talk2eu / InstantForum.NET v4.1.4 / Miscellaneous

What is the EU's policy on war.

Admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:14:00 GMT

Question : What is the E.u's policy on war.

Answer:

The EU can only commit armed forces in the name of the EU only if all 27 member states unanimously agree to do so.
The Lisbon Treaty introduces a mutual defense clause whereby member states are obliged to support each other in the face of armed aggression. However, any action taken must have the unanimous approval of every single member state.

In Ireland's case, for our military to be used there is the triple lock system, whereby before Ireland's military can be used it must agreed by our Government, voted upon in the Dáil, and the military action in question must have a UN mandate.
Only then can we take part in any of kind of EU military action, and even then, Ireland decides how much, if any of its military resources it wishes to commit.

What does the EU do for me as a 12 year old?

Admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:08:56 GMT

Question : what is the eu doing for me as a 12 year old?

Answer:

Check out the Policy Pages section of our website www.talktoeu.ie . It is on the left hand side of the page.
Here you will find what the EU does across Ireland, and how it helps everyone from the young to the old through its many programmes and policies.

Also, you should check out the "Where the EU has helped" and click on your county to see where the EU has helped in your area. If you view the full county report you can see even more information about projects in your are, such as youth schemes.
http://www.talktoeu.ie/en/Where-has-the-EU-helped/

As a 12 year old, you benefit in many ways such a the freedom to travel with your family to any EU country without a visa. Also the EU has many programmes encouraging young people to learn foreign languages and they fund teacher exchange programme so teachers from other EU countries can work at your school to help students improve foreign language skills.

You also benefit from numerous consumer protection initiatives from the EU. Such as safer labels on the things you buy, and the EU makes sure that when you pay for something, you pay only the price advertised and nothing more.

For more information the European has a dedicated website for young people.
http://europa.eu/youth/enews.cfm?l_id=EN&CFID=47144502&CFTOKEN=51139894&jsessionid=47079b4d14b7392b2415TR

We hope this information helps, and if you have any questions in relation to the content on our website, feel free send us an email.

What does the EU do for children?

Admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:07:17 GMT

Question : what does the european union do for children ?

Answer:

Children directly and indirectly benefit from EU funding and support in many ways.

Consumer safety and protection laws in the EU are among the strictest in the world.
Products aimed at children are monitored EU wide, and when an issue arises in say Greece for example with products aimed at children that are dangerous, an EU alert system ensures that all member states including Ireland are immediately notified to ensure they can take quick action.

The EU has also pressured the Irish government on numerous occasions to improve child safety and protection laws.
Furthermore, the EU has invested heavily in increasing childcare facilities and access in Ireland. Between 2000 - 2008 Dublin alone received €150 million from the EU to boost childcare facilities.

Child education is also a part of the EU's Lifelong Learning agenda which encourages and supports child education across the EU

You can read here how the EU works with member states in order to uphold children's rights and ensure that effective safety mechanisms are in place to protect them, and what in general are the EU's long term goals in terms of children.
http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/fsj/children/violence/fsj_children_violence_en.htm

Recycling charges higher in Ireland than other EU member states

Admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:08:41 GMT

Question : Why are recycling charges significantly higher in Ireland than any other EU member state?

Answer:

The European Union is not responsible for setting the prices on recycling charges.
The charges are set by local authorities or the companies who run the re-cycling service or facilities.
Thank you for raising this point though.
It may also be a good idea to contact your local Councillor to raise the issue or if you think that the high charges are prohibitive.
You can also contact your local MEP and raise the issue and see if anything can be done at EU level.
http://www.europarl.ie/irish.html

How does the EU help farmers in ireland?

Admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:56:26 GMT

Question : how did the EU help farmers in ireland?

Answer:

Ireland has been, and continues to be one of the largest recipients of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funds.

Here are some examples of EU support to the farming industry

* EU grants and subsidies to support farmers income and ensure their livelihoods
* Guaranteed prices for farm produce so they can compete in international and domestic markets
* The EU also provides assistance for farmers in other ways, for example:
o Training in new farming techniques
o Helping young farmers get started
o Assisting older farmers with retirement
o Modernising buildings and machinery
o Helping establish food processing facilities on farms

Also, the EU has also launched – and co-funded with the Irish government – a number of schemes to diversify the agriculture industry and make it more sustainable.
More money is being made available to encourage Irish farmers to make more environmentally-friendly use of their land. Organic farming gets extra funding to help Ireland diversify the quality of its natural produce.

Looking forward the Rural Development Policy for 2007-2013 will concentrate on the following areas:

* Improving agricultural competitiveness
* The EU wants our farms to be more diverse, innovative, eco-friendly and dynamic. Ultimately, our farms should become more competitive and less reliable on CAP payouts and other subsidies.
* Environment and land management
* The EU will focus more on making the best use of the countryside and promoting better practices in relation to food safety, animal welfare and environmental friendliness.
* Economic diversification and quality of life
* More grants and schemes, like the Leader programme and the European Agricultural Fund, are becoming available. These encourage our farmers to invest in their land in order to diversify our farming industry and make the countryside more environmentally friendly, helping to boost tourism and eco-farming.

For more information on CAP, the department of agriculture has a dedicated webpage: http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/agri-foodindustry/euinternationalpolicy/commonagriculturalpolicycap/capexplained/

What does the EU does to protect Irish fishermen

Admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:51:04 GMT

Question : Why dosen't the EU do more to protect Irish fishermen?

Answer:

The EU is actively working with the Irish fishing industry.
On our website you can find out what EU is doing in relation to the Irish fishing industry, and there are also some facts and figures in relation catch numbers and what the EU is doing for the future of the fishing industry.
http://www.talktoeu.ie/en/Policy-Areas/Fisheries/

Long term, the emphasis will be on working with the fishing industry to promote responsible and sustainable fishing.
Also, the EU has launched an initiative to gather views from all those with an interest in the future of Europe's fisheries: fishermen, fish processors, retailers, environmentalists, consumers, taxpayers in order to reform the industry. Link here : http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/reform/index_en.htm
This is in order to create a fishing policy that reflects the needs and wants of the fishing industry and to ensure that fish stocks are properly managed and kept at sustainable levels.

Road safety in Ireland

Admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:49:10 GMT

Question : Regarding road safety in Ireland. Throughout the EU roads are scrutinized every year to make sure that they adhere to certain standards depending on the speed limit. The EU has got a set of rules of what condition a road must be in. This is not happening in Ireland, we have 100km/h roads that really should be maybe tops 70km/h. I see this as a failure of the EU that they have not imposed changes. The argument that it takes time to rebuild the entire road system is irrelevant as when they build new roads or rebuild old roads they still follow an outdated, sub standard blueprint that does not meet EU standards. The question is really, what would it take for the EU to stop failing Ireland and impose the standardized rule set here as well?

Answer:

The responsibility to build and maintain safe roads lies with Member States, road administrations and infrastructure managers. (However, the European Union, through its "Tunnel Directive" gives guidelines on how to make European tunnels safer for the benefit of citizens. This Directive entered into force on 1 May 2004.)

As for the safety management of roads, the European Commission agrees that this is of paramount importance. That is why it proposed last year in November the Commission put forward a proposal for a Directive on road infrastructure safety management which should make roads throughout Europe safer, by requesting infrastructure builders and managers to take road safety into account in all stages of road planning and operation on the trans-European network. This proposal is currently in the legislative process.

Speed limits: there is no European legislation on speed limits (and no plans for any)

More information can be found at:
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/index_en.htm

Also the European Road Safety Charter may be of interest to you: It is a European participatory platform made up of enterprises, associations, research institutions and public authorities. These actors undertake to carry out concrete actions and share their good practices in order to resolve the road safety problems that they encounter in their day-to-day environments. The objective of the Charter is to help reduce road fatalities. The Charter has more than 1.450 signatories.
http://www.erscharter.eu/

Multinationals leaving Ireland

Admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:47:22 GMT

Question : Why does the EU allow MULTI NATIONALS to close down in Ireland and re locate in the new EU member states? Will this continue if Lisbon is passed?

Answer:

Being part of the EU and the common market has greatly benefited Ireland and has allowed us to trade freely with over 27 other countries without customs or import taxes. It has also helped attract, and continues to attract investment into Ireland from large multinationals.

But unfortunately, the nature of multinational businesses means that they often chose to relocate to cheaper places to do business. Being part of the EU or the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty cannot stop businesses choosing to relocate.

On the upside, the EU recognises the social and economic effects that occur when large multinationals like Dell leave an area like Limerick, and they make an effort to invest in the people who will be directly affected in order to boost their future employment prospects. For example, a video of EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Valdimir Spidla talking about making €20 for the Limerick area and people affected by the Dell relocation is available here. http://www.youtube.com/talktoeu#play/uploads/19/TRINAZqUaDc

Too many taxis in Dublin

Admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:37:38 GMT

Question : Can anything be done from Europes perspective in regards to the amount of taxis that operate in Ireland. There are now in Dublin City 18,000 taxis for 1.5 million people in New York there are 13,000 taxis for 9.5 million people.

Answer

The number of taxis on Irish roads is the responsibility of the Irish government and does not fall under the competence of the European Union.
However, if you are unsatisfied with how the government is dealing with the number of taxis, you should consider contacting your local Member of the European Parliament (MEP) to see if he/she can do anything by raising the issue at European Union level.

Your can find out contact information for your local MEP here : http://www.europarl.ie/irish.html

Setting up a business - EU grants

Admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:36:05 GMT

Question : Hello, is there any help form the EU for a young woman who wants to start a new business in the EU, Ireland or Poland? My idea is to open an online holiday business, offeirng rental holidays in Italy, without travel involved.Many thanks!Karolina

Answers:

The EU offers numerous types of grants and financial aid to small businesses, and also to encourage innovation and entrepreneurs.
Below are some links to websites of organisations that can give you specific advice on the question you put to us, and also provide information on the different sources and types of EU funding available, and can give you better advice in relation to your business idea.

The European Enterprise Network Ireland. They can provide you with with more specific advice and guidance since they specialise in EU advice on funding and opportunities for Irish businesses.
http://www.een-ireland.ie/eei/

European Commission Website for small to medium sized enterprises. A website outlining the different funding and grant possibilities available.
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sme/funding_en.htm

Grant Guide. This website contains general information on EU funding, including available EU funding information specifically in Ireland, and in Poland.
http://www.grant-guide.com/Default.aspx

Nuclear energy

Jack Slevin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:53:07 GMT

Are Irish attitude's changing towards nuclear energy? The Attitudes of most European Nations are now favorable towards this contentious issue. Certainly in Finland and Sweden, Nuclear Energy is now seen as the preferable option to assist in the defeat of rapid climate change.
Although Ireland is too small to have a nuclear reactor of its own, how do people fee about receiving energy from Britain that has been nuclear generated.
Everybody knows the war in Afghanistan and Iraq is essentially motivated by the demand for oil and yet the Irish reliance on fossil fuel and the obvious consequences never seem to enter this debate. The delusion that windmills can help as a main energy source also adds to the confusion.
There are almost 350 nuclear installations in OECD countries They can't all be wrong.

What is Irelands place in the EU polictically?

Admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:38:16 GMT

Question : Hi, Can I ask what is Irelands place in the EU politically?

Politically, Ireland remains at the centre of Europe and it shares the EU's decision making power along with the 26 other member states.
Ireland plays, along with all member states, a key role in shaping policy and the work of the EU. Also, the laws that come from the EU are the result of member states agreeing to pass them.
In the Council of the European Union, our Taoiseach and government ministers represent the view of Ireland and vote to pass or not to pass various legislation with best interest of Irish citizens at hand.

Similarly, we are politically represented in the European Parliament by our directly elected members of the European Parliament who act in the interest of EU citizens at local level. They share decision making power with the Council of the European Union in most areas.

Also, one of the reforms introduced by the Lisbon Treaty now allows national parliaments time and a mechanism to examine proposed EU legislation in order to raise any issues at national level. This will mean Irish TDs will become part of the decision making process and give a local dimension to Ireland's role in the decision making process.

On major issues such as taxation and foreign policy for example, Ireland, and all EU member states maintain a veto whereby if they disagree with a piece of legislation at EU level, the piece of legislation cannot be passed. So, in these areas of important national interest Ireland's place politically is as powerful and pivotal as any other member state.

Dublin City Council closing public swimming pools in Dublin.

dublinjohnf — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:47:10 GMT

I wonder if the EU will do anything about this clear social injustice, that is clearly guilty of social exclusion by a million miles.

Dublin City Council management are trying to close 3 public swimming pools. Crumlin, Coolock, and Sean McDermott Street. These swimming pools are used and enjoyed mainly by children.

These buildings do not have Gym or Training facilities attached unlike the complexes in the more affluent areas of Dublin city.

Instead of closing the pools down Dublin City Council should develop them by installing gym and training facilities which would increase their income by attracting adult use.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?filter=app_2361831622

Who do I call for Europe?

jkil — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:02:54 GMT

Citizens have a number of channels which they can use to communicate with the EU.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are directly elected by EU citizens and it is their role to represent their local electorate at EU level.
You can find contact information for your local MEP in the following link.
[url=http://www.europarl.ie/irish.html]http://www.europarl.ie/irish.html[/url]

You can contact the European Commission Representation in Ireland, who have offices in Dublin City Centre.
[url=http://ec.europa.eu/ireland/contact_us/index_en.htm]http://ec.europa.eu/ireland/contact_us/index_en.htm[/url]

For any questions on EU policies, how the EU works, or how the EU affects you, we can help at www.talktoeu.ie

Also, there is a freephone service called Europe Direct which you can call for information on EU policies and laws.
More information here : [url=http://ec.europa.eu/europedirect/index_en.htm]http://ec.europa.eu/europedirect/index_en.htm[/url]

You can also drop into you local direct office for information or advice in person.
[url=http://ec.europa.eu/europedirect/visit_us/index_en.htm]http://ec.europa.eu/europedirect/visit_us/index_en.htm[/url]

Also, the Irish government plays a role central role in what decisions are taken in Europe. Irish members of the Dáil represent the government and Irish citizens in the Council of the European Union where, along with the European Parliament, decisions on EU policies are taken.
For example, if you wanted to raise an issue in relation to the environment you could contact John Gormley TD, Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Wind power gets two boosts from the EU

jkil — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:40:05 GMT

Q.
I hear wind power in Ireland is set to get better EU funding.

A.
In recent days the EU has twice announced that it is to invest money in the Irish wind energy industry.

Firstly the European Investment bank is making €200m available for investment in wind farms in Ireland.
http://www.talktoeu.ie/en/News/Irish-electricity/

Secondly, the EU's Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs announced yesterday that more EU funds would be made available to support the industry by helping to upgrade the grid in order that Ireland can sell it's surplus energy overseas.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/1012/breaking62.html

As an island with notoriously bad weather, investment in wind energy will definitely boost Ireland's prospect of becoming a competitive energy exporter and at the same time reducing Ireland's, and the EU's dependence on fossil fuels.

What do people think about wind farms? And can Ireland become a leading player the renewable energy market?

NAMA

Admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:34:25 GMT

At our recent talktoeu listening event in Dun Laoghaire there were a number of questions in relation to NAMA and what the EU thought of its establishment.

The response can be viewed on youtube.

What do you think?