Government must cut red-tape blocking Mother and Baby redress payments – MEP Maria Walsh
The Government must remove the unnecessary red-tape blocking survivors from accessing much-needed redress payments, Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh has said. Less than 10% of the redress budget has been spent after two years of the scheme being in operation, with an estimated underspend of €68.5 million in 2025. According to survivors, this is due […]
EU emergency phone number needed to protect citizens in crisis – MEP Maria Walsh
MEP Maria Walsh has called on the European Commission to deliver an EU-wide emergency phone number service to protect citizens in times of crisis. MEP Walsh, along with her fellow co-chairs of the European Parliament’s Mental Health Intergroup, has written to Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen calling for the creation of new EU legislation to establish […]
Wrongfully convicted gay men to finally receive justice – MEP Maria Walsh
Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh has welcomed the Government’s decision to introduce a scheme to overturn historic convictions for same-sex relations. The scheme will allow gay and bisexual men convicted under former laws criminalising consensual sex between adult men to have those convictions formally erased. MEP Walsh was part of the Fine Gael LGBTQ+ Network […]
Commission Statement: Speaking on the Action Plan Against Cyberbullying
MEP Maria Walsh speaking on the Action Plan Against Cyberbullying at the February 11th Strasbourg Plenary Session. Commissioner, the WHO reports that in Europe, one in seven children and young people under 19 is living with a mental health condition. Among teenage girls, the figure rises to one in four. The WHO explicitly identifies online […]
MEP Maria Walsh appointed European Parliament lead negotiator on generational renewal in farming
Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh has been appointed the European Parliament’s lead negotiator on generational renewal, placing her at the centre of upcoming negotiations on the future of farming in Europe. A full member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, MEP Walsh will lead Parliament negotiations on measures to attract and retain the next generation […]
European Parliament votes to strengthen Mercosur safeguards for Irish farmers – MEP Maria Walsh
The European Parliament has voted to strengthen safeguards for Irish farmers under the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, MEP Maria Walsh has said. MEP Walsh proposed a number of measures to be included which strengthens protections for Irish farmers, ensuring that any safeguards are activated quickly when market pressures arise. Under the newly adopted rules, the European […]
EU-India deal unlocks major new export market for Irish sheep farmers – MEP Maria Walsh
The EU-India trade deal will remove a 33% tariff on Irish sheepmeat exports, unlocking a major new market for Irish sheep farmers for the first time, MEP Maria Walsh has said. The sheepmeat sector in Ireland is worth €350 million annually, supporting more than 34,000 sheep farmers, and a further 2,000 jobs across processing and […]
MEP Maria Walsh to lead negotiations on Horizon Europe funding for EU’s largest political group
MEP Maria Walsh has been appointed lead negotiator for the European People’s Party (EPP) on Horizon Europe, the largest funding programme in the European Union for research and innovation. Maria Walsh will act as the EPP rapporteur on the Agriculture Committee’s opinion on the future direction and funding of the EU’s flagship research and innovation […]
Irish Government must outright reject Mercosur Trade Agreement – MEP Maria Walsh
Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh has called on the Irish Government to outright reject the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement ahead of a potential final vote on the deal later this week. MEP Walsh, a full member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, has long opposed the Mercosur deal given its potentially catastrophic impact on Irish farmers, […]
All EU countries must now recognise same-sex marriages – MEP Maria Walsh
A landmark ruling from the European Court of Justice mandates all EU countries to recognise the marriage of same-sex couples, a Fine Gael MEP has said. MEP Maria Walsh, who is Co-Chair of the European Parliament’s LGBTQI+ Intergroup, has hailed the ruling as a win for Irish LGBTQI+ families and their right to live, love […]