Ciarán Mullooly: Defend Cohesion Funds and Rural Ireland
Ciarán Mullooly challenges the Taoiseach as Ireland begins chairing negotiations on the next long-term EU budget, demanding a commitment not to prioritise narrow competitiveness spending over cohesion and rural development. He asks for a specific safeguard to protect peripheral and island regions, and stresses housing and agricultural policy as central priorities for the presidency.
Ciarán Mullooly asks the Taoiseach to commit that Ireland will not support an EU budget deal that sidelines cohesion and rural development funds in favour of narrowly defined competitiveness spending. He presses for one concrete safeguard to protect peripheral and island regions such as the Midlands North West of Ireland.
Mullooly highlights the urgent housing crisis in Ireland, citing 15,000 people homeless and 5,000 children affected. He argues that Ireland's presidency must advance policies that uphold human dignity in housing and put social consequences at the centre of budget negotiations.
He links regional survival to a common agricultural policy that sustains both small and large farmers. Mullooly positions CAP reform and rural funding as essential to secure a genuine 'right to stay' in Ireland's regions and to make the presidency's legacy meaningful.
Mullooly frames the coming months as a test of shared values during Ireland's presidency. He warns that failure to protect regional and rural funds will have direct consequences for peripheral communities, housing stability and farmers' livelihoods.
Key demand: protection of cohesion and rural development funding
Ciarán Mullooly asks the Taoiseach to commit that Ireland will not support an EU budget deal that sidelines cohesion and rural development funds in favour of narrowly defined competitiveness spending. He presses for one concrete safeguard to protect peripheral and island regions such as the Midlands North West of Ireland.
Housing, human dignity and the presidency's responsibilities
Mullooly highlights the urgent housing crisis in Ireland, citing 15,000 people homeless and 5,000 children affected. He argues that Ireland's presidency must advance policies that uphold human dignity in housing and put social consequences at the centre of budget negotiations.
Agriculture, the right to stay and regional livelihoods
He links regional survival to a common agricultural policy that sustains both small and large farmers. Mullooly positions CAP reform and rural funding as essential to secure a genuine 'right to stay' in Ireland's regions and to make the presidency's legacy meaningful.
Political test and consequences
Mullooly frames the coming months as a test of shared values during Ireland's presidency. He warns that failure to protect regional and rural funds will have direct consequences for peripheral communities, housing stability and farmers' livelihoods.
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Transcript
Taoiseach, one of your priorities for Ireland's presidency is to strengthen Europe's competitiveness while protecting balanced regional development. As you begin today to steer the negotiations on the new long-term EU budget, will you commit that Ireland will not support a deal which sidelines cohesion and rural development funds in favour of narrowly defined competitiveness spending? And can you spell out one concrete safeguard you will defend to protect our peripheral and island regions like the Midlands North West of Ireland? Your shared values, we will test them in the coming months Taoiseach. We look for human dignity when it comes to housing in particular. You know the focus, you know the crisis upon us with 15,000 people homeless in Ireland and 5,000 children. You know we need to work harder on this. And if there is to be a right to stay Taoiseach in the regions of Ireland, then we need a common agricultural policy which gives all of our farmers a livelihood going forward, the small farmers and the large ones. That must be your legacy Taoiseach from this presidency.