Module III: Ireland's Future Approach to EU Policy areas

• 10.00 a.m. (Session 1) (View Video Clip)
  • The evolution of the CFSP/ESDP and the Foreign Policy Challenges facing the EU
    • Ms. Helga Schmid CFSP Policy Unit, General Secretariat of the Council
• 11.30 a.m. (Session 2) (View Video Clip)
  • Ireland's approach to the CFSP/ESDP and its position on military neutrality
    • Mr. Daniel Keohane, Institute for Security Studies
    • Mr. Ben Tonra, University College Dublin
• 2.30 p.m. (Session 3) (View Video Clip)
  • Ireland's future in the European Union: issues relating to the Sub-Committee's remit
    • Mr. Micheál Martin, T.D., Minister for Foreign Affairs
• 4.00 p.m. (Session 4) (View Video Clip)
  • Ireland's Approach to EU Financial and Economic Policy and the role of the ECB
    • Mr. Tom O'Connell, Central Bank of Ireland

[Day 12] Wednesday 12 November 2008 at 10.00 a.m. Official Report of sub-committee's debates

Module III: Ireland’s Future Approach to EU Policy areas

Module III B: Ireland's future engagement with the EU

• 10.00 a.m. (Session 1) (View Video Clip)
  • Ireland's Future Approach to EU policy areas including economic and financial policy and Ireland's future engagement with the EU
    • John Fitzgerald ESRI
    • Frances Ruane ESRI
• 11.30 a.m. (Session 2) (View Video Clip)
  • The EU's Institutional Structures and how Ireland functions within the institutions, in particular the Council
    • Mr. Bobby McDonagh, Department of Foreign Affairs
• 2.00 p.m. (Session 3) (View Video Clip)
  • Ireland's Future Policy Approach within the EU in respect of social policy including the question of equality and social exclusion as well as the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and its potential impact on sensitive ethical issues
    • Mr. Gabriel Kiely
    • Ms. Maureen Junker Kenny
    • Professor William Binchy
    • Anastasia Crickley
• 3.30 p.m. (Session 4) (View Video Clip)
  • Ireland's Future Approach within the EU in respect of social policy including the question of equality and social exclusion as well as the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and its potential impact on sensitive ethical issues
    • Mr. Francois Jacob, European Youth Alliance
    • Mr. David Manley, Family and Life
• 5.30 p.m. (session 5) (View Video Clip)
  • What are the implications for Ireland following the referendum result in respect of agriculture
    • Mr. Paul Kelly FDII
    • Mr. John O'Leary ICMSA
    • Mr. Malcolm Thompson ICSA

[Day 13] Thursday 13 November 2008 at 9.40 a.m. Official Report of sub-committee's debates

Module III B: (a) Ireland's future engagement in the EU

• 9.30 a.m. (Session 1) (View Video Clip)
  • Presentation of Report to sub-committee on Module III B
    • Dublin European Institute

Module IV: Public understanding of the EU and Ireland's membership

• 2.00 p.m. (Session 2) (View Video Clip)
  • Public understanding of the EU & Ireland's membership
    • Ms. Margot Wallstrom, Vice-President of the European Commission

Hearings Week 4 [4 - 6 November 2008]

[Day 8] Tuesday 4 November 2008 at 11.30 am Official Report of the sub-committee's debates

• 11.30 a.m. (Session 1)
  • Ireland’s future policy approach within the EU in respect of social policy, including workers rights.
    • Mr Jimmy Kelly UNITE
• 2.30 p.m. (Session 2)
  • Ireland’s future policy approach within the EU, in respect of economic and financial matters including taxation policy and public services
    • Mr Alan Ahearne, NUIG,
    • Representatives of the Irish Taxation Institute
• 4.00. p.m. (Session 3)
  • Ireland’s future policy approach in respect of the EU’s foreign policy in particular its development assistance policies
    • Mr Andy Storey, UCD/AFRI,
    • Mr Tom Arnold, Concern
    • Representatives of Dóchas

[Day 9] Wednesday 5 November 2008 at 9.30 am Official Report of the sub-committee's debates

• 9.30 a.m. (Session 1)
  • Ireland’s future policy approach within the EU in respect of social policy including fundamental rights, workers rights, inequality, poverty
    • Most Reverend Sean Brady
    • Reverend Tim Bartlett
• 11.00 a.m. (Session 2)
  • 11.00am Ireland’s future policy approach within the EU, in respect of social policy including immigration
    • Mr Alan Barrett, ESRI
• 2.00 p.m. (Session 3)
  • Role of the Oireachtas in European Affairs
    • Mr Bernard Durkan T.D., Chairman of the Joint Committee on European Affairs
    • Mr John Perry TD, Chairman of the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny
  • Ireland’s future policy approach within the EU in respect of social policy including workers rights
    • Mr David Begg, Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)
    • Mr. Blair Horan, Civil and Public Services Union (CPSU)

[Day 10] Thursday 6 November 2008 at 9.30 am Official Report of the sub-committee's debates

[Day 6] Wednesday 29 October 2008 at 11.00 am Official Report of the sub-committee's debates

• 11.00 a.m. - 1.00 p.m. (Session 1) [View Video Clip]
  • The role of the European Parliament, including its decision making process, and the Lisbon Treaty provisions relating to this role
    • Delegation from the European Parliament Constitutional Affairs Committee
• 3.30 p.m. - 5.00 p.m. (Session 2)
  • The impact of the Lisbon Treaty Referendum result in respect of business and the economy and in particular Irish business abroad
    • Mr. John Dunne, IDA
    • Mr. Frank Ryan, Enterprise Ireland

[Day 7] Thursday 30 October 2008 at 9.30 am Official Report of the sub-committee's debates

• 9.30 a.m. - 11.15 a.m. (Session 1) [View Video Clip]
  • The impact of the Lisbon Treaty referendum result in relation to Ireland's influence within the EU and globally from a Commission perspective
    • Mr. David Byrne SC, NUI Galway
    • Dr Noel Dorr, NUI Galway
• 2.30 p.m. (Session 2) (View Video Clip)
  • The impact of the Lisbon Treaty referendum result in relation to Ireland's influence within the EU and globally
    • Mr. John Bruton, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to the USA
• 4.30 p.m. (Session 3) (View Video Clip)
  • Ireland's influence within the EU institutions, an ECJ perspective, and the interaction between Irish and EU Law
    • Ms. Maria Cahill, Faculty of Law UCC
    • Anthony M Collins SC

Hearings Week 2 [21 - 23 October 2008]

[Day 3] Tuesday 21 October 2008 at 10.00 am Official report of the sub-committee's debates

• 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m.
  • Impact on business and the economy and Irish Business abroad
    • Mr Paul Rellis, Microsoft Ireland
• 2.00 p.m. - 4.00 p.m.
  • EU opt outs and EU Scrutiny System
    • European Affairs Committee of the Folketing (Danish Parliament)

[Day 4] Wednesday 22 October 2008 at 9.30 am Official report of the sub-committee's debates

• 9.30 a.m. - 10.30 a.m. (View Video Clip)
  • The role of national parliaments in EU and the Scrutiny system in the Bundestag (German Parliament)
    • German parliamentary delegation
• 10.30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. (View Video Clip)
  • The economic and political context since the Lisbon Treaty referendum
    • Ms Catherine Day, Secretary General, European Commission
• 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (View Video Clip)
  • The Role of the Oireachtas in EU Affairs - The Transposition of EU Law
    • Deputy Dick Roche,
      Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for European Affairs

Written submissions directly relevant to the remit of the Sub-Committee are invited from interested parties and bodies and from members of the general public. The Sub-Committee, under the chairmanship of Senator Paschal Donohoe was established to:

• analyse the challenges facing Ireland in the European Union (EU) following the Lisbon Treaty Referendum result;
• consider Ireland’s future in the EU including in relation to economic and financial matters, social policy, defence and foreign policy and our influence within the European Institutions;
• make recommendations to enhance the role of the Houses of the Oireachtas in EU affairs;
• consider measures to improve public understanding of the EU and its fundamental importance for Ireland’s future.