MEP Maria Walsh welcomes European Agriculture Commissioner for event on future of Irish farming
MEP Maria Walsh welcomed European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen to Dublin today for an event with Irish farmers on the key issues facing the agriculture sector. Commissioner Hansen and MEP Walsh met with industry stakeholders, including young farmers, to discuss a range of topics including generational renewal, mental health and sustainability, among other key […]
EU Budget must increase funding to combat animal disease outbreaks – MEP Maria Walsh
MEP Maria Walsh has called for the 2026 EU Budget to include increased funding to address the ongoing threat of animal diseases, given their impact on farmers’ income and continuity. MEP Walsh, full member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, submitted amendments in the European Parliament this week pushing for more ambitious funding for small […]
New EU expert group on livestock needed to tackle sectoral challenges
The European Commission must establish a High-Level Group on Sustainable Livestock in response to the challenges facing livestock farmers across the EU and in particular in Ireland, MEP Maria Walsh has said. MEP Walsh, full member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, has asked the Commission to prioritise the formation of a livestock group […]
Opinion: We desperately need to improve farm succession and avoid a food crisis – and here is what the EU and the government can do
Opinion Article from MEP Maria Walsh, published in the Farming Independent The demographic crisis in the farming sector leaves us with one stark question: who’s going to grow the food we put on our plates? According to EU law, a young farmer is generally defined as being between 35 and 40 years old. Farmers under […]
MEP Walsh highlights plague of mental health in farming with European Commissioner for Agriculture
The epidemic of mental health problems amongst farmers must act as a wake-up call for EU policy makers, MEP Maria Walsh said in a meeting with the European Commissioner for Agriculture. MEP Walsh is a member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee and used the meeting with Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen as an opportunity […]
MEP Maria Walsh hosts young farmers in Brussels for EU-wide conference
A delegation of farmers from across Ireland travelled to Brussels to attend the European People’s Party (EPP) European Congress of Young Farmers and contribute to the future of EU agricultural policy. The group, hosted by MEP Maria Walsh, will attend the EPP European Congress of Young Farmers, taking place in Brussels today. The Congress brings […]
Plague of TB a modern day reality for many Irish farmers – MEP Maria Walsh
The EU must support Irish efforts to achieve the eradication of TB. The European Commission must support Irish efforts to achieve TB-free status over the coming years to protect the economic viability and international reputation of our agricultural sector, MEP Maria Walsh has said. Ahead of a debate on animal health in the European Parliament […]
MEP Maria Walsh: 3-Month Update Following Re-election
It’s hard to believe it’s already been over three months since I was re-elected as your Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Midlands North-West! Time has flown by, and I’ve been busy working hard to ensure your voices are heard here in Brussels. Here’s a quick update on what we’ve been up to and […]
€2 billion farming package key to easing costs of green transition for farmers – MEP Walsh
The largest ever package of €2 billion for the agricultural sector announced as part of Budget 2025 will ease the costs of the green transition for farmers, while the failure to cut VAT will come as a blow to many SMEs, MEP Maria Walsh has said. Maria Walsh, MEP for Midlands-North West, said: “While Budget […]
MEP Maria Walsh reiterates calls for the establishment of Minister of State for Fisheries
As representatives from the Irish fishing industry meet with MEPs in Brussels today, MEP Maria Walsh has doubled down on calls for the establishment of a new Minister of State with specific responsibility for fisheries and the marine. MEP Maria Walsh met with the Seafood Ireland alliance today to discuss the challenges facing the Irish […]