Update: The Irish MEP’s have been elected and you wll find them listed here:
https://www.magireland.org/resources/irish-meps-2014-2019/
On Friday 23rd May, Irish voters will go to the polls and elect hundreds of local councillors and just eleven M.E.P.’s – Members of the European Parliament.
Those eleven MEP’s will take their seats alongside 740 others in Brussels and over the next five years they will have a say, and a vote, on every issue the Parliament has to decide.
MAG Ireland has been fortunate over the years to have had the support and assistance of many Irish MEP’s who have helped us to raise the voice of Irish riders at the heart of Europe. Even when some MEP’s have disagreed with us over the issues at hand, such as with the Roadworthiness Testing proposals, we have found that as a group the Irish MEP’s are open to hearing the evidence for and against.
Almost every issue which affects motorcycling comes out of Europe, whether it be licensing, emissions, type approval, noise limits, or the controversial roadworthiness testing proposals and the only ones with a real say in the outcome of these and many other issues are your MEP’s.
There are many reasons to be cynical about the EU but remember that the MEP’s are your representatives, elected by you, and tasked with representing you at the European Parliament.
For the next five years, during which motorcycling will be firmly in the spotlight of the EU, these eleven MEP’s will be the ones we must convince of the merits or otherwise of any proposals aimed at motorcycling. There are discussions afoot right now in Europe about a regulation on protective clothing as we reported recently (click here) and these proposals may well be among those your MEP’s have to decide on after Friday’s elections.
Regardless of who you vote for or why, it’s your vote that matters. Don’t leave it to somebody else to make your decisions for you this Friday.