Search Results for 'Fine Gael MEP'

A number of Mayo companies picked up awards at the All Ireland Occupational Safety Awards in Mullingar recently. Mairead McGuinness, Fine Gael MEP and vice president of the European Parliament, presented the awards. She said the awards mark the achievement of people who day-to-day carry out what are in many ways mundane tasks in detecting risks, training personnel, enforcing and monitoring good practices, and inculcating rather than dictating a safety ethos in the workplace.

The 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, worth over €3.66m for County Westmeath and some €149 million nationally, has started issuing this month.

There needs to be a complete re-think on how the new National Driving Licence Service (NDLS) centre at Ballybrit works as it is not fit for purpose, that is according to MEP for Midlands-North West Jim Higgins.

Fine Gael MEP for Mayo Jim Higgins has pledged his support for the introduction of a VAT exemption on mountain rescue equipment, which would significantly reduce the costs of mountain rescue teams in Mayo, as well as all over Europe.

Jim Higgins MEP has been shortlisted for the MEP of the Year Transport award 2014. Organised by the Brussels-based Parliament Magazine, winners are chosen exclusively by fellow MEPs who vote on a shortlist of nominees.

City councillors have voted unanimously to remove the controversial proposal for a bus corridor through Merlin Woods from the Galway City Development Plan.

North-West MEP Jim Higgins has called for the establishment of an agri-ombudsman to investigate complaints from farmers. The Mayo native MEP said: "As inspection penalties against farmers continue to rise, it's clear that our agri-inspectors need to be pulled back into line. In the last four years penalties against farmers rose by a whopping 500 per cent, the total penalties rose to €4.7 million in 2012, up from just €780,000 in 2009."

Ireland West Airport Knock this week welcomed the Government decision to reduce the air travel tax from €3 to zero and maintain the VAT rate at 9 per cent in the tourism sector as announced in the budget on Tuesday. A statement released by the airport said: “The airport believes this news will serve to continue to boost the tourism sector and encourage airlines to add more air access to the island and in particular to grow passenger numbers and overseas visitors through Ireland West Airport Knock. The airport now looks forward to working closely in the next few weeks with its airline partners on new services for 2014 to boost the number of inbound visitors significantly to the region.”

Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins yesterday along with a number of small farmers presented a petition to the European Parliament in relation to the Single Farm Payment.

Jim Higgins MEP has expressed concern at the increased number of fatal road accidents this year: “Unfortunately, 148 people have lost their lives on Irish roads so far this year – an increase of 17 deaths compared to the same period in 2012,” the Midlands North West MEP confirmed.