform this sense of purpose into real action on delivering on our commitments.

As an MEP for Leinster, this means fighting for job creation and job retention in an area that, as I highlighted during the election campaign, has been ravaged by redundancies and unemployment in the last two years.

I will also be campaigning for social justice and legislating to protect our environment. 
 
Together, I am in no doubt that we can achieve such progress. Passing the Lisbon treaty is the first step in this process. The Treaty would make the European Union work more efficiently and would put it in a stronger position to fight climate change and tackle the economic downturn.

A much greater share of the world's population are now competing on the same level with us in the same markets in which we need to get a foothold. Irish jobs - and jobs throughout Europe - depend on selling our goods and services. Other trading blocs have upped their game to compete with us. The Lisbon Treaty is Europe upping its game.

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