A strong Europe can only be built from the democratic centre

16.06.2014 11:00

A strong Europe can only be built from the democratic centre

It is a great honour to have been elected as a new Member of the European Parliament. I want to thank my new colleagues in the EPP Group for making me feel so welcome.

We are part of a big family with common values and common aspirations about the future direction of Europe. It is our party that wants to make Europe work. We want to build while others want to destroy. The great majority of European citizens look to us to deliver on the jobs and growth agenda.

During this Parliament we have to succeed in helping to get people back to work, reforming the European economy and delivering on our commitments Brian Hayes MEP

Without that agenda working, those voices on the hard left and hard right will continue to gain ground. That's why during this Parliament we have to succeed in helping to get people back to work, reforming the European economy and delivering on our commitments.

Fewer new laws and more freedom to open up the potential of the European economy

As a small country that has gone through a terrible economic crisis, Ireland is now more confident about its future. As a Minister in the Irish Government over the past three years, and especially as a Minister in the Department of Finance and Public Expenditure, I am acutely aware of the many difficult issues we have faced.

I recognise the challenge in trying to promote economic growth while reducing public spending. Yet, that is a common challenge across Europe. Without a healthy public finance position, without fundamental reform of our economies, a prosperous Europe cannot happen.

We don't need to spend more, but spend better. That is as important to the new European Budget as it is to all national budgets

So much of the work of the last Parliament was dominated by the financial crises. Over the next 5 years, we need fewer new laws and more freedom to open up the potential of the European economy.

We have to share good examples of public administration reform across the European Union. We don't need to spend more, but spend better. That is as important to the new European Budget as it is to all national budgets. European business does not need more red tape, but it does need new funding models to generate the growth that is so badly needed.

Team up with pro-European forces to guarantee political stability and promote growth

Our voters want us to create the conditions for prosperity and security. They know that a strong Europe can only be built from the democratic centre. Populist parties, while gaining ground in the recent elections, are still in the minority.

We need to build a strong platform with other pro-European parties that can deliver on our reform and growth agenda, while making sure that Parliament works. It would be a disaster over the next five years if political grid-lock took hold.

We need to build a strong platform with other pro-European parties that can deliver on our reform and growth agenda

Yes we won the election, yes we are the biggest political grouping in Parliament; but we are not the majority. As the biggest group we have the biggest responsibility in delivering the political stability that Europe badly needs right now.

As a new Member I was very impressed by the leadership of Manfred Weber at this week's group discussion in Brussels on how we should position the EPP Group in Parliament over the next five years. Reaching out to other pro-European political families is not a weakness - it's a strength.

Europeans feel uncertain about their future. They look to us to provide the leadership that Europe so badly needs.

We believe in people. #believeinpeople @brianhayestd

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