McNamara Welcomes European Parliament Vote Referring EU–Mercosur Agreement to Court of Justice

Michael McNamara MEP (Ireland / Independent) has welcomed today’s vote in the European Parliament to refer the EU–Mercosur Agreement and Interim Trade Agreement to the Court of Justice of the EU for an opinion on their compatibility with the EU Treaties.

McNamara was a co-signatory to the request for Court’s over sight and voted in favour of the resolution, which was adopted by a narrow margin. The referral suspends parliamentary consent until the Court has ruled, a process expected to take up to two years.

Commenting on the outcome, McNamara said:

“The Mercosur Agreement and Interim Trade Agreement have now been referred to the European Court to test their legality. This is a small but important victory for those who oppose the betrayal of European farmers, and for those who believe that the rule of law must prevail especially in these strange times.” McNamara has consistently raised concerns about the agreement’s legal basis, democratic accountability, and its implications for agricultural standards, environmental protections, and fair competition. He stressed that judicial scrutiny is not an obstruction, but a necessary safeguard to ensure that major international trade agreements fully comply with EU law and Treaty obligations.

McNamara Calls For Free Public Transport in Response to Energy Crisis

Ireland South MEP Michael McNamara has called for the Government to introduce free public transport across Ireland, following the IMF’s warning that “all roads lead to higher prices and slower growth worldwide” should the conflict in the Middle East continue.

“The Government’s call on households to cut fuel use is meaningless unless it concentrates on encouraging the public to use alternatives,” McNamara said. “Public transport needs to be made free for users for the next six months. This would cost up to €275 million, based on a 2023 report commissioned by the National Transport Authority (NTA) from Ernst and Young.

“It must be acknowledged that this is a significant sum of money but it is less than the amount the Government is expecting to spend on the upcoming six-month EU Presidency and is small compared to the billions of euro thrown around by the Government during the Covid era. “Making buses, trams and trains free is a relatively easy measure for the Government to implement and one that will make a difference to ordinary people, as it will result in a new focus on public transport alternatives,” McNamara concluded.

McNamara Leads Cross-Party MEP Letter to EU Foreign Policy Chief Demanding Action After Israeli Military Seizes Civilian Vessels Near Crete

Clare-based MEP Michael McNamara has today led a letter signed by Members of the European Parliament to HR/VP Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, demanding immediate intervention following the seizure by Israeli military forces of civilian vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters near Crete.

Among those unaccounted for is Irish citizen and Ennis man Martin Guilfoyle, who  is among 7 Irish citizens who were aboard one of the intercepted vessels. His whereabouts and welfare remain unknown. McNamara has also written separately to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Irish Permanent Representative to the EU and the Irish Ambassador in Tel Aviv demanding urgent consular intervention on their behalf.

The letter, backed by MEPs from various different political groups, describes the interception as a serious act of aggression by a foreign military power in European waters, hundreds of miles from Gaza, with no legal or security justification. The co-signatories are calling on Kallas to intervene at the highest diplomatic level, summon the Israeli Head of Mission to the EU, place sanctions on the table, and report urgently to the European Parliament.

McNamara said of the incident: “This is a serious act of aggression by a foreign military in European waters. EU citizens – including  Irish citizens – are unaccounted for. I am not prepared to wait while bureaucratic processes run their course. I am demanding immediate action from Kallas and the EU to act.

The Global Sumud Flotilla departed from Italy on Sunday carrying over 400 civilians from multiple countries on a humanitarian mission to Gaza. Twenty-two of its vessels were intercepted by Israeli military forces on 29 April. The interception took place approximately 600 nautical miles from Gaza which is far beyond any previous Israeli interdiction of a civilian flotilla.

McNamara added “Israel cannot continue to behave like a rogue state without consequences”

AI Omnibus puts end to ‘Nudifiers’
We reached a deal on the AI Act Omnibus. After months of intensive negotiations, I am genuinely relieved and proud of what we have achieved.

The European Union now has its first ever ban on nudification applications. AI systems that generate non-consensual intimate imagery of real people – that strip women naked without their consent, that produce child sexual abuse material, are prohibited under EU law. The European Parliament had a chance to act on a harm that is being industrialised by AI, and we took it.

We secured a stop-the-clock compliance mechanism, giving companies the additional time they need to meet their obligations. We also secured meaningful simplification measures -cutting unnecessary red tape and duplicative compliance burdens, particularly for smaller businesses and SMEs.

And this is on top of protections we fought to ensure remain firmly within the AI Act – mandatory registration of high-risk AI systems, and stronger safeguards for bias detection. These were hard-won in the original Act. We were not prepared to see them traded away in an Omnibus process, and they were not.
Department of Justice

Following criticism by the High Court of the failure to include a person on the sex offenders register after being informed by UK authorities of a relevant conviction there, I asked the Tánaiste if he had confidence in the Department of Justice and its stewardship.

Agriculture Minister non committal on reimbursing co operation area farmers for investments in 2024

Farmers in co-operation areas of ACRES making investments, such as fencing, solar pumps, culverts, hedgerow planting and rejuvenation, gates and drinking troughs, are entitled to reimbursements of a portion of their cost. In the latest blow to farmers in the Acres Scheme, however, the Minister has refused to give a commitment that approved investments carried out in 2024 will be reimbursed this year.

Direct Provision accommodation

Despite regularly citing EU and international legal obligations, the Government fails to clarify how many in direct provision are not entitled to accommodation under EU/international law and says it may not even be able to ascertain the figure.

That figure is likely to be several thousand as it includes the vast majority of those who’re waiting months and years for the Justice Minister to decide on their Leave to Remain applications (after their asylum claims is refused).

Anti-social behaviour in Ennis

The Justice Minister says there’s no link between the failure to adequately police the streets of inner city Dublin and last week’s rioting and looting. I disagree. One leads to the other. I pointed out the growth in anti-social activity in Ennis of late and called for it to be tackled by Gardaí.

University Hospital Limerick

People are afraid to go to University Hospital Limerick (UHL). Lives will be lost because of the fear but, equally, lives will be lost because that fear is justified. While celebrating being republicans this government has perpetuated huge disparity in healthcare across Ireland.

Consultation needed to lessen pressure on GP and other essential services from refugee and asylum seeker accommodation

Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara has called for ongoing consultation with communities hosting refugees and asylum seekers, in particular for the Government to outline its plans to address the increased strain placed on GP services as a result of the arrival of Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants, citing his hometown in East Clare as an example.

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ACRES

2.8 litre diesel landcruisers while telling us to go electric…cutting farmers’ funds in environmentally designated areas while talking up the Nature Restoration Law…claiming to be personally putting money in farmers’ pockets when administering taxpayers’ funds…shameless.

Local authority water workers

Local authority water workers were promised there would be no change to the terms and conditions of their employment whether they transferred to Irish Water or remained as Council employees. Now, they’re being told that this will not be the case if they do not transfer to Irish Water, and strike action is imminent. I asked if the Government would intervene to ensure the promises made are kept.  

Agri-Food Regulator

An amendment to the Agri-Food Regulator Bill to enable to regulator to go the High Court for an Order compelling the provision of data sought in the event that it wasn’t being provided was not accepted by the Minister for Agriculture.

Wastewater Infrastructure in coastal communities

Developing wastewater infrastructure in unsewered settlements is neither the responsibility of local authorities nor Irish Water. Therefore, despite the environmental and economic necessity and a budget surplus, communities all over Ireland have little prospect of a resolution.

In the Dáil today, I raised the plight of Clare coastal communities such as Carrigaholt, Doolin, Spanish Point, Miltown Malbay and Quilty.