Longford MEP Ciaran Mullooly urges reform in EU funds after calamity of mistakes
"If voluntary community groups from the midlands and north west made the financial mistakes, EU Bureaucrats are making, they would be out of business"
MEP Ciarán Mullooly urged for reform in EU funds this week in Strasbourg.
The MEP made clear - If voluntary community groups from the midlands and west made the financial mistakes , EU Bureaucrats are making , they would be out of business
During a debate with the Court of Auditors’s Irish President Tony Murphy at the European Parliament's plenary session, Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly raised significant concerns about the management and control systems of EU funding programmes. He emphasised the need for improvements to ensure effective use of resources.
In his speech, Mullooly stated, "It's clear that while progress has been made, there is still significant room for improvement in how we spend our EU funding."
He referenced a recent report from 2023, noting, "The report notes that during 2023 the Commission assessed the functioning of the management and control systems at the level of the member states and concluded that they do not work adequately for 37 out of 237 operational programmes led by DG REGIO."
DG REGIO, or the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, is responsible for EU policy on regions and cities and manages the European Structural and Investment Funds. These funds aim to strengthen economic and social cohesion by correcting imbalances between regions.
Mullooly expressed concern over these findings, "This is a staggeringly high percentage of programmes, with an estimated error rate of up to 5.6%. This is a serious problem, President."
Drawing a comparison to voluntary groups, he remarked, "If a voluntary group carried on in this manner, making mistakes, they would have their applications rejected, thrown out repeatedly. Remember they also face many kilometres of red tape and administration with complexities."
Mullooly concluded by urging, "We need a sharper focus on value for money, ensuring that every euro delivers for our community and we need our Commission to listen, not deny!"