11 Noll 2012, 17:24
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs this afternoon heard from representatives of the European Movement Ireland (EMI) on their recently published Accountability Report 2011.
11 December 2012
The Report measures a number of key indicators tracking Ireland’s engagement with the EU at a number of different levels and, where relevant, outlines where improvements can be made.
Executive Director Noelle O’Connell also outlined EMI’s plans for the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which commences on 1 January and the European Year of the Citizen, which is designated for 2013. Ms O'Connor expressed the hope that the legacy of both would endure beyond the calendar year of 2013.
Chairman of the Committee Dominic Hannigan TD says: “This was a valuable opportunity to explore the EMI’s Accountability Report 2011, a report card on key areas of Ireland’s engagement with European Union. A number of members pointed out that attendance records at Oireachtas and EU meetings might not tell the full story of engagement and questioned whether it was possible to provide more qualitative data, based on contributions to agenda and outputs.
\"The organisation will be heavily engaged in projects around the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which coincides with the 40 year anniversary of Ireland’s membership of the EU. Our Committee heard that the European Movement is planning an extensive campaign to regularly update Irish civil society and the wider public as the Presidency progresses.
\"The work of the European Movement was widely commended, particularly in relation to their ‘Blue Star’ schools programme. This is a pilot programme for primary schools around the country, which seeks to foster a better understanding of European affairs through classroom projects and initiatives. We also heard that the organisation is exploring why the demand in European studies courses at Irish Universities is declining.”
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ENDS
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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