merrion street

A special sitting of the Dáil will be held on 9 May to mark Europe Day. The Taoiseach, Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn and Ireland’s MEPs will address Dáil Éireann on the future of Europe and Ireland’s role in the European Union.

The Taoiseach will deliver a statement taking stock of our relations with Europe and reaffirming our commitment to the ideals that underpin the European Union. This will be followed by an address by Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn. MEPs will have the opportunity to speak and members, in turn, will have the opportunity to question MEPs. The sitting will focus on where the European Union should be by 2020 and what Ireland’s role will be in getting there.

In welcoming the plans for the special sitting, Minister for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton, said...

The special sitting of the Dáil on Europe Day marks a statement of intent on the part of the Government and delivers on a commitment contained in the Programme for Government. It re-launches Ireland’s involvement and active participation in Europe and begins a new phase in cooperation between the Government, the Oireachtas and the European Institutions. This event begins a debate about how we can repair relationships with our European partners and how we can engage constructively with them.

The process of reengagement with the EU agenda and of the building up of contacts with EU partners and EU institutions is continuing. Visits by the Tánaiste to London on 9 May and by the Minister to Paris and Berlin later in the week are part of this.