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Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
MEP Ciarán Mullooly admits using AI for part of letter to Ursula von der Leyen which quoted Swedish House Mafia lyrics
The Midlands-North West MEP said AI was used to summarise 25 pages of research for a letter that called on the EU to deliver more aid to Gaza. He denied that the fictional story of a young girl called 'Gazi', who the letter said lived in Rafah, and the use of lyrics by house music group, Swedish House Mafia, were AI-generated. Will you tell her, 'Don't you worry, don't you worry child, see heaven's got a plan for you'? Will you assure her that Europe remembers its promise? Mr Mullooly said those sections were 'based on' the contents of 1,000 emails sent to him in relation to Gaza, including one which he said quoted the lyrics of Don't You Worry Child. It was first reported by The Journal that the former RTÉ broadcaster had used AI to write part of the letter in which Mr Mullooly said a 12-year-old girl called Gazi and her family had been displaced and asked Ms von der Leyen: 'Will you tell her, 'Don't you worry, don't you worry child, see heaven's got a plan for you'? Will you assure her that Europe remembers its promise, that we will not let another generation of children perish when we have the means to act?' Speaking to RTÉ's Drivetime, Mr Mullooly said he asked Ms von der Leyen in a meeting last year 'why the European Commission and the European Parliament and all the agencies had not moved to stop the slaughter and the bloodshed in Gaza'. Mr Mullooly said his team then began researching potential measures that would not require the agreement of member states. 'I had 25 pages of research put in front of me in the parliament about three weeks ago and I said to my colleague, 'I want a summary of this for a letter to (Ms) von der Leyen'. And we used AI at that stage to complete the first part of the letter.' The second half of the letter, which has gotten the most attention today with the Swedish House Mafia reference, in particular, was actually composed by a member of my team He said this section 'looked at four questions', including what actions the European Commission and United Nations could take. 'And I completed that and I used that summary, I read every line of it, I looked at the references and I was quite happy with that. So, the first half of the letter was generated by AI,' he said. 'The second half of the letter, which you have quoted and has gotten the most attention today with the Swedish House Mafia reference, in particular, was actually composed by a member of my team who read 1,000 emails from people sent to my office on the issue of Gaza.' Mr Mullooly said his colleague read and summarised the emails 'in what has been described today, I suppose, as fiction but is actually written based on some of the information given to him by those [emails]'.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
MEP used AI to compose letter to von der Leyen on Gaza
Midlands North-West MEP Ciaran Mullooly has confirmed that he used artificial intelligence to write a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging the EU to deliver more aid to Gaza. It was reported his letter contained a story of a young girl who lives in Rafah, which turned out to be fictional - while at another section lyrics from the band 'Swedish House Mafia' were used without reference. Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime, Mr Mullooly said his motivation was "looking for measures that did not include the [EU] member states actually agreeing - because that's the problem. "That's the frustration in Brussels... the attitude of Germany and other states where for a long, long, time we couldn't get even a review of the [EU-Israel] Trade Agreement." He said that around three weeks ago, 25 pages of research were put in front of him in the European Parliament and that he asked his colleague to produce a summary of it for a letter to Mrs von der Leyen. He said AI was used to complete the "first part of the letter...I read every line of it, I looked at the references, and I was quite happy with that," he said. Mr Mullooly said the second half of the letter has received most attention and refers to a song by the 'Swedish House Mafia' group. He said it was composed by a member of his team who had read 1,000 emails from people sent to his office on the subject of Gaza. His staff member summarised those "in what has been described today as fiction, but it's actually written based on some of the information given to us by those emails," he said. One of the 1,000 "real life" emails contained a lyric from a 'Swedish House Mafia' song, which states: "Don't you worry, don't you worry child, see heaven's got a plan for you". Mr Mullooly said: "I had no idea what that was about. "I asked a colleague in the office to use AI or any other references to explain to me - and I have to be honest, I am not a fan of 'Swedish House Mafia' - and it had to be explained to me where it came from. "It [the quote] was included in an email which came to me from Gaza and to me, it summed up, when I read it, the vulnerability of the children involved, the way their lives have been turned upside down, from the comfort of their parents, to a situation where we've lost 15,000 children. "Innocent children, and I was trying to bring that point home to Ursula von der Leyen.
The Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Ciaran Mullooly used AI to write letter to EU on Gaza aid, which quoted Swedish House Mafia
INDEPENDENT IRELAND MEP Ciaran Mullooly has said he used artificial intelligence to write a letter urging the EU to deliver more aid into Gaza. The letter, sent to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday, included an emotional plea by recounting the fictional story of a young girl called Gazi, who lives in Rafah. The same section of the letter, which does not indicate to the reader that the story is fictional, appeals to von der Leyen to help the young girl, who it is claimed has been displaced and is experiencing hunger pains. At one point in the letter, Mullooly quotes the house music group Swedish House Mafia, but the letter does not indicate to the reader that he does so. Including the lyrics from the band's song 'Don't You Worry Child', he writes: 'Will you tell her, 'Don't you worry, don't you worry child, see heaven's got a plan for you'? 'Will you assure her that Europe remembers its promise, that we will not let another generation of children perish when we have the means to act?' A spokesperson for Mullooly confirmed to The Journal that artificial intelligence was used to generate portions of the letter. It was published to his own website and later shared on his social media accounts. The spokesperson said that artificial intelligence was used for researching and editing purposes. They also said that the story of Gazi is a 'fictional representation of all children in Gaza to highlight the fact that children are suffering while the world watches'. Advertisement 'In reference to the song 'Don't you worry Child' this was indeed a reference to the song by Swedish House Mafia,' he added. Mullooly's letter outlines a seven-point plan which he suggests could increase the distribution of aid into Gaza. He tells the Commission President that he is writing 'with profound concern' over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Requests for 'gradual implementation' of aid Mullooly, who is a former RTÉ News Midlands Correspondent, tells the European Commission President that the EU must take immediate action to improve the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza. Despite pleas for immediate action, however, Mullooly's letter later suggests that the EU conducts a 'graduated implementation' of measures to increase and improve aid distribution chains in the Gaza Strip. Asked about what this meant, a spokesperson for the MEP told The Journal that 'examples of measures that could potentially move the situation along and improve and increase the amount of aid flowing into Gaza' were included in the letter. Measures included increasing funding for aid groups such as UN-backed Palestinian refugee group UNRWA, distributing food through the humanitarian aid organisation World Food Project and providing the World Health Organization with medicines. 'This is a highly complex and devastating situation and MEP Mullooly believes that the Commission has a responsibility to do all that it can, in realistic and practical terms, right now to help save lives,' the spokesman said. Elsewhere in the letter, the MEP claims that inaction on Gaza would impact the EU-Mercosur agreement, a trade deal between European member states and Latin American nations. It's not explicitly explained how this could happen. Mullooly's spokesperson said that the Commission has a 'legal and moral obligation' to uphold humanitarian commitments, adding: 'The Commission has the responsibility to uphold all clauses in its trade agreements, and failure to do so could cast doubt on the upkeep of similar clauses in any future deals including the Mercosur trade agreement.' The Ireland Independent MEP has previously joined Irish colleagues in the European Parliament in recent weeks to demand that von der Leyen takes a stronger approach to Israel's actions in Gaza. Her response to the conflict in the Gaza Strip was cited by Mullooly as one of the reasons why he decided not to support her re-election as Commission President last year. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Agriland
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Agriland
MEP calls for immediate reversal of rural housing restrictions
Independent Ireland MEP, Ciaran Mullooly has today (May 19) urged local authorities to immediately reverse restrictions on one-off rural housing. The MEP has warned that current planning policies are driving a deepening emergency for families and communities across Ireland and Europe. Addressing the Housing Crisis Committee, MEP Mullooly highlighted the acute challenges faced by rural homeowners, particularly in Ireland, where building a home on family land has historically been the only viable route to homeownership for people. The MEP also condemned the 'growing' trend of local people being denied planning permission after incurring prohibitive costs for reports, only to be refused the right to build on ancestral land. According to the MEP, these barriers are 'fueling a cycle of depopulation', with young people unable to return, local schools losing teachers, sports clubs folding, and vital community hubs like pubs and post offices closing. Rural housing MEP Mullooly has criticised planning systems that prioritise environmental protections, such as safeguarding bogs, over the 'survival of rural communities'. He said: 'Let me be absolutely clear, rural Ireland is not a museum. It is not to be preserved for the benefit of planning documents or biodiversity reports. 'Rural Ireland is living and breathing, but struggling to survive, impacted by decisions made in distant rooms with no links to that place.' 'So we must see the full deployment of the Just Transition fund and ERDF fund to support these local communities,' Mullooly added. The MEP has called for a balanced approach that recognises both the socio-economic and cultural benefits of one-off housing and the advances in modern environmental techniques that can address legitimate concerns. Mullooly also warned that uncertainty over future funding in the Multiannual Financial Framework (MMF) threatens to undermine vital rural development efforts. He called for full deployment of the Just Transition fund and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to empower local communities and insisted that planning must be community-led and designed by locals rather than 'imposed from distant bureaucracies'.
Agriland
15-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Mullooly welcomes CAP simplification but with some concerns
Irish MEP Ciaran Mullooly has said he 'cautiously welcomes' the European Commission's package of measures to simplify the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). However, the MEP also said he was concerned over the proposed 'Crisis Fund', which would be financed for natural disasters or other crises, and which would be funded by 3% of a country's CAP envelope. Mullooly said that the package addresses several issues he had raised directly with Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen. He said a key measure is the introduction of a single annual inspection, which will cover all aspects of CAP compliance. 'This is a positive step towards reducing duplication and easing the burden on farmers,' Mullooly commented. He also said the removal of the controversial Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) 2 from baseline requirements is another significant development, saying the change will allow farmers to receive payments where restrictions are placed on their peatland or wetland areas. According to Mullooly, removal of mandatory buffer strips along watercourses in certain areas is welcomed, providing greater flexibility for land management. 'The increase in the inspection exemption threshold to €2,500 will further reduce the number of small farmers subject to inspection, cutting red tape for those least able to bear it. This threshold needs to reviewed upwards to except more farmers each year,' he said. However, Mullooly expressed serious concern about the proposed Crisis Fund, which would be financed by a 3% holdback of the CAP budget. This would effectively force farmers to fund compensation for their fellow farmers in the event of natural disasters or market crises. He called this a 'questionable and potentially unfair approach'. 'While the commission's proposals represent progress, the success or failure of this initiative will ultimately depend on the level of CAP funding going forward,' the MEP said. 'We must continue to closely monitor the implementation of these objectives and ensure that the interests of farmers remain protected,' Mullooly added. The commission's simplification proposals now will need to be approved by the European Parliament.
