‘Stop the waste’ demands MEP in Brussels

If voluntary community groups from the midlands and west made the financial mistakes EU bureaucrats are making, they would be out of business: that’s the message MEP Ciarán Mullooly is sending to the top cats in Brussels.

During a debate with Court of Auditors Irish president Tony Murphy at a European Parliament plenary session, the Independent Ireland MEP raised concerns about the management and control systems of EU funding programmes. He emphasised the need for improvements to ensure effective use of resources.

“It’s clear that while progress has been made, there is still significant room for improvement in how we spend our EU funding,” Mr Mullooly stated, referencing a 2023 report of the European Commission which assessed the functioning of the management and control systems at the level of the member states and concluded that they did 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.

Mr Mullooly expressed concern over the 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 said: “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.”

Mr Mullooly concluded: “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!”