9 Feb 2015, 17:17
The Joint Committee on European Union Affairs will kick off its series of meetings on the critical issues for Ireland regarding the potential UK exit from the European Union (commonly referred to as ‘BrExit’) this week. The meeting will start at 2pm in Committee Room 1 tomorrow, Tuesday, 10th of February.
9th February 2015
The meetings represent an invaluable opportunity for the Committee to hear from a wide range of informed speakers, all experts on the many complex issues surrounding a potential UK exit from the EU.
Committee Chair, Dominic Hannigan, TD, said: “Since Prime Minister’s Cameron’s announcement of his intention to hold a referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, should his party be returned to government this year, the potential ‘BrExit’ has been a topic of great debate. The Committee on European Union Affairs has identified numerous areas in which a UK exit from the EU could potentially impact on Ireland. These areas include EU decision-making; ramifications on the Single Market and the free movement of goods, services and capital, as well as the free movement of persons, including skilled and non-skilled workers. As such, we as a Committee feel it is vital that we provide a forum in which all sides of the debate can be heard.”
“Our first meeting tomorrow will hear from noted economist, Colm McCarthy, who will provide us with context on the issue and identify some of the most critical issues facing Ireland, should the referendum go ahead.”
The second meeting in the series will be held on Thursday, 12th of February when decision-making in the European Union will be discussed by Mr. Roland Freudenstein, Deputy Director and Head of Research at the Centre for European Studies; and Mr. Fabian Zuleeg, Chief Executive, European Policy Centre.
Tomorrow’s meeting will commence at 2pm in Committee Room 1, Leinster House, tomorrow, Tuesday, 10th of February 2015.
Committee proceedings can be viewed live here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Ends
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Committee Membership
Chairman: Dominic Hannigan, TD (Labour)
Deputies:
Eric Byrne (Labour); Seán Crowe (Sinn Féin); Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail); Bernard J. Durkan (Fine Gael); John Halligan (Independent); Seán Kyne (Fine Gael); Derek Keating (Fine Gael); Joe O’Reilly (Fine Gael)
Senators:
Colm Burke (Fine Gael); Aideen Hayden (Labour); Terry Leyden (Fianna Fáil); Catherine Noone (Fine Gael); Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Féin)