10 Noll 2012, 12:34
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs will tomorrow afternoon meet with representatives from the European Movement Ireland (EMI) to discuss a wide range of issues, including the upcoming Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which commences on 1 January.
10 December 2012
The meeting will consider the EMI’s Accountability Report 2011. The Report measures a number key indicators tracking Ireland’s engagement with the EU at a number of different levels and, where relevant, outlines where improvements can be made. Also on the agenda is discussion around the European Year of the Citizen, which is designated for 2013.
EMI is an independent, not-for-profit, membership-based organisation which works to develop the connection between Ireland and Europe.
Chairman of the Committee Dominic Hannigan TD says: “Since 1954, the European Movement Ireland has worked tirelessly to facilitate links between all sectors of Irish society and the European Union. Ireland assumes the Presidency of the European Union on 1 January and tomorrow’s meeting is an opportunity to engage with this key voice in Irish civil society.
“We will have an opportunity to explore the EMI’s Accountability Report 2011, which is a report card on key areas of Ireland’s engagement with European Union, which measures input of the Irish Government in Commission Consultations, European Parliament engagement by MEPs and attendance and performance by cabinet members at European Council and Council of Ministers meetings. It also measures Oireachtas engagement and includes a commentary on the work of our Committee.
“Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union coincides with the European Year of the citizen, which sets out to provide an impetus to educate EU citizens about their rights in 2013. The European Commission, which is leading the campaign, propose that activities be organised as much as possible at the grass-roots level, by citizens and civil society organisations themselves. We look forward to learning about the approach EMI proposes to take informing and enlightening Irish people of their rights as European citizens.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow Tuesday 11 December at 2 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.
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)
Seán Crowe, TD
Timmy Dooley, TD
Bernard J Durkan, TD
John Halligan, TD
Colm Keaveney, TD
Seán Kyne, TD
Joe O’Reilly, TD
Senators
Colm Burke,
Fidelma Healy Eames,
James Heffernan,
Terry Leyden,
Kathryn Reilly