Mayo was well represented at the European Parliament headquarters recently as five students from across the country traveled to Strasbourg as guests of MEP Maria Walsh.

Business students from Atlantic Technological University (ATU), formerly GMIT, were part of a 42-person contingent from the university.

The group also included four speakers – Deirdre McHugh, Lorna Moynihan, Cian Marnell and Myles McHugh.

Before Covid, MEP Walsh had hosted GMIT scholars in parliament on several occasions. It was particularly fitting, however, that this group was one of the first to be hosted by her in 2023 – the European Year of Skills.

The Midlands-North-West MEP is the sole Irish member of the Culture and Education Committee (CULT) and the Employment and Social Affairs Committee (EMPL). The designation of 2023 as the European Year of Skills therefore applies perfectly to its work and priorities in both committees, as well as within the constituency.

MEP Walsh said: “It was an absolute pleasure hosting the ATU contingent and speaking with the students and giving them an introduction and better understanding of how the European Parliament works. It was also a great opportunity to connect them to Europe and build European identity, while showing them that there are many opportunities within the Parliament for graduates.

The Mayo students who traveled to Strasbourg were: Ian Clarke (Ballina), Ciara Forkan (Kiltimagh), Saoirse Garvey (Ballinrobe), Conor McEveney (Snugboro) and Huzaifa Rashid (Ballinrobe).

Before visiting the European Parliament, the ATU students had followed a course module in European studies, and it was therefore particularly interesting for them to experience first-hand life in Strasbourg.

“I believe it opened my eyes to the potential opportunities EU institutions have for graduates. We discussed roles in the media, translations, with political groups as well as the institutions themselves, for example, to help them find out a bit more about the availability of jobs.

“They also met with some of the other MEPs to familiarize themselves with different files. It was great for them to hear from the trade committee, for example, that they would need people with a background in business or economics. It’s not just about politics; the European Parliament offers so much more,” explained MEP Walsh.

She added: “Having such a large group from the ATU was fantastic and great credit goes to their lecturers for understanding the importance of the EU and allowing every student to come and see the European Parliament at the work.

“It was encouraging to see the interest and enthusiasm of the students and to play a role in improving the connection between the students and the European identity. You never know – we might see some of these students back in Parliament sooner than we think.