White Addresses EU Budget Conference

Labour T.D. Alex White is today participating in a key Brussels conference on the new EU budget.

The conference was opened by the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schultz, and was addressed this morning by the Danish Prime Minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, and by the President of the European Commision Manuel Barroso.

Alex White, who is Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure & Reform, will join a panel of speakers (including Commissioner Neelie Kroes) at the afternoon session on Expenditure under the so-called Multiannual Financial Framework.

Speaking prior to the conference, Deputy White said: “Austerity alone will not solve the economic crisis in Europe. Without a credible strategy for jobs and growth, supported by adequate funding through the new budget, we cannot hope to meet the challenges we face. The task now is to ensure that the new budget matches the very laudable objectives and targets already identified. We in Ireland must participate fully in this task”.