An opportunity not to be missed!

Do you blog? Are you free on March 27th and 28th? Fancy covering the European Greens Congress in Brussels and have it all paid for? Then check out their blog and find out how!

(H/T: Jan’s EUblog)

FF split on joining ELDR??

Image via Wikipedia

According to John over at Semper-Idem splits seam to be developing between the National Party and the MEP's in Brussels. I wonder why that is?

This of course was announced with great fanfare at the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis by an Taoiseach Brian Cowen. He said in his opening speech the following:

Given the changing role of the Parliament and the new structures of its groups, Fianna Fáil has no alternative but to reconsider current arrangements. We need to strengthen our work with others who share our basic approach while insisting on the right to vote in accordance with the views of the people we represent. To that end, we will soon advance a proposal to join, for the first time, a pan-European party - the European Liberal, Democratic and Reform Party. Our representatives have been part of that party's group in the Council of Europe for some time and this has worked out well - particularly because it is a group which works hard to respect the views of smaller countries.

Following June's election, should everything progress as expected, we will then consider joining the parliamentary group to which the ELDR is affiliated. I am confident that we can negotiate a position that will strengthen our voice and that of all people who believe in a Europe of states working closely together.

Yet in yesterdays Irish Times Brian Crowley MEP insisted that ""no deal had yet been done" on whether the FF MEPs would join the ALDE Group in the parliament. I wonder why he said that? Is it because he knows that he will lose many of his perks if FF leave the UEN? What perks you ask? Well as co-president of the UEN (A position he is unlikely to attain in the ALDE Group) he is entitled to a car! He doesn't seam willing to give that up.

All know that my prediction of the end of the UEN being in 2009 seams to be accurate enough.

This is posted on the Thinkaboutit.eu website aswell! Do read and rate it there!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Fianna Fáil to join European Liberal, Democratic and Reform Party (sluggerotoole.com)
• Will 2009 see the End of the UEN? (stephenspillane.blogspot.com)
• Liberals offer FF dosh to swing Lisbon Two. (politics.ie)
• Quick news: Irish MEPs change from UEN to ALDE (julienfrisch.blogspot.com)
• Fianna Fáil needs to call a snap election and lose (golez.net)

Brussels

Well, I think I am finally recovered after my trip to Brussels and it was amazing. I met amazing people!

There was fantastic talks and I will share some of my thoughts on them in later blogposts.

My only problem with the event was the fact my baggage didnt arrive till Monday!! Luckily a friend of mine had recently moved to Brussels and actually had a shirt that fitted me!

The two days of the event were great (when I recovered from the dancing on Sunday night), i met some really interesting people, including the other two participants from Ireland.

I got to know really cool people from around Europe (who have all being adding me on Facebook! - thanks guys!) and have found about really cool events around Europe for the elections. Expect some interesting posts!

Oh and my baggage made it back home in one go thanks to the hepful ground crew in Brussels International Airport who put a priority sticker on my bag when I explained to them my situuation! - Huge thanks to them!

I still must upload my pictures and stuff and write posts on the talks but that will have to wait until atleast Sunday when I start my spring week - holidays yay!

The Picture is from the EJC, It was taken on the Monday