Have your say: Ireland and the future of the European Union

15 February 2013  

As part of this process, the Committee is inviting submissions from individual members of the public and organisations on the future of the European Union and Ireland’s role in that Union.

The Committee intends to focus on the implications for Ireland of an evolving European Union, and will structure its work for the coming months on the following themes:

• Financial integration
• Budgetary integration
• Economic policy integration
• Democratic legitimacy and accountability, and political integration
• The United Kingdom’s relationship with the EU – implications for Ireland

Chairman of the Committee Dominic Hannigan TD said: “The unprecedented economic and financial crisis of recent years has shaken the European Union to its core.  As the instability in the Union has receded, the last number of months has seen the emergence of an important debate at European level and in the Member States regarding the future shape of the European Union.

“With the European Union evolving, it is therefore timely for our Committee to open a national debate on Ireland’s place in that Union. Questions abound about how far further European integration should go. What is the best means of bolstering democratic legitimacy and accountability in the EU? In addition, the United Kingdom, a key partner for Ireland, is now considering its future relationship with the European Union. What are the implications for Ireland from these developments? By leading this national debate, our Committee will advance the discussions on the future of Europe by directly engaging with the citizens we serve.”

Written submissions should be titled “Ireland and the future of the European Union” and be sent, preferably by email, to eu.committee@oireachtas.ie or by post to:

Secretariat
Joint Committee on European Union Affairs
Kildare House,
Kildare Street,
Dublin 2.

The closing date for receipt of submissions is 29 March 2013. The Committee may decide to invite contributors to appear before it to discuss submissions in more detail. The Committee is currently liaising with practitioners, stakeholders and interested parties, and is expected to hold a series of sessions on this subject in the coming weeks.  .

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
Seán Kyne, TD
Joe O’Reilly, TD

Senators
Colm Burke,
Fidelma Healy Eames,
James Heffernan,
Terry Leyden,
Kathryn Reilly