merrion street

Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, will this afternoon officially open the new National Archives EU Accession 40th Anniversary Exhibition in the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin 7.

The exhibition, which is produced by the National Archives of Ireland and the Royal Irish Academy, charts the road to Ireland's entry to the European Economic Community (EEC). The exhibition shows the intricate decade-long political, diplomatic, and economic story that brought Ireland into the EEC on 1 January 1973.

Speaking in advance of the opening Minister Deenihan said:

"I am delighted that my Department has been able to support this initiative and enable two flagship national institutions to co-operate together to produce this exhibition. The exhibition shows the commitment by successive governments to bring Ireland into the European Economic Community. The exhibition charts what was probably the biggest change to Ireland's national and international position since the State gained independence a generation previously. It shows how challenges such as the Common Agricultural Policy, the Common Fisheries Policy, and the need for regional development were addressed, and the way in which the European agenda and the national agenda interacted. These are all matters of continuing importance for Ireland, especially as we enter the final weeks of our EU Presidency."