Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is a real pleasure for me to welcome Ms Prendergast to the House. Ms Prendergast and I served together on the Labour Party seats in the Opposition for some years and it was always a pleasure to work with her. Senator Leyden already referred to her professional training as a midwife. When I was pregnant and sitting here in the Chamber it was an immense relief to know a trained midwife was sitting beside me should anything have happened prematurely.

It is a pleasure to have Ms Prendergast here in her capacity as an MEP. She is doing a huge amount of work and her comments on the Internal Market struck me, particularly her comment that even the most ardent British eurosceptics do not dispute or challenge the existence of the Internal Market. This surely shows how embedded it has become in European culture.

Following on the very practical issues about the European Parliament which Senator Quinn discussed, and I am trying to recall whether there is a fountain in the foyer in the building, he made a good point on the overblown status symbols of major corporations and institutions. The House has been addressed by a number of MEPs and the difference in their type of work and that of a national parliamentarian is striking. Ms Prendergast has long experience of being a Member of the Seanad. Is the work of the European Parliament at a completely different level? Mr. Gay Mitchell referred to a parliamentary committee having to sift through 1,000 proposed amendments to a particular directive. This illustrated the highly complex and technical nature of much of the law-making at EU level and how difficult it is therefore to form a connection with citizens in member states such as Ireland. I would like to hear Ms Prendergast's take on this and whether she believes there is a way to make more of a connection between citizens and the European Parliament, or to simplify or make more accessible to people the procedures which operate in the European Parliament.

We are all conscious that much of the European Parliament's work is done through committees. Ms Prendergast stated she is the only Irish member of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection. She also serves on a number of other committees including the Committee on Petitions and the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. Do the Committees on Agriculture and Rural Development and Internal Marketing and Consumer Protection work on food safety, which is an aspect of consumer protection, given the enormous issue which has presented at EU level through the horsemeat scandal?

Of course that has given rise to a whole range of jokes but is a serious matter. It is clearly now a matter that is of concern at EU level. It was the Irish food safety authorities that blew the whistle but now we have seen the implications across the EU. What can the committee do about the issue?

I know that the Ms Prendergast is particularly interested in the agricultural issue. Recently Ms Mairead McGuinness, MEP, was here and we debated the issue along with CAP and CAP reform. Ms Prendergast has pointed out that CAP reform must have a constructive impact on the Irish agricultural sector and rural way of life. I know that there is real concern among those working in agriculture, especially among farming families, about the impact of CAP reforms here. Does Ms Prendergast think they will have a constructive impact? Is there work that we can do here to ensure that happens?

Ms Prendergast also highlighted the rights of workers, the need to strengthen and protect workers' rights at EU level and to prevent a race to the bottom. I shall mention her work with Waterford Crystal in particular which is something that is close to my heart and family. She supported the campaign to have Waterford crystal made only in Waterford and to bring back Waterford Crystal jobs that were sadly lost in 2009. I have visited its showroom a number of times but most recently last summer. I was struck by the real ambition of its workers. The people who have been laid off from Waterford Crystal are highly skilled craftspeople. They have a great ambition to start taking on apprentices again and to grow its manufacturing business which is very small at the moment. Is there any help or assistance available at EU level that the workers in the crystal showroom can avail of? The showroom has become a major tourist attraction and has improved Waterford city centre. It has been a wonderful initiative by the Waterford City Council and the workers in the crystal company.

Ms Prendergast has also talked about connecting Munster to the EU. She is the first Munster MEP that we have had in the Chamber which is welcome. She pointed out the need to ensure that the people of Munster have a strong voice in Europe. That is of interest because we have often overlooked, because of Ireland being so small, the need to ensure regional representation at EU level. What are Ms Prendergast's thoughts on regional representation? Is there a more direct way to connect the regions? Will it ensure that citizens have a better connection with the EU? I know that I am running short on time.