The people of Cork are aware of the European Parliament but may not be exactly sure what it does.
European elections will take place on 14th June, as will a referendum on an amendment to Article 9 of the constitution the same day.
The referendum will ask the electorate to approve voting rights for general elections for all citizens of EEC countries resident in Ireland. Citizens of member states of the EEC residing in Ireland already have the right to vote in European and local elections.
The elections will elect 15 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who will represent Ireland in the European Parliament for the next 5 years.
According to a recent report, eighty seven per cent of Irish people are unaware that European elections are coming up. The ‘Féach’ team asked the people of Cork city for their opinions about the people who make the big decisions in Europe.
Most people who spoke to reporter Mícheál Ó hUanacháin admit they do not know a lot about the powers of the European Parliament. One teenager is honest about European matters and politics in general,
Níl mórán suim agam i polaitaíocht.
As regards any direct impact the European Parliament has on life in Ireland, this gentleman is not too sure,
Ní dóigh liom go mbaineann sé mórán linne i ndáiríre, sa tír seo.
While another believes that assistance at a European level will help with the problem of unemployment here,
Maidir le dífhostaíocht, nílim cinnte, gur féidir dúinn féin an scéal a feabhsú...gan cabhair ón pobal na hEorapa.
The same sentiment is echoed by this lady,
Cinnte go bhféadhfaidh sé maitheas éigin a dhéanamh do Chorcaigh, go háirithe an géarghá atá ann faoi láthair.
On the question of what the Irish MEPs can realistically achieve, the answer is not much at all, says man, because they do not have sufficient power to do so,
Níl aon maitheas teachtaí maithe a bheith agat mara bhfuil an cumhacht agat rud éigin a dhéanamh ina dhiaidh sin, is dóigh liom.
There is one note of optimism around the process of the European elections. Casting your vote on the day is what matters most, says this young man, because you show that,
Go bhfuil meas againn ar an tuairim Eorpach seo, go bhfuilimid páirteach sa rud seo, an Chomhphobal Eorpach.
The bilingual current affairs series ‘Féach’ reported on national and international events and was broadcast from 1967 to 1984. ‘Féach’ was aired every Sunday evening and featured reports in both Irish and English. The Irish word "Féach" meaning "Look" gives an indication of what the programme was about, as editor John Ross stated "It will try to show, from a fresh viewpoint, what is happening at home and abroad each week"(RTÉ Guide, 14 July 1967, p.17). The show was originally anchored by Andy O'Mahony with reporting assistance from Seán Duignan and Mícheál Ó Briain.
This episode of ‘Féach’ was broadcast on 28 May 1984. The presenter is Eamon Ó Muirí and the reporter is Mícheál Ó hUanacháin.
