MEP gives talk to Tipperary secondary school students on pressing EU issues

Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher visited Carrick-on-Suir's Edmund Rice Secondary School to talk to its Transition Year students about his work, the importance of Ireland’s role in the EU and security, migration and agricultural issues.

Mr Kelleher’s visit linked into the TY students’ studies. They are taking part in the European Parliament Ambassador School Programme (EPAS), which aims to increase students’ awareness of European parliamentary democracy, the role of the European Parliament and European values.

The Cork MEP, who is a member of the EU Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, outlined the benefits of membership of the EU where there exists free movement of people within the 27 countries;

Mr Kelleher explained how Irish MEPs represent their people in the European Parliament and spoke of his own background and lead into a political career.

He also spoke poignantly of his visits to Ukraine over the last two years where he witnessed hundreds of thousands of people of all ages walking for days towards European countries pulling trolleys and cases packed with the few personal possessions they could bring with them.

He witnessed the fear and anxiety in their faces and the relief when they reached the EU.

“They queued for days to cross the borders and to safety” he said. “We should be proud that they see Ireland as a land of hope and opportunity” he said adding how the people of Ireland had opened their homes, hotels and institutions to provide refuge for over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees seeking sanctuary.

He also talked about the desperate situation in Gaza where the people are trapped within a small area of land that they can’t escape from and he recalled his visit to the West Bank in 2018 describing the area and its people there.

Mr. Kelleher also discussed the huge challenges facing many countries now due to the devastating impact of climate change, civil wars, famine and other dangerous situations, which was displacing millions of people worldwide.

He spoke about the aims and current rules of the Common Agricultural Policy and how it supports EU farmers, promotes food security and also contributes to the sustainable development of rural areas. And he stated that farm practices in Europe are away ahead of anywhere else.

Mr Kelleher finished his talk with a questions and answers session with the students.

A presentation was made to Mr Kelleher in appreciation of his visit and he was thanked sincerely for taking time out of his busy schedule to give such a passionate and informative speech to the TY students.