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 […]
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 […]
EU Gender Equality Committee passes amendment on deepfakes proposed by MEP Maria Walsh
The European Parliament’s Gender Equality Committee has today passed an amendment from MEP Maria Walsh calling on the EU to ramp up the detection and prevention of deepfakes. During a vote that took place in Parliament today, the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) supported a proposal from MEP Walsh which highlights the […]
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 […]
Maria Walsh MEP Calls on EU Commissioner Lahbib to Prioritise Female Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment
Maria Walsh MEP addressed EU Commissioner-designate for Equality Hadja Lahbib in the European Parliament, raising crucial questions on how the European Union must finally “smash the glass ceiling” for women in business and drive gender equality in entrepreneurship. MEP Maria Walsh, a champion of women’s economic empowerment, highlighted the challenges female entrepreneurs face, particularly in […]
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 appointed as full member of the European Parliament’s Gender Equality Committee
MEP Maria Walsh has been appointed as a full member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), and has committed to tackling gender-based violence as her number one priority. MEP Walsh’s other priorities as a member of the Gender Equality committee include providing supports for female farmers and women in […]
Government must double down on request for review of EU-Israel Association Agreement – MEP Maria Walsh
More than six months on, the lack of a response from the European Commission to Ireland’s request for a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement is deeply disappointing, MEP Maria Walsh has said. MEP Maria Walsh has written to An Taoiseach Simon Harris requesting that he doubles down on the Irish Government’s request to President […]
€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 […]