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Mick Wallace

Mick Wallace

Independents 4 Change

I believe in a peaceful and socially just Europe. I want a Europe of peace and plenty, not a Europe of war and austerity. An end to the genocide in Gaza. We need massive public investment to tackle the cost of living, climate and biodiversity crises. And we need a genuinely Just Transition.

Priorities

  • Economic policy

    I oppose new EU fiscal rules in the new Economic Governance Framework which will restrict public investment in housing + services + green transition

  • Environment

    Progress re Green Deal has ground to a halt. Nature Restoration Law and Sustainable Pesticide laws dead. We need at least 90% 2040 reduction target .

  • Defence

    Defence spending in EU totaled $295 billion in 2023, a massive 51% more than 2014. This money should be spent on public services + green transition

These answers were provided by the candidate

EU integration
1 of 21 questions
European integration has gone too far
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Trade integration has clearly benefited Ireland. But the CFP has been terrible for Irish fishing. But it is crucial we protect Irish neutrality. EU began as a peace project, but is moving towards a defence union, with a Commissioner for Defence. EU Health and Banking Unions have pros and cons. "

- Mick Wallace
EU enlargement
2 of 21 questions
It would be good if Ukraine joins the EU in the next five years
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Accession is a question for Ukrainians. But, people should be aware what enlargement means. Council said 20% cut in CAP payments will be needed to allow for Ukrainian accession. Commission said enlargement will mean changes to unanimity voting, with big affect re Irish neutrality + corporation tax"

- Mick Wallace
Economic policy
3 of 21 questions
Corporation tax rates should be fully harmonised across the EU
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Economic policy
4 of 21 questions
The EU budget should be increased, even if this means wealthy countries paying more
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "EU is spending more and more on defence and military. We don't need more money to spend on arms. But we do need a bigger CAP budget and massive public investment in Green and Just Transitions. The so-called new basket of EU own resources is also an alternative to member state GNI contributions. "

- Mick Wallace
Commission President
5 of 21 questions
Ursula von der Leyen should receive a second term as Commission President
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I have relentlessly criticised her for her stance on Gaza and repeatedly called for her to resign. I submitted amendments to a joint motion for a resolution in the European Parliament, calling for her to resign and inviting the Prosecutor of the ICC to investigate her for potential war crimes. "

- Mick Wallace
Defence
6 of 21 questions
EU member states, including Ireland, should collaborate more on defence and security
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Ireland's neutrality is cherished by a majority of the public. People all over the world respect and hold it up as an example. It is something to be proud of, not to be ashamed of. Further defence integration erodes Irish neutrality. "

- Mick Wallace
Defence
7 of 21 questions
The EU should have a common army
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Ireland's neutrality is cherished by a majority of the public. People all over the world respect and hold it up as an example. The EU should work for peace in the world. It began as a peace project. "

- Mick Wallace
Defence
8 of 21 questions
The EU should finance more weapons for Ukraine
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "This war is unwinnable. All wars end in negotiated settlements. That is what happened in Northern Ireland. That is what will eventually happen in Ukraine. Of course the West needs to offer security guarantees, but it should not prolong a war that Ukraine cannot win. "

- Mick Wallace
Defence
9 of 21 questions
Ireland should retain its ‘triple lock’ rule for deploying troops
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Foreign policy
10 of 21 questions
The EU should suspend its trade agreement with Israel
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "At a bare minimum, the EU should end the EU-Israel Association agreement. But we need an arms embargo immediately. Ireland's exports to Israel of restricted dual-use goods that have potential military purposes totals 52 million euro since Oct 7th. "

- Mick Wallace
Foreign policy
11 of 21 questions
Each member state should have a veto on EU foreign policy
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "This issue of unanimity voting is key to the EU enlargement debate. The Commission again stated recently that further enlargement of the EU would require the end of unanimity voting. The Commission specifically said that Qualified Majority Voting should be extended to taxation and foreign policy. "

- Mick Wallace
Immigration
12 of 21 questions
Ireland should participate in the EU’s new migration pact
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Immigration
13 of 21 questions
Member states should share responsibility for asylum applications in the EU
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Otherwise we will add to the awful scenes and conditions in camps in Greece, for example, where Greece as a state at the external Schengen border is expected to manage a huge no. of those seeking asylum in EU, many of which wish to unit with family in other member states. "

- Mick Wallace
Immigration
14 of 21 questions
The EU should operate search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Yes, of course. Thousands of migrants die at sea every year. The EU's migration policy is cruel and inhumane. And neither should the EU criminalise those who help migrants, like Irishman Seán Binder. Don't forget Fine Gael MEPs voted in the Parliament to let migrants drown at sea in 2019. "

- Mick Wallace
Immigration
15 of 21 questions
Ireland needs to do more to ensure asylum applicants have suitable accommodation
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Yes, we have a legal and ethical and moral responsibility to do so. We also have a responsibility to house Irish people and people who are here to work. And successive governments have utterly failed to do this. "

- Mick Wallace
Immigration
16 of 21 questions
There should be checkpoints at the border with Northern Ireland to limit the number of asylum seekers coming to Ireland
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Of course not. We cannot partition the island. It would jeopardise the peace process. Anyone who claims to be a nationalist and wants a border is not a true nationalist at all. "

- Mick Wallace
Environment
17 of 21 questions
The EU’s Nature Restoration Law, requiring rewetting of peatlands, should be adopted
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I was one of just 7 MEPs who negotiated the NRL . Restoration does not mean taking land out of production. The text now specifically states that any rewetting of agriculturally drained peatlands will be voluntary for farmers. That wording comes from me in negotiations. "

- Mick Wallace
Environment
18 of 21 questions
The EU’s goal of a 55% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 is too ambitious
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "55% by 2030 is too low. According to the IPCC, to avoid climate breakdown, we need to cut global emissions in half by 2030 and get to zero before 2050. But this is a global average target. Given its greater responsibility for historical emissions and capacity to act, the EU can and should do more"

- Mick Wallace
Environment
19 of 21 questions
More windfarms (including onshore windfarms) should be built in Ireland
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We urgently need to decarbonise our economies to stay below 1.5c. We can be energy independent with renewables. But I would like to see energy communities promoted, for example, planning for renewable energy projects is only granted if local community have option to buy 30% of the development"

- Mick Wallace
Agriculture
20 of 21 questions
Ireland should continue to seek special treatment for Irish farmers on the Nitrates (water quality) directive
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The Directive is about water quality and part of the Water Framework Directive, so if water quality is good enough then the derogation should stay in place. Of course Ireland such try to retain it. But the Nitrates Action Plan must improve water quality or the current kg/h will be lowered again"

- Mick Wallace
Agriculture
21 of 21 questions
The EU should reduce subsidies for high-emissions farming, such as beef and dairy
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Irish agricultural emissions need to be cut and the sector has a carbon budget in Irish law. But farmers need to be incentivised to diversify. Farm diversification is key. But it must be voluntary. Without a Just Transition there will be no transition at all. "

- Mick Wallace