24 MFómh 2012, 14:02
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs will tomorrow meet with Viviane Reding, Vice-President of the EU Commission for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of Europe.
24 September 2012
Commissioner Reding has recently called for European governments to begin an open debate in their national parliaments, within political parties and with citizens about the Europe they would like to take responsibility for by 2020.
Chairman of the Committee Dominic Hannigan TD said: “In the past few years Europe has faced an existential crisis, which the European Commission believes has exposed the need for deeper European integration. In forging a stronger European Union, President of the Commission Jose Manuel Barroso recently called for moves toward a federation of nation states.”
“Commissioner Reding is planning for a post-crisis Europe which, with a strong currency and as world’s largest trading block, can play a central role on the international stage by 2020. To do this Commissioner Reding proposes a new Treaty to strengthen the single currency with more powerful EU institutions, including an enhanced role for the European Parliament.”
“Our Committee looks forward to engaging with Commissioner Reding on her plans to stimulate an open debate on the future direction of Europe. Our Committee will wish to explore the role of national parliaments in the proposed debate in the coming years and has a particular interest in how the debate can be advanced during Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union in the first six months of 2013.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow Tuesday 25 September at 2:30 p.m. in Committee Room 1, Leinster House 2000.
Committee proceedings can be viewed online via this link.
Follow the EU Affairs Committee Facebook page for updates on the Committee’s work.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +353 1 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
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