25 MFómh 2012, 18:24
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs today heard Viviane Reding, Vice-President of the EU Commission, call for an open debate on granting the European institutions stronger powers.
25 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.
The Commissioner reflected on Ireland’s relationship with the European Union, pointing out that since 1973 Ireland had received over €17 billion in EU structural and cohesion funding. She said that it was proof for citizens that European integration is about more than just providing a single market.
Chairman of the Committee Dominic Hannigan TD said: “We thank Commissioner Reding for a wide-ranging address in which she called for enhanced political union, which would involve citizens at every stage of its development. A number of voices pressed the Commissioner on what exactly closer political union would mean, cautioning that moves to centralise economic and banking decision making should not lead to pan-European justice, defence and foreign affairs policies.
“The Committee takes on board the Commissioner’s view that the perception that France and Germany alone were driving the European agenda was misplaced. A native of Luxembourg, the Commissioner delivered an upbeat assessment of the power that small nations can continue to wield in decision-making at the heart of Europe. In this regard, she was generous in her praise of previous Irish Presidencies of the European Union and expressed confidence that our Presidency in the first six months of 2013 will deliver for the EU.”
“Commissioner Reding has outlined her plan to engage citizens more on the future shape of the European Union, explaining that National Parliaments needed to take much more ownership of European issues. Our Committee stands ready to advance the debate on the future of Europe with the citizens we serve, particularly in the context of Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union in the first six months of 2013.”
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Download audio recording of Committee Chairman Dominic Hannigan TD reacting to today's meeting.
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