EU Affairs Committee engages with Vice President of European Commission

Commissioner Šefèoviè updated Committee Members on the Commission’s work programme.

Chairman of the Committee Dominic Hannigan TD said: “The Committee thanks Commissioner Šefèoviè for a constructive briefing on the European Commission’s work programme for 2012, in which he demonstrated considerable empathy with the difficulties our nation faces.

With one in three young Irish people unemployed, Committee Members pressed the Commissioner on efforts to address youth unemployment. Committee Members heard that the Commission is undertaking some concrete action to address the waste in potential of seven and a half million young Europeans not in work, education or training. Concentrating on the eight Member States worst affected by the crisis, an action team comprising government, social partners and Commission experts meets next week in Ireland with the intention to formulate common understanding and solutions to the scourge of youth unemployment.

The Commissioner outlined the success of Ireland in securing a range of EU funding for research, innovation and enterprise. The Committee welcomes the intention of the Commission to simplify rules for research funding to ensure Europe’s brightest spend more time in science labs and less time on accounting. However, Members questioned the Commissioner on the EU Globalisation Fund, particularly in relation to former employees of SR Technics and Dell. The Commissioner said that more simplified rules on eligibility and application are in the pipeline.

“The Committee takes on board the Commissioner’s strongly held view that the gains from European Integration over 60 years be not forgotten. The Commissioner, as a Slovak who grew up under Communism, reminded us that European values such as respect for human rights and free movement of people should not be forgotten during the current crisis.”

Have your say: The Committee is leading a national debate on the new EU Fiscal Treaty. It invites submissions from those who wish to make known their views on the Treaty and its implications for Ireland.  View more and make a submission.

For further information please contact: 

Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4944
F: +3531 618 4551

Committee on European Union Affairs 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