Irish Government must protect agricultural sector amidst EU-US trade war – MEP Maria Walsh

As the Irish drinks industry looks set to be hit by US tariffs, the Government must prioritise the protection of our agri-food and drinks producers, MEP Maria Walsh has said. US President Donald Trump has today threatened a 200% tariff on alcohol products from the EU, including Irish whiskey. The US market currently accounts for […]
Sinn Féin MEPs continue shameful voting record on Ukraine – MEP Maria Walsh

MEP Maria Walsh has strongly criticised the two Sinn Féin MEPs who failed to support a key resolution on Ukraine in the European Parliament today. MEPs Lynn Boylan and Kathleen Funchion abstained from a vote on the European Parliament’s support for Ukraine, once again raising questions as to their stance on Russia and the illegal […]
Gaps in legislation must be addressed to combat growing threat of deepfakes – MEP Maria Walsh

Gaps in national legislation must be addressed to combat the rapid rise of deepfake technologies which are disproportionately impacting women and girls, MEP Maria Walsh has said. MEP Maria Walsh has written to Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan to highlight the existing gaps in national legislation, as part of action taken for International Women’s Day, […]
Healthcare for eating disorders must be included in EU Mental Health Strategy – MEP Maria Walsh

Support for eating disorders, which impact as many as one in four women, must be prioritised in the long-overdue EU Mental Health Strategy, MEP Maria Walsh has said. To mark Eating Disorders Awareness Week, MEP Walsh hosted an event in the European Parliament this week on eating disorders and mental health, and the role the […]
Op-Ed: The Mercosur Trade Deal is a risk for Irish farmers and standards

As the EU looks towards ratifying the Mercosur trade deal, significant concerns are growing, particularly among the many Irish farmers I meet and work with on a daily basis, writes Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh. They are concerned about competing with imported products that are cheaper and produced at lower standards, threatening the livelihoods of […]
MEP Maria Walsh welcomes MEPs from across EU to West of Ireland for official Committee visit

MEP Maria Walsh has welcomed a group of MEPs from across Europe to Ireland for a fact-finding mission, offering a rare opportunity for local stakeholders to directly influence EU regional development policy. MEP Walsh is involved in leading the European Parliament’s Regional Development (REGI) Committee’s mission to the Midlands-North West, which will see MEPs visit […]
New EU agriculture plan commits to delivery of Generational Renewal Strategy in 2025 – MEP Maria Walsh

The European Commission today released a new plan for the agricultural sector which includes a strategy for generational renewal, as called for by MEP Maria Walsh, to be delivered this year. The Vision for Agriculture and Food includes several of MEP Walsh’s agriculture priorities including a new platform for women in farming, a work stream […]
Online bank of Irish political deepfakes highlight need for urgent action – MEP Maria

The emergence of an online bank of deepfake images of Irish politicians and public figures highlight the need for urgent action at EU and national levels, MEP Maria Walsh has said. The bank of AI-generated content contains fake images of politicians that are easily available and free to download. MEP Walsh is calling for stronger […]
MEP Maria Walsh condemns European Commission’s removal of Anti-Discrimination legislation

The decision by the European Commission to withdraw crucial EU Anti-Discrimination legislation from its 2025 Work Programme represents an attack on the rights of people with disabilities, LGBTQI members and minority groups, MEP Maria Walsh has said. The European Commission took the decision this week to withdraw the Horizontal Anti-Discrimination Directive from its 2025 Work […]
European Commission priorities for 2025 commit to CAP simplification – MEP Maria Walsh

The European Commission’s commitment to CAP simplification measures will be welcomed by Irish farmers, but the devil is in the detail, MEP Maria Walsh has said. The European Commission unveiled its 2025 Work Programme in Strasbourg today, and includes 51 new initiatives and lists 37 laws and programs that are up for review over the […]