Fine Gael is widely recognised as the Irish political party with the largest and most consistent commitment to the process of European integration. Fine Gael belongs to the European People's Party (EPP) which brings together the Christian democratic parties throughout the European Union and is currently the second largest grouping in the European Parliament with 201 members. Fine Gael's membership of the EPP enables us to have a real influence in forming and implementing policy development at European level.
Fine Gael has actively sought to provide a vision of the Europe of the future of the European Union which is relevant to the needs of the citizens of this continent. This was clearly demonstrated during our successful Presidency of the EU in 1996 and, in particular, by John Bruton's leadership of the European Council through crucial discussions on EMU, employment and European action on international crime and drug trafficking.
The principles set out the launch of the Irish EU Presidency in 1996 are still relevant today. We said then what we wanted for Europe:
We want peace ;
We want safe streets ;
We want secure jobs ;
We want sound money ;
Only the European Union is strong enough and big enough to achieve peace, safe streets, secure jobs and sound money. Individual states on their own cannot achieve these major objectives. We in Fine Gael believe that Ireland can have real international influence if we are well represented in the European Institutions. For these reasons, Fine Gael believes that the forthcoming European Parliament Elections are crucially important. By participating in these elections voters can have a real say in how the future of the European Union is shaped.
Fine Gael believes that because of our membership of one of the strongest political movements in Europe, our MEPs have a real say in policy formulation. The new Parliament elected in June will be more powerful than any of its predecessors. It is more important now than every before that Ireland sends people of the highest calibre to represent us for the next five years.
Fine Gael is fielding a team of strong players in each of the 4 constituencies. In Connaught Ulster, Ireland's senior member of the European Parliament, Joe McCartin MEP will be flying the party standard. In Munster, John Cushnahan MEP is accompanied on the ticket by former Cork Lord Mayor Cllr. Jim Corr. In Leinster, Alan Gillis MEP is running along with Senator Avril Doyle, a former Minister of State in the last Rainbow Government, and in Dublin city, Jim Mitchell TD, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, has joined Mary Banotti MEP on the ticket.
Above all else, the Fine Gael team offers the electorate two key qualifications for the European Parliament candidates with proven competence, belonging to a parliamentary group that has real clout.
