I HAD THE CHEEK TO ASK THE ASPIRING MEPs THREE QUESTIONS BUT........

NORMAL CABLE

This is what I wrote to most EP hopefuls and received confused typical meandering replies from only two or three

To date I have received no responses to these questions from you and I would like to know ‘WHY?’
Maybe you can try to answer me? Thanks in advance.

1. COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
Bearing in mind that all mainland EP members who ‘have’ English also speak their own language... if elected will Irish members, who do/do not speak at least their own two languages, take on a major Union language such as French, German, Italian or Spanish and take it seriously, beyond the buying a train ticket level?
This act will be seen by the electorate especially the younger age group as a vote of confidence in the desire to communicate effectively with fellow Union citizens.
(this is NOT a joke question to be dismissed by some cynical journalists and does NOT concern the position of Irish but perhaps a more favourable attitude to the main Union languages in Ireland such as implementation of above might encourage the mainland MEPS to look more favourably on ‘ceist na Gaeilge san Eoraip’.)
Stand-by for IBEC’s yearly complaint, due next week. on the Irish business world’s over and almost exclusive dependence on Shakespeare’s language to sell on the great European market.

2. ‘MUST CARRY’ IN BASIC (CHEAPEST) FOR ALL FOR MULTI-LINGUAL TV:
concerns those who have no interest in 300 plus English language television channels….
Will you support the campaign to seek a multi-lingual normal European basic cable tv and radio service -with at least four separate language tv channels- (in the cheapest package for all) for Dublin (and all cities and towns in the 25 union countries) at a normal price?
(these should be (i) extra channels-no favourite English language channels to be removed to avoid trouble and (ii) free of charge to the cable service and so free to cable customers)
Deutsche Welle, TVE and TV5 all fall within this category.
NOTA on ‘normal price’ :
Bruxelles normal basic (cheapest) for all multi-lingual (6 languages) cable service 39 channels 123 euros24 per year. Average over the old mainland 13 capitals 100 euros p.a. for basic 30 channels. Dublin: BASIC: 14 channels in English plus TG4 .........218 euros per year.
(TV5 was removed from Dublin during the EU/COE European Year of Languages in May 2002 and the multi-lingual news bulletins were removed the week of the EU communications ministers meetings in Dublin as part of Ireland’s presidency of the Council of Ministers.

3. FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT:
After 31 years of E.U. membership surely it is time to end formal government control on entry to Ireland and on a quid pro quo basis entry for travellers from Ireland into the twelve Schengen countries? Each arrival from Ireland has to formally request permission to enter a Schengen country. However, once this entry is permitted the passenger can travel all over the other eleven without further hindrance from individual state authorities.
The immigration police can continue to do spot checks as they do frequently with passengers arriving from Great Britain who do not legally require a passport to enter Ireland.
(Nota: Sweden and Norway have full freedom of movement across their borders and Norway is not even an E.U. member state yet Sweden is a full member of Schengen.)
Ironically there are no restrictions on personal imports of orange juice (1 carton), chocolate (2 bars), biscuits (2 packets), tv sets, etc since 1993.......
(I was caught with these edibles on the U.K. /Ireland land border in 1990 and the details were logged in state files to be seen again by research students in 2020)

signed.

Meh

Originally posted by NORMAL CABLE
3. FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT:
After 31 years of E.U. membership surely it is time to end formal government control on entry to Ireland and on a quid pro quo basis entry for travellers from Ireland into the twelve Schengen countries? Each arrival from Ireland has to formally request permission to enter a Schengen country. However, once this entry is permitted the passenger can travel all over the other eleven without further hindrance from individual state authorities.

I'd be in favour of that, except it would mean an end to our common travel area with the UK. Unless you could persuade them to join as well, of course.

(Nota: Sweden and Norway have full freedom of movement across their borders and Norway is not even an E.U. member state yet Sweden is a full member of Schengen.)

But Norway and Sweden are both full members of the Schengen Agreement, which is what counts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Agreement

simu

(this is NOT a joke question to be dismissed by some cynical journalists and does NOT concern the position of Irish but perhaps a more favourable attitude to the main Union languages in Ireland such as implementation of above might encourage the mainland MEPS to look more favourably on ‘ceist na Gaeilge san Eoraip’.) Stand-by for IBEC’s yearly complaint, due next week. on the Irish business world’s over and almost exclusive dependence on Shakespeare’s language to sell on the great European market.

Yeah, surely any MEP worth their salt ought to be able, at least, to chat fluently in a few of the main European languages - this would definitely be a bonus for networking and getting on with politicians from other countries.

‘MUST CARRY’ IN BASIC (CHEAPEST) FOR ALL FOR MULTI-LINGUAL TV: concerns those who have no interest in 300 plus English language television channels…. Will you support the campaign to seek a multi-lingual normal European basic cable tv and radio service -with at least four separate language tv channels- (in the cheapest package for all) for Dublin (and all cities and towns in the 25 union countries) at a normal price?

That would be cool!

Maybe I should be a MEP!:eek:

Could you post the few replies you did receive, though? I'm curious!

seamus

Originally posted by simu
Yeah, surely any MEP worth their salt ought to be able, at least, to chat fluently in a few of the main European languages - this would definitely be a bonus for networking and getting on with politicians from other countries.

Well, in fairness quite a lot of people are incapable of learning a different language beyond the level of buying a train ticket, especially given the age of many candidates. The effort of course, would be appreciated, and would set a good example, but I see no reason to slate or criticise members for being unable to speak another language fluently.

simu

Originally posted by seamus
Well, in fairness quite a lot of people are incapable of learning a different language beyond the level of buying a train ticket, especially given the age of many candidates. The effort of course, would be appreciated, and would set a good example, but I see no reason to slate or criticise members for being unable to speak another language fluently.

Yeah but it's a lot easier to do it when you can afford the best learning methods and you hear people speaking other languages around you all the time. How could you not pick up French in Brussels? It's got nothing to do with age either - it's more a question of making a bit of effort. I wouldn't base my vote on a candidate's language abilities but I'd have a little bit more respect for a MEP who had made a bit of effort with languages.

sceptre

Originally posted by simu
How could you not pick up French in Brussels?

I suspect it's relatively easy when you've got a faceless official in your ears translating every last word. Fair point though.

sceptre

To answer the first poster's question (why?), part of the reason you've received few meandering replies to your questions is that your questions are a little meandering as well as containing unnecessary editorialising at the end of them (assuming you sent exactly what you've posted above)

You'd probably have been a little luckier if you'd asked something along the lines of:

• Do you speak another European language at a reasonably fluent level (other than Irish/English)? If not, do you plan on learning any?
• Will you support the introduction of "must carry" television services in at least four European languages (other than Irish and English) on all cable platforms at a reasonable cost to the subscriber (without removing any current channels)? If so, what steps will you take to support this?
• Given the ease of free movement of persons in the EU (and beyond) between countries who have fully implemented the Schengen accords, do you believe Ireland should fully implement these accords and allow movement between Ireland and other EU States without a passport? if so, what are you going to do about it?

Those versions of the questions are far more likely to get an answer as the first part of each question tends towards an obvious yes/no answer with additional information requested in the second part. Frankly the bits about packets of biscuits just make it more likely for them to think you're a nut who doesn't have the vote yet. I should know - I often toss some trivia into a conversation (if I have it) if I'm talking to someone who'll appreciate it. Equally I bore the socks off my girlfriend when she asks a simple question by giving her too much info as an answer. Trivia is not the best thing to shoot into email correspondence with a prospective EU representative who can get to four houses in the time it takes to read the questions sent. Anything not directly related to the core issue is both trivial and trivia if you're expecting an answer.

I'm not criticising your questions. Your questions are good and they're relevant. None of them would be in my top three questions but I'd just tend to ask different things. I'm not even criticising the delivery of your questions (too much). However, I suspect I'm telling you exactly why hardly anyone bothered their asses writing back, apart from the lazy ones who never write back unless they're in opposition and hungry for your vote. Respect for asking the questions. Not enough people do that. I didn't send any questions to MEPs or councillors before this election and no-one called to my door.

Out of interest, get any answers at all from current sitting MEPs?