10 May 2012, 18:45
The Joint Committee on European Affairs today heard an detailed presentation from Brendan Halligan, Chairman of the Irish Institute of International and European Affairs on the likely shape of the European Union in twenty years’ time.
The meeting formed part of a series of meetings taking place in the Dáil and Seanad chambers and across a number of Oireachtas Committees to mark Europe Week.
Mr Halligan outlined how he perceived how the European Union would adapt to the rise of China in particular, predicting ever closer political and economic cooperation with the emerging Asian Power.
Chairman of the Committee Dominic Hannigan TD says: “We thank Mr Halligan on his insightful and thought-provoking predictions on the shape of Europe in twenty years’ time. It was an optimistic assessment, which provided the Committee with an opportunity to reflect on how the European values of democracy, stability, security and prosperity can be sustained.
“Mr Halligan pointed to opportunities for Ireland in the decades ahead. He saw a single electricity market coming to fruition, which offered significant opportunities for Ireland to export clean energy via a pan-European Supergrid stretching into North Africa. He was upbeat about the long term benefits that might accrue from the current drive for closer relations between Ireland and China.
“The main words of caution from Mr Halligan were around the rise of the hard right parties in the more advanced European Member States in the coming years. The Committee takes on board his warning that a rising nationalistic, anti –immigration and anti-EU political presence has the potential to frustrate European Union efforts to remain a central player in an ever more dynamic global system.”
Access Mr Halligan's address: http://bit.ly/JiEThO
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ENDS
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Committee Membership
Deputies
Dominic Hannigan, TD (Chairman)
Paschal Donohoe, TD (Vice-Chairman)
Timmy Dooley, TD
Bernard J Durkan, TD
Colm Keaveney, TD
Seán Kyne, TD
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, TD
Joe O’Reilly, TD
Mick Wallace, TD
Senators
Colm Burke,
Fidelma Healy Eames,
James Heffernan,
Terry Leyden,
Kathryn Reilly