We are all familiar with the old adage supposedly sung by mariners who ran out of fresh drinkable water aboard their ship while surrounded by undrinkable seawater. If we continue to treat our most precious resource carelessly, the saying could take on a more frightening reality.

In opening the inaugural Word Congress on Water, Climate and Energy in Dublin, on Monday (14 May), I conveyed that very concern. I believe there is a lack of comprehension about the fragility of water supply, the dangers of water contamination and the risks to food security of water shortages – risks which are already very real and happening.

Today, 1.6 billion people live in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity and by 2025 two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water stressed conditions, according to research by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

Water is life. All living things need water to survive. The average human drinks 2 to 4 litres of water every day, but it takes 2,000 to 5,000 litres of water to produce just one person’s daily food. So it is no surprise that agriculture is responsible for 70% of all freshwater and groundwater withdrawals worldwide.

The greatest challenge we face as a society is to protect our fragile environments on which we rely for all of our basic needs and to ensure that we put sustainability at the very core of all future policy.

You can read more about the Word Congress on Water, Climate and Energy here
European politics
World media is particularly focused on the European political scene at the moment, following the Greek parliamentary elections.

A second round of elections will have to take place in Greece as several attempts to form a coalition government have failed. The election results yielded no majority and the country is divided between supporters and opponents of the €130 billion EU-IMF bailout programme.

Final talks to form a government failed on Tuesday, raising new concerns over Greece’s eurozone future.

Council of State president and judge Panagiotis Pikrammenos has been sworn in as interim prime minister to head a government until the elections next month.

The European Commission hopes Greece will remain part of the Euro but has warned Athens to respect its financial obligations.

It is a very challenging, heated political situation and politicians need to remember the welfare of the citizens they wish to represent. Disarray and reneging on rescue deals will not bode well for the country’s future.

The Olympic torch was lit during the traditional ceremony in Greece in recent days. It was sad to hear some Greek athletes speak of the distress in their country as a backdrop to the games.

The Olympic symbol of five intertwined rings represents the unity of the five inhabited continents: America, Africa, Asia, Australasia and Europe; it was first used in Belgium in 1919.

I believe unity is a value that Europeans still hold dear to their hearts.

Animal Task Force
Ireland is renowned for leading scientific research and our national agricultural research and advisory body, Teagasc, is often invited to partake in European studies.

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet with members of the leading Animal Task Force group of research institutes, universities and technology platforms, in Brussels for discussions on the future direction of animal science policy.

Teagasc was represented by Meath Scientist, Richard Dewhurst who is Head of the Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Teagasc, Grange, Co Meath; Dawn Howard – Director of EFFAB (European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders) and Paul Vriesekoop – Chair of the Animal Task Force and Director of Wageningen UR Livestock Research (Netherlands).

Last but not least, I had a great day last Friday in Wexford and Carlow.

It all started with an invite to visit Courtnacuddy National School, Enniscorthy to find out about their hard work for the Blue Star programme.

I also visited St. Mary’s National School in the town and had a great exchange with the children. I was overwhelmed by the warm welcome in both schools and the questions asked by the children of all ages. There is nothing to beat the openness of a child’s mind and I really enjoy allowing children to ask questions and making Europe real for them. We also laughed a lot!

My sincere thanks to teachers, parents and pupils for the very memorable morning.

On my way in to Camolin, I spotted a fine garden centre and just had to stop. The business is run by the Nolan family and it was just an amazing place to visit; beautiful plants, housewares, furniture and of course a great coffee shop! We chatted about farming, food and the Fiscal Compact Treaty with the family.

  We also took in a visit to a dairy farm producing yoghurts – delicious yogurts under the Kilowen brand name. I was delighted to meet the family behind the brand, the Dunne’s, and also delighted to see their product on sale in the local Aldi supermarket.

In the afternoon I joined my colleague Pat Deering TD canvassing for a YES vote in the Fiscal Treaty in Carlow, along with our councillors and members.

We met all view points, yes, no, maybe, don’t know and won’t vote.

The latest opinion poll shows a majority willing to support the amendment to our Constitution to allow the Dail to legislate for the Fiscal Treaty.

With some time to go before May 31st, we must continue to argue strongly for a yes vote for stability.

Events in Greece show just how dangerous instability is for citizens and how important it is to work towards a restoration of stability in the EU.

14 May 2012

Mairead McGuinness MEP welcomed members of the leading Animal Task Force group of research institutes, Universities and Technology Platforms, to Brussels recently for discussions on the future direction of animal science policy.

Ireland’s agricultural research institute, Teagasc, is a lead partner with the Europe-wide body and was represented by Meath Scientist, Richard Dewhurst, at the European Parliament talks.

Represented in many EU countries, the task force aims to identify common goals and priorities in the areas of animal breeding, animal health and animal nutrition.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Pictured at the European Parliament are Mairead McGuinness MEP for Ireland East; Richard Dewhurst – Head, Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Teagasc, Grange, Co Meath; Dawn Howard – Director of EFFAB (European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders) and Paul Vriesekoop – Chair of the Animal Task Force and Director of Wageningen UR Livestock Research (Netherlands)

Water, environment and the climate challenge are being overshadowed by the ongoing economic and fiscal crisis in the EU, Mairead McGuiness, Ireland East Fine Gael MEP said today. And she called for an end to “short-termism and a focus on sustainable growth that will deliver across generations.”

Speaking in advance of the inaugural world congress on water, climate and energy which she will open in Dublin tomorrow (Monday) and which brings together, for the first time ever, all global interests from pure research to full commercialisation, McGuinness said there is a need to refocus and “make real” the enormous dangers of ignoring the challenge to our society of ensuring better management of water and energy.

“Our people have become experts in the world of banking and government deficits, which is clearly a very positive development. Yet when it comes to the understanding of water and its key role, there is a lack of comprehension about the fragility of water supply, the dangers of water contamination and the risks to food security of water shortages – risks which are already very real and happening,” she said.

The MEP said a similar challenge applies to climate. “The greatest challenge we face as a society is to protect our fragile environments on which we rely for all of our basic needs and to ensure that we put sustainability at the very core of all policy.”

She called for a greater focus to be placed upon the EU 2020 strategy. “This is about smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. It is about how the EU plans to address the water, climate and environment challenge. Climate and energy together form one of the five ambitious objectives, also designed to, and most certainly will, provide sustainable employment and growth. These are not ‘blip’ issues, but perennial ones that deliver across generations.”

McGuinness said Dublin is facing acute water shortages in the next 40 to 50 years as climate change takes its toll. “We need to address these problems now, by stopping wastage, managing usage and putting a price on water, so that we make a connection between the amount of water we use in our homes and the price we pay for it.”

She will tell tomorrow’s congress that Ireland is currently embarking on a number of ambitious reforms in the Irish Water sector, merging the work of 34 municipalities in to a single public water utility with a new and more sustainable funding model to support much needed investment in the sector.

“By EU standards, Ireland has better than average water quality but we need to invest more to achieve ambitious water quality targets required by the Water Framework Directive,” she says.

8th May 2012

I had the chance to meet some of those very inspiring people in Ireland East last week with a visit to the BrayLakers club in Bray, Co Wicklow.

BrayLakers is a community-based sports, social and recreation club for children and adults with an intellectual disability.

But it is much more than that. The place isn’t wow, but the work and play that is part of the BrayLakers programme is just amazing.

Activities range from table tennis, cooking, basketball, arts and crafts and organised outings. The club started years ago when parents of children with special needs saw a gap in the market and decided to set up a club for their children. Many of the people who set up BrayLakers are still very actively involved. There is such a great and positive atmosphere in the club that I was reluctant to leave it on Monday last! Braylakers are trying to raise funds for a new premises and I have promised to see what I can do to make their dream come through.

Thanks to all the management and members of BrayLakers for the wonderful visit that began my ‘constituency week’ on a very positive note. A particular thanks for the delicious apple tart.

Constituency matters
During my time in Wicklow, I also met with Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan. This was a very constructive meeting during which we discussed a range of key issues including water charges and local government reform.

The environment portfolio is a major one in government, it is crucial that we get people to understand the EU 2020 strategy which talks about smart, green and sustainable growth for the future and why managing our resources in an efficient way is so important for our future.

Minister Hogan was in Wicklow to launch the Leave No Trace website. The organisation works to promote responsible use of our countryside.

I knew very little about the organisation and was fascinated to see all the good work it is doing for the environment. Check out the Leave No Trace website, it is a great resource for teachers.

While in Wicklow I chaired the AGM of Fine Gael in Wicklow, which was addressed by Minister Hogan and TDs Andrew Doyle and Billy Timmins, as well as many of the local councillors. I find it a great way to keep in touch with what is happening in the country to listen to what the councillors have to say.

I made the point about the importance of listening to people as we canvass for a strong yes vote in the referendum on the fiscal compact.

Check out my brief synopsis of the treaty on YouTube.

I also met with the Deputy President of the IFA, Eddie Downey, to discuss CAP reform before updating the Oireachtas Committee on Agricultural Reform on the latest from Brussels.

I remain concerned that their is complacency about the size of the EU budget post 2013 and warned TDs of the need to lobby their parliamentary colleagues in other Member States about the importance of an adequate budget for the EU and for the Common Agriculture Policy. I said very clearly that there are Member States that are pushing for a lower budget for the EU and therefore a lower budget for agriculture and regard it as a badge of honour to take this view.

Constituency weeks provide the best opportunity to meet the people who elected me as their representative. It is their concerns and comments that I take back to the European Parliament as I return to parliamentary work this week.

Europe Day
As we celebrate the beginning of the EU with ‘Europe Day’ tomorrow, May 9th, Europe is continuing to evolve. The EU was created to unite European countries in peace and prosperity and that is a constant work-in-progress.

Europe is in the midst of an economic crisis and in times of crisis our resolve has to be even stronger. The elections in Greece and France in recent days show a desire for change and perhaps a sense of frustration with the current situation.

French socialist François Hollande has succeeded as President-elect of France and will replace Nicolas Sarkozy on May 15th. In Greece, the ruling pro-bailout parties have lost their majority in a parliamentary election but a new government has yet to be formed, leading to much speculation about the future political situation there.

The only way to rectify the economic collapse is to instigate recovery in a responsible way. It is a very difficult task.

Europe Day gives us cause to reflect on the proposal by Robert Schuman in 1950 that amounted to the beginning of the EU under the Schuman Declaration.

The EU was founded in the aftermath of a horrifying war in order to bring Europe together by merging economic interests and promoting peaceful relations. It is important to remember why we remain so committed to a unified Europe. It is dangerous to forget and allow current economic woes to shift us to the extremes in politics. They have no solutions to offer and instead fuel public anger and inflame a very difficult situation.
It makes the work of more moderate politicians more difficult but more important too.

The report, ‘Models of enforcement in Europe for Relations in the Food Supply Chain’, examines the different mechanisms employed by Member States to put an end to unfair commercial practices in the relationship between retailers and suppliers.

McGuinness said: “In today’s report the EU is urged to bring tougher enforcement measures into use, such as financial penalties for retailers found to be abusing their position of power. Sanctions could also oblige a retailer to reassess the manner in which it currently conducts business dealings and force it to alter its structures.

“The report proposes that a new Directive regulating business to business relationships ( B2B) may be necessary, similar to the Directive on Unfair Commercial Practices which operates for consumer protection.

“Under the framework, a dedicated adjudicator or ombudsman would be created to oversee the food supply chain. This office would facilitate an anonymous complaints procedure and publish routine reports on the food sector to identify good and bad practice.”

McGuinness said: “Soft law – voluntary codes of conduct – have not been effective where they have been tried. The hard law measures such as those identified in today’s report are essential to stem current abuses of power and enable SME suppliers in particular to earn a decent and sustainable living.”

She said the report comes at a very critical time as work continues within the Commission on the functioning of the food supply chain.

“This morning Agricultural Commission Ciolos told MEPs he would not be found wanting when he sees the outcome of the stakeholder group on practices in the food supply chain.

“That particular report is due for publication in June and a further report from the High Level Forum on better functioning of the food supply chain is expected at the end of the year. It must come forward with real proposals on ending unfair practices and on systems to monitor what is happening in the supply chain. I will also be keeping pressure on the commission to deliver on its commitments,” she said.

Article 115 and 116 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU): protection of the internal market gives scope to the commission to take action on this issue, McGuinness added.

“A comprehensive EU wide solution is not just preferable to individual member state actions, it is essential, given the global nature of the food supply chain,” she said.

The Ireland East MEP, a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture, was joined by fellow MEPs and industry leaders at today’s event.

The week-long food and agri-business trade mission to China has resulted in two new Bord Bia initiatives. The Ireland-China Food Network will target the Irish diaspora living in China in order to increase sales of Irish produce. The Ireland-China Food Hub, meanwhile, will provide a shared base for Irish exporters in China in the form of a practical office space.

Some 51 industry stakeholders joined Minister Coveney on the trade mission to showcase Ireland’s best produce. The collaboration between industry and government was a huge success and has paved the path for a surge of Irish exports to China. Congratulations to all involved.

Good Food Ireland Survey

This welcome boost for the food industry was reinforced by a favourable survey that estimates 80% of food businesses expect growth in earnings this year.
The Secret Ingredient to Irish Tourism and Export Growth survey published yesterday found that two out of three businesses surveyed had achieved their earnings expectations last year, despite the recession.

The report by Good Food Ireland and Grant Thornton includes a survey of Good Food Ireland members. The all-island group has over 500 members representing a variety of food related businesses.

Encouragingly, almost a quarter of those surveyed are currently exporting, with plans to target new markets next year, while another 17% are planning to export their products.

Ireland’s food industry is showing confidence in its future and quite deservedly. Industry members are willing to innovate and look to new markets, a vital part of growing any business.

The survey did note that the biggest challenge facing those running food businesses are operating costs, access to finance, red tape and the cost of exporting. Those are issues government is aware of and working to resolve. They are also issues which the EU has a role in. Commitments to reduce red tape need to be translated into achievements in this area.

Defective PIP implants

As a member of the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee, I will keep a keen eye on a proposed resolution put forward by the committee this week on the defective silicone gel breast implants by Poly Implant Prothese (PIP).

The PIP implants case raised extremely serious health and consumer questions. It clearly demonstrated that the EU rules intended to protect consumers in relation to medical devices, including breast implants, are totally inadequate and do not fully protect against manufacturers with deliberate fraudulent intent.

Thousands of women were affected and have had their faith in EU consumer law tested. However, if the EU does not take specific and effective measures to prevent this kind of issue reoccurring, the damage to our citizens will be far greater.

The truth is that few of us fully understand the systems of controls on medical devices, instead putting our faith in the system. When abuses occur, our confidence is shattered. For some they are directly affected. The objective must be to adjust the system to better protect people, while not discouraging innovation in medical device technology.

French Presidential Election

Those of you following the French Presidential Election this week will have noticed the system differs quite a bit to an Irish election. The first major difference was the absence of posters in Strasbourg – posters are only permitted in certain limited areas. Could that idea catch on in Ireland?!

The first round has concluded and all but two candidates have been eliminated. The Socialist Party’s François Hollande beat the incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy of the centre-right UMP when counting finished yesterday. Mr Hollande narrowly saw off Mr Sarkozy by 28.6% to 27.1%. It is the first time a sitting president has lost in the first round.

The candidates now have two weeks to campaign further before the final deciding second-round of the election on May 6th.

The first round certainly interested the French electorate with a very high turnout of around 80% at polling stations. We will have to wait and see if the candidates garner the same interest in round two!

Naturally the result is being closely watched in the EU and globally, markets are anxious, disliking uncertainty. The coming weeks with be fascinating

The MEP has asked that a Court representative would come before the agriculture committee of the European Parliament, on which she sits, to address the content of the report.

Speaking in Strasbourg this morning (Tuesday) McGuinness said of the 63- page report:

“This critical assessment of the Commission’s reform proposals, expected for some time, deserves careful analysis and comes at a very critical time in the reform agenda.

“The court is critical of a number of aspects of the reforms. Paragraph 8 states that the policy will remain focused on compliance and not performance, even after the reforms kick in.

“And it criticizes the proposed greening component of the CAP for lack of clarity on what might be achieved by this proposal.”

McGuinness said the court is also concerned that payments under the CAP may still go to inactive farmers, despite efforts by the Commission to address this issue. ( para 88. 98. )

And it is also concerned about the administrative costs of the new payment system – para 10.

“The report is lengthy and considered and I have asked that a representative from the court of auditors come before the agriculture committee of the Parliament to address the content of the report and to assist MEPs in improving the reform proposals put forward by the Commission,” she said.

The court of auditors also highlight that the CAP reform proposals do not resolve the contradiction in the design of the payments system and is still not targeted towards needs or current standards of living.( Para 114)

“This document will need careful consideration and its recommendations will assist in reshaping the reforms”, she added.

The latest 2010 statistics show that 60% of the world’s ecosystems are degraded or used unsustainably; 90% of our fish stocks are over-exploited; and 25% of all European species are threatened with extinction. It is not just the natural world that is under threat with a knock-on economic impact quite evident in the 2010 UN study The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity, which states that we lose 3% of worldwide GDP each year due to biodiversity loss.

Biodiversity is prioritised by the European Union and the 2020 EU Biodiversity Strategy aims to ensure the survival of our natural world. The challenge for legislators is integrating protective measures into various policy areas in a reasonable and practical manner.

Biodiversity policy will impact on the Common Agricultural Policy, Cohesion policy, Common Fisheries Policy, and the European ‘Roadmaps’ on energy, transport, and resource efficiency going forward.

As a member of both the European Parliament’s Environment and Agriculture Committees, I stress the intrinsic link between the environment and agriculture. A healthy environment is vital for a sustainable agricultural sector and for food security.

The Irish agricultural sector is well aware of the controversial ‘greening’ measures proposed under the CAP review.

This week in Strasbourg we will be debating a report on Biodiversity from the Parliament’s Environment Committee. The report makes recommendations on the 2020 Biodiversity Strategy – some of which are controversial.

The biodiversity challenge will not go away and we need to find a way to reconcile the views of environmentalists and agriculturalists – we need to find common ground.

National Stroke Week
Figures released in conjunction with National Stroke Week show over three times as many women as men are dying from stroke in some parts of Ireland. In Co Louth, 39 women died from stroke during 2010 compared to 12 men. Kilkenny, Sligo, Waterford, Louth, and Mayo all recorded double the number of women compared to men dying from stroke.

National Stroke Week is a brilliant awareness raising promotion that we should all pay attention to and those figures show our female population need to be more aware of the impact their lifestyle could be having on their health.

The F.A.S.T. (face, arms, speech and time) warning signs slogan is an easy way to remember how to recognise and react FAST if you think someone may be having a stroke. A stroke is a medical emergency so the faster someone who is having a stroke receives medical attention the better their chances of a good recovery.
We can improve our health by lifestyle changes such as reducing alcohol intake, not smoking, being physically active and following a healthy diet.

For more information see stroke.ie

EU-UN Equality
The EU has partnered with the UN to strengthen cooperation between the two organisations on their bid to empower women and gender equality.
While some progress has been made in the area of gender equality, there is still a long way to go in terms of women securing more senior positions in large firms and narrowing the pay gap.

Studies have shown that gender diversity pays off and companies with higher percentages of women on corporate boards perform better than those with all-male boards. So I welcome this partnership as another positive affirmation of support for gender equality.

The move follows on from concerns raised by McGuinness in relation to aggressive and misleading sales techniques employed by a number of companies dealing with SMEs in particular.

Some of the cases on which the MEP has had representations include unauthorised payments deducted, a practice which is prevalent according to a number of online forums. Other cases involve offers in relation to what appears to be a free listing in a directory, both in print and online, but in reality is a cover to collect money.

McGuinness says the Commission proposals will cover false claims companies may make about products or misleading payment forms promulgated on the web.

“The current Directive 2006/114/EC on Misleading and Comparative Advertising is not sufficiently robust since unscrupulous merchants are working around the rules in a very disingenuous way and obtaining significant sums of money. Those who sign up are threatened with legal action if they refuse to pay,” she says.

“We need much stronger protection into the future in business to business relationships.

“The idea is to get EU members states to work in a co-ordinated way and act together to tackle these fraudsters,” she said.

Meanwhile, McGuinness says businesses need to be careful to scrutinise the bone fides of organisations presenting offers.

“The web is a wonderful tool but it also presents much opportunity for those with less than honourable intent to mislead or defraud unsuspecting people and some of the scams can be quite sophisticated, “ she concluded.

The MEP said that as we face into a future where the supply of fossil fuel – the driver of all economies – is finite: “We are looking again to the natural world to answer our many demands for food, fuel, fibre, new products and chemicals.”

She said that one of the greatest challenges of all is to link the bio-economy with the people. “What we really need is to involve everyone in the issue, not confine it to researchers, scientists and policy makers,” she said.

“This will require intelligent and flexible government policy and leadership to support research, markets, and create incentives for private firms to invest.”

She said some EU member states have already made great strides in advancing the bio-economy agenda while others have a lot of catching up to do but can learn from those who are leading the field.

McGuinness cited a Belgian –Dutch project that is leading the way. Involving two member states and 5 regional governments, the Belgian provinces of East-Flanders and West-Flanders, and the Dutch provinces of Zeeland and North-Brabant are working to develop the European Bio-based Economy into one of the most competitive, sustainable, inclusive clusters in the world.

Smart links are being made, paving the way for new forms of income for farmers and fishers. The area’s pool of knowledge, resources and infrastructure encompass world class multinationals, SMEs and knowledge institutes backed by local, regional and national governments.

McGuinness went on to say that the first challenge in creating a bio-economy is to mind our soils. “We need to better appreciate the economic, social and the environmental value of soils.”

And she said we must stop dumping perfectly good food. “Up to 50% of edible and healthy food is wasted in EU households, supermarkets, restaurants and along the food supply chain each year. If we do nothing about this glaring waste of resources food wastage will grow by 40% by 2020 based on past trends.”

The MEP also identified the issue of agriculture productivity which is in decline. “The current trend must be arrested if we are to address the food security challenge and it must be addressed in the developed and the developing world.

“It is also vital that we increase output from land so that we can provide the raw materials for the bio-industrial, refinery and processing sectors.”

She said in the past many EU member states have had an integrated research and advisory service to ensure that knowledge was transferred from labs to land. “But the legacy of the EU’s policy switch from production driven agriculture to environmental concerns is that we have in many member states weakened or dismantled the research and advisory service which kept new knowledge flowing into agriculture.

“The new emphasis on Innovation partnerships and advisory services is a recognition that there is something broken in the agriculture research and innovation area and it needs to be fixed.”

She went on to say research must be co-ordinated at an EU level to avoid duplication of spending and developing policies that stimulate the market for these products.

Under Horizon 2020, almost € 4.5 billion has been proposed for the challenge “Food security, sustainable agriculture, marine and maritime research, and the bio-economy” in addition to other EU rural development or cohesion funds available for the development of sustainable supply chains and facilities.

This increased research funding for the bio-economy is estimated to generate an added value of about €45 billion and 130, 000 jobs in bio-economy sectors by 2025. By 2030, the products of industrial biotechnology and bio-energy will have an estimated worth of EUR 300 billion of industrial production.

But, she said, much more can and must be done. “The bio-economy has its very roots in rural areas – we need to engage with the stakeholders in these areas to bring them on board with the new bio-economy. And we need investment,” she said.