6 DFómh 2014, 15:44
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs will tomorrow engage with key Irish stakeholders on their submissions on the Europe 2020 Strategy, the EU strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
6 October 2014
Dr Pat Ivory of business representative group Ibec and Paul Ginnell of the Better Europe Alliance, which represents Irish civil society organisations campaigning for a more social and sustainable Europe, will be in attendance.
Chairman of the Committee Dominic Hannigan continues: “Earlier this year the Committee invited submissions from the public on the Europe 2020 strategy and tomorrow, we will have the opportunity to explore the distinct perspectives of Ibec and the Better Europe Alliance. We will hold further meetings with other organisations that made submissions, before agreeing our own contribution to the European Commission on this important mid-term review of the Europe 2020 Strategy.”
Separately, representatives of Transparency International will appear before Committee to consider the approach of Hungary to the EU Rule of Law. John Devitt of Transparency International Ireland and Miklós Ligeti of Transparency International Hungary will address the Committee. A new framework on the Rule of Law, presented by the European Commission earlier this year, sets out to address systemic threats to the rule of law in any of the EU's 28 Member States.
Deputy Hannigan TD says: “The rule of law is a fundamental pillar of the European Union. A new Framework on the Rule of Law seeks to allow the European Commission to intervene in the event of serious and systemic threats to the rule of law in a Member State. Issues such as freedom of expression and judicial independence will be examined at tomorrow’s meeting.”
Hungary’s Ambassador to Ireland, Dr Tamás Magyarics, will address the Committee on the same topic this Thursday 9 October.
The meeting takes place tomorrow Tuesday 7 October at 2 pm in Committee Room 1, LH 2000. It commence with engagement with Transparency representatives. Public proceedings can be followed online here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Committee Membership
Deputies: Eric Byrne, Seán Crowe, Timmy Dooley, Bernard J. Durkan, John Halligan, Dominic Hannigan (Chair), Seán Kyne, and Joe O’Reilly
Senators: Colm Burke, Aideen Hayden, Terry Leyden, Catherine Noone and Kathryn Reilly