MEP for Ireland South Seán Kelly welcomed a group of Fine Gael Councillors to the European Parliament last week.

Local Councillors from across the constituency of Ireland South joined MEP Kelly in Brussels for a series of meetings, discussions and fact-finding tours.
The group included local representatives from Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Limerick, Wicklow and Wexford.
“I was delighted to host such an engaging group of Councillors in the European Parliament this week,” MEP Kelly said. “It is crucial that local representatives have an opportunity to engage with European politics, and indeed that the local issues that matter most to people are highlighted at European level.”

“This trip represented a valuable opportunity to exchange on a range of issues, both local and European, and to discuss the ways in which European policymaking can be made relevant for people in a local context.”

The group of Councillors also met with Commissioner Mairead McGuinness and received a briefing from Ambassador Eamonn MacAodha of Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the European Union, who discussed the role of the Permanent Representation in bridging the gap between the national and European levels of government.

They were given a tour of the European Parliament in Brussels, and the Parliament’s excellent visitors’ service provided an overview of the work of MEPs. The group also travelled to the city of Bruges in Flanders.