INTERVIEW Our woman on the inside

GLASS PALACE The European Parliament buildings in Brussels.?Pic: Flickr.com/Konrad Glogowski

Our woman on the inside


Interview
Ciara Galvin

Brussels is a melting pot of cultures that have morphed into one subculture – being European. In a bustling café in the European Parliament, you can get by on English, but having more than two languages is common.
Ordering a green tea in a Parisian lilt that is a far cry from her native village of Cross, Aoife Kearney (right) settles down for a chat about her role as Quaestor Assistant to MEP Jim Higgins. Higgins is one of five Quaestors in the European Parliament, each tasked with looking after the financial and administrative interests of Members of the European Parliament and the MEPs’ rights. Aoife describes the Quaestor role – to which Higgins was elected in 2009 – as ‘almost like being a shop steward for MEPs’. 
Aoife comes from a large farming background, but describes herself as having been ‘always politically interested’. Her father never thought she would gain an interest in agriculture, but since moving to Brussels four years ago, she now finds herself in active conversation with him about CAP reforms.
“When I was at home I didn’t pay attention to what was happening on the farm, but now I’m really focused on CAP reforms, my father can’t believe I’m interested in it,” she explained.
Fresh from two weeks of meetings with delegations from the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), Aoife is enjoying being immersed in all things agricultural. “Now I find it so interesting. I loved having them out and seeing what they think of the amendments we’re doing, what we should be pushing and getting their advice.”
After studying Sociology and Politics and Legal Science in National University of Ireland, Galway, Aoife went on to complete LLB. She secured an internship with a commercial law firm and, subsequently, a criminal law firm in Dublin. She then volunteered at a free legal-advice centre in London.
Having studied European Law, Aoife applied for an internship in the European Parliament, and was taken on in the run-up to Higgins’s re-election in 2008. She describes the period as ‘a great time to be in the office’.
“There’s a lot of research involved with constituency queries, giving voting advice and amending and drafting legislation,” explains Aoife, adding that getting to pair her legal knowledge with what she does daily is worthwhile. And she thrives on the opportunities to learn.
“Constituency queries are so diverse, but it’s also really cool because you’re getting these queries and you’re looking up online and learning a lot about your own constituency, it keeps you on your toes,” she enthused.
Jim Higgins, and consequently Aoife, is also involved in the Committee on Petitions. Any EU citizen can draft and lodge a petition to the Committee on Petitions as long as it involves the implementation of EU law, or they feel that their EU rights have been affected negatively. As Quaestor Assistant, Aoife has dealt with everything from the families of people who have died in car crashes to victims of flooding.
While Aoife works in the heart of Europe, her role is very much concerned with happenings at home. A full 60 per cent of Ireland’s legislation now comes from Europe, she explained.
“You have to do so much research for audit and CAP before you can amend on it. You don’t want to put in something that’s bad for the constituency or is going to be laughed at. It needs to be an intelligent amendment that’s going to make things better for Ireland and particularly the North West,” said Aoife, who reckons she’s more ‘in tune’ with home events now than when she lived in Ireland.
But it’s not all about internet searches – the Quaestor Assistant’s role has plenty of human contact too. She sends on drafted amendments to interest groups in Ireland, who provide relevant feedback to her, and in some cases she will liaise with government departments for advice.
Every month, like a well-oiled machine, the parliament, including all relevant documents and people – including Aoife – make the trek to the French city of Strasbourg for four days in order to vote on proposed legislation.
The days in Brussels might be long – Aoife works ten-hour days most weeks – but Strasbourg can sometimes see her working until midnight, depending on whether Jim Higgins is speaking on something or not.
Researching parliamentary questions, and writing Jim’s speeches, it’s clear that Aoife needs to be in the know. Keeping up to date with the news from in the Emerald Isle, Aoife starts her day reading Irish papers online. She says Twitter and Facebook are great tools, giving her a good idea of what’s going on.
“It’s really important to keep up to date. In order to do media, you have to follow media and in order to know what amendments would suit people in the North West, you have to be following what’s happening,” she explained.
“It took me a good year to settle in here, to make a social network for myself and to get in control of the job. I still work just as long hours as I did when I started. Even though I’m much quicker at my work, I take on more and more,” she explained.
Demanding it might be, but Aoife would find it hard to return to a ‘normal job’. “You get used to the fast pace, and it’s a dynamic and young atmosphere. It’s lovely that people speak all these different languages and I get to speak French with people on my floor. The longer I live here, the harder it seems it would be to go back home.”