The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is an advisory body whose function is to represent economic and social interests in the Union’s decision-making process.
The EESC has 350 members, who are drawn from economic and social interest groups in Europe, nominated by national governments and appointed by the Council of the European Union for a renewable five year term of office. The latest renewal was in October 2015, for the 2015-2020 term of office.
The members of the Economic and Social Committee are completely independent in the performance of their duties, in the Union's general interest.
The number of members is in proportion to the country’s population. Ireland has nine places on the EESC, as follows:
Name
|
First Appointed
|
1. Séamus Boland
|
10/10/2011
|
2. John Bryan
|
25/02/2015
|
3. John Comer
|
21/09/2015
|
4. David Croughan
|
21/09/2010
|
5. Cillian Lohan
|
25/02/2015
|
6. Thomas McDonogh
|
21/09/2002
|
7. Patricia McKeown
|
21/09/2015
|
8. Michael McLoughlin
|
21/09/2015
|
9. Jack O’Connor
|
21/09/2015
|