'New Year Economic Outlook' Uncertainty remains elevated with regards to the global economic outlook. The effects of geopolitical tensions, protectionism, an unpredictable US administration, and the pace of change in AI are among the issues challenging economic forecasters. In the first edition of IIEA Insights in the new year, Alan Barrett of the ESRI and Daniel Kral of Oxford Economics will discuss the macroeconomic outlook, while Michelle Norris of UCD will weigh up the prospects for housing supply and demand in 2026.

This event has been organised in conjunction with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Dublin. Speakers on this panel include: Minister Lubna Jaffrey, Minister of Culture and Equality of Norway Mari Velsand, Director General of the Norwegian Media Authority Martina Chapman, National Coordinator at Media Literacy Ireland Angelika Sharygina, AI & Information Integrity Advisor; Founder and Researcher

Full title "From Early Warnings to Lasting Resilience: Strengthening Global Preparedness Through Science and Innovation" WMO Secretary-General Dr Celeste Saulo explores how the global public infrastructure coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization underpins weather, water and climate intelligence worldwide, enabling early warnings that protect lives, livelihoods and economic stability. This shared system, built on scientific data, observation networks, forecasting centres and international cooperation, supports timely warnings of extreme events, which increasingly affect both developed and developing countries. Drawing on examples from the Early Warnings for All initiative, the lecture shows how global systems translate into national and local capacity, particularly in least developed countries and small island developing states, where climate risks are most acute. The Secretary-General also highlights key initiatives, including the WMO Commons, SOFF and CREWS, that are strengthening shared capacity, sustaining essential global services and ensuring that early warning systems remain a trusted global public good in a changing climate. This event is part of the IIEA’s Development Matters Series which is kindly sponsored by Irish Aid. About the Speaker: Secretary-General Saulo was the first female and the first South American appointed as Secretary-General of the WMO and began her four-year term of office on 1 January 2024. Prior to this she served as the Director of the National Meteorological Service of Argentina and was the first Vice-President of the WMO. She graduated from the University of Buenos Aires in 1996 with a PhD and rose to a full professorship at that university where she became Director of the Department of Atmosphere and Ocean Sciences. Her scientific specialisations are in numerical weather prediction, data assimilation, short-to-medium range prediction and early warning systems.

The European Security Architecture finds itself at a crossroads. After decades of reduced military spending in Europe, Russia’s war against Ukraine has reminded the rest of Europe of the relevance of its own security and defence capabilities which have long been considered to be obsolete, or taken for granted by the United States. But what if Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the rules-based international order succeeds? What implications would this have for European security, and how should European states prepare for such a scenario?  This event has been organised in conjunction with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), UK and Ireland  Speaker bio:  Professor Dr Carlo Masala is a renowned German expert on military and security policy. He holds the Chair for Security and Defence Studies at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich and has published extensively on international relations, NATO and European security. He is the author of the bestselling book ‘If Russia Wins’, published in 2025, which has topped charts across Europe and cemented his reputation as a leading voice in geopolitics.

As 2025 draws to a close, the IIEA’s Research Team looks to 2026, and Ireland’s EU Presidency. Barry Colfer and Cian FitzGerald discuss Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. They discuss EU competitiveness, and how Ireland can contribute to Europe’s economic prosperity. Moreover, against the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine, they discuss how Europe is supporting Ukraine, as well as the EU’s preparations for a widening of the conflict.

In his address to the IIEA, Derek Scally reflects on the German federal election of February 2025 and what it reveals about the shifting political landscape in Germany. Following the collapse of the Scholz government, the election delivered major gains for both the CDU/CSU and the far-right AfD, alongside historic losses for the former governing parties. With Friedrich Merz now installed as chancellor at the head of a new CDU/CSU–SPD coalition, Mr Scally assesses the implications for domestic governance, Germany’s role in Europe, and what political challenges may lie ahead in 2026. About the Speaker: Derek Scally is a native Dubliner, who studied at Dublin City University and the Humboldt University in Berlin, where he has been Irish Times correspondent since 2001. Covering politics, business and culture, he is a regular contributor to German news outlets, including Die Zeit weekly and Deutschlandfunk/WDR radio. He reports regularly from northern Europe and is also author of ‘The Best Catholics in the World’, published in 2021 by Penguin.

In this latest webinar in our series on Finland's Future’s Ecosystem, the panel takes an analytical approach to the ecosystem. They will give a critical assessment of the Finnish model and compare it with other international approaches, especially Ireland’s. This webinar is the final event in a series that began with an address from Finland’s Minister for European Affairs Joakim Strand on Finland’s Futures Ecosystem in a European Context. The second in the series was an online panel event that outlined the core elements of Finland’s Futures Ecosystem. This event was organised in conjunction with the UCD Centre for Innovation, Technology and Organisation. Panellists include: Elizabeth Canavan, Assistant Secretary General at the Department of the Taoiseach Marc Ó Cathasaigh, former T.D. Niamh Garvey, Senior Policy Analyst, NESC Kevin Daly, Principal Officer at the Department of Finance

'Is Europe Ready for War?' The Russian President has recently said he is ready for war with Europe. Is Europe ready for war with Russia? In this edition of IIEA Insights, The Economist’s Defence Editor Shashank Joshi, will assess the progress democratic Europe has made in deterring attack since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which caused a sea-change in thinking about the threat of Russia. Other issues to be analysed will include how European countries assess the reliability of the US position on Nato’s Article 5 mutual defence commitment and the threats posed by China, directly via espionage networks and indirectly via its support for Russia’s war. Shashank Joshi is The Economist’s Defence Editor. Prior to joining The Economist in 2018, he served as Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and Research Associate at Oxford University’s Changing Character of War Programme. He has published books on Iran’s nuclear programme and India’s armed forces, written for a wide range of newspapers and journals, and appeared regularly on radio and television. He holds degrees from Cambridge and Harvard, where he served as a Kennedy Scholar from Britain to the United States.

The situation in the occupied Palestinian Territory is starker than ever with famine, genocide, and entrenchment of an illegal occupation. In their address to the IIEA, Dr Ammar Dwaik and Diana Buttu contend that the destruction of Gaza and the ongoing expansion of settlements is erasing prospects for a two-state solution and violating the most fundamental rights of the Palestinian people.  They outline the current reality in Palestine, and its future, through the prism of human rights, and what needs to happen within Palestine and in Israel to advance rights and to secure a just and lasting peace. They also reflect on what countries like Ireland and the international community need to do to ensure the protection of fundamental rights, including the right of Palestinians to self-determination. This event is part of the IIEA’s Development Matters Series which is kindly sponsored by Irish Aid. About the Speakers: Dr. Ammar Dwaik is the Director General of the Independent Commission for Human Rights in Palestine. He holds a Ph.D. in Social Policy and Management from Brandeis University (USA), a Master’s degree in Law and Government from the American University in Washington, and a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Yarmouk University in Jordan. Between 2004 and 2006, he served as the Executive Director of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission, where he oversaw the administration of the 2005 presidential elections and the 2006 legislative elections.  Ms. Diana Buttu is a Commissioner at the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR). She is a Palestinian lawyer with a Bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies and a Master’s from the University of Toronto, a Ph.D. from Queen’s University Faculty of Law, and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She previously served as a Legal Advisor to the Palestine Liberation Organization and was part of the team that brought the issue of the Israeli Wall before the International Court of Justice. Ms. Buttu is a regular commentator on Palestinian affairs for international media outlets.

The annual UN climate summit, known as the COP, recently took place in Belém, Brazil, on the edge of the Amazon rainforest. The COP30 talks took place at a time of increasingly fraught geopolitical relations – with the US absent. This resulted in a set of negotiating dynamics and multi-layered COP outcomes that were even more complex than usual. In this webinar, Dr Simon Evans, senior policy editor at the climate news and analysis website Carbon Brief, will walk us through the key fights in Belém, the headline outcomes and what comes next for global climate action. For more background, the in-depth Carbon Brief summary of the talks is available here. About the Speaker: Dr Simon Evans is the Deputy editor and senior policy editor at the Carbon Brief, a UK-based website covering the latest developments in climate science, climate policy and energy policy. He holds a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Bristol and previously studied chemistry at the University of Oxford. He worked for the environment journal The ENDS Report for six years, covering topics including climate science and air pollution.

In his role as Minister of Economy and Finance of Greece, Kyriakos Pierrakakis has regularly called for the implementation of recommendations from the Draghi report in order for Europe to become further integrated and unlock the continent’s next phase of growth. In this fireside chat at the IIEA, Minister Pierrakakis discusses what the EU needs to get right in order to unlock new pockets of growth, as well as what the digitalisation of the EU’s economy means for the future. About the Speaker: Kyriakos Pierrakakis has served as Minister of Economy and Finance of the Hellenic Republic in Prime Minister Mitsotakis' Cabinet since March 2025 and is a Member of Parliament. Previously, he was Minister of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports (2023-2025), where he initiated a series of reforms of Greece’s education system, most notably establishing a framework for private universities to formally operate in Greece for the first time and banning mobile phones in classrooms. As Minister of Digital Governance (2019-2023), he led Greece’s digital transformation, with the creation of the government portal gov.gr being the most notable initiative and one of the most popular reforms initiated in Greece. He has also served as the chair of the OECD's Global Strategy Group since 2021, a position he was re-appointed to in 2024. Minister Pierrakakis holds degrees from MIT (M.S. Technology and Policy), Harvard Kennedy School (Master in Public Policy), and Athens University of Economics and Business (B.S. Computer Science).

The European Commission’s publication of their recommendation on “Increasing the Availability of Savings and Investment Accounts with Simplified and Advantageous Tax Treatment” on September 30th marks an important milestone on the EU Savings and Investment Union journey. As a leading European funds and asset management centre, Ireland has a key role to play in this significant development in the European asset management industry – but a roadmap will be necessary if the potential of this initiative is to be realised. This event discusses the practical steps – and challenges – in establishing Savings and Investment Accounts across the 27 member states of the EU and the important role of the Irish funds and asset management industry in this step-change in EU savings and investment culture. This event features a keynote address from John Berrigan, Director General of DG FISMA. The event also includes a panel discussion including John Berrigan as well as: Seán Páircéir, Partner and Global Head of Investor Services at Brown Brothers Harriman Jonathan Cleborne, Head of Europe at Vanguard Susan O'Reilly, Head of Funds, Markets and Securities, Financial Services Division - Department of Finance. Dr Orlaigh Quinn, (Moderator), Former Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employmen

'Ireland-US Relations in Crisis?' The return of Donald Trump to the US presidency in January 2025 marked a dramatic change in America’s posture towards allies and adversaries alike. For Ireland, this has manifested in the unilateral imposition of tariffs, criticism of the scale of U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturing taking place in Ireland, and the fining of US tech companies for breaches of EU rules. Separately, unprecedented salvoes of public criticism of Ireland from US lawmakers over the Occupied Territories Bill have taken place along with wider criticism of Ireland for free riding on U.S. security guarantees and acting as a tax haven for US corporations. Former special assistant to President Joe Biden, Tom Wright, joins IIEA Insights to discuss the current state of Ireland-US relations and how relations might play out over the remainder of the Trump presidency. Thomas Wright, currently a senior fellow with the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy and Technology at the Brookings Institution, served as special assistant to the president and senior director for strategic planning at the National Security Council in the Biden Administration. At the White House, Tom worked on a wide range of projects and issues, including the 2022 U.S. National Security Strategy, the Russia-Ukraine war and European security, U.S.-China relations, the global south, foreign economic policy, and countering the growing alignment between U.S. adversaries and competitors (China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea). He is also an author and contributing writer to the Atlantic.

As Ireland advances towards its 2030 and 2050 climate goals, transforming how people and goods move will be essential. The final event in the 2025 ESB REthink Energy series explores the future of transport and the growing role of electric mobility in achieving a cleaner, smarter, and more connected system. The discussion examines the evolution of battery technologies, the electrification of public and private transport, and the development of the infrastructure required to support widespread adoption of electric vehicles. The panellists also consider how policy, innovation, and consumer behaviour can drive Ireland’s transition towards a sustainable and resilient transport network. This event is part of the IIEA’s REthink Energy series, organised in partnership with ESB. Panellists: · Dr Euan McTurk, Consultant Battery Electrochemist, Plug Life Consulting Ltd (Keynote Address) · Professor Brian Caulfield, Professor in Transportation at Trinity College Dublin · Aoife O’Grady, Head of Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland, Department of Transport

Space assets are increasingly important for national prosperity and resilience. This panel discussion highlights the role of space in supporting communications, transport, financial transactions, and other critical services necessary for daily life. This panel, drawing on practitioners and policy experts, also discusses space and other policy frameworks to ensure that Ireland can continue to remain resilient and prosperous at a time of growing tension. This event has been organised in conjunction with the Embassy of Canada About the Speakers: Kealan McMoreland, Head of the Office of Emergency Planning at the Department of Defence Dr Norah Patten, Aeronautical Engineer, Bioastronautics Researcher, and will be Ireland’s first astronaut Dr Shawna Pandya, Emergency and Aeromedical Transport Physician, and Canada’s first commercial female astronaut Fintan Buckley, Co-founder and CEO of Ubotica

The fourth podcast in the 2025 F.E. podcast series was an interview with Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs and Minister of State for Defence, by Barry Colfer, Director of Research at the IIEA in Dublin. The podcast is part of the Future-proofing Europe Project which is kindly funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs. The theme of the podcast was Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2026. Minister Byrne commenced the interview by describing his long-standing experience and interest in European Affairs and explained the roles and responsibilities of the Presidency which include chairing a wide range of meetings at every level in Dublin, Brussels and Luxembourg and representing the EU and the Member States at various international summits during the term of the Presidency. At domestic level, several government departments are already working on the administrative arrangements and preparations needed to run an efficient and impactful Presidency and to find consensus on policies of major import. As to the public visibility of the Presidency, he said it would mainly be capture by the arrival of EU leaders for an informal European Council and for a meeting of the European Political Community, (EPC) in Ireland during its Presidency with leaders from up to 47 European countries. A further 22 informal Ministerial meetings, a quarter of which would be held outside Dublin, and 250 other working group meetings would be hosted around Ireland led by civil servants and Ministers. They would complement the work of the Committee of Ambassadors to the EU, (COREPER) in meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg. The Minister said that he had opened a consultation portal to elicit citizens’ views on what Ireland’s priorities should be, and to invite them to suggest a theme for Ireland’s Presidency. He expressed a strong interest in engaging the public interest in the Presidency. In terms of Presidency priorities, he said that some are already part of the ongoing legislative agenda in the EU and will need to be advanced. Others will derive from the agreed Presidency trio programme which involves the Irish, Lithuanian and Greek Presidencies over an 18month period, the purpose of which is to maintain continuity and consistency across the three Presidencies. As to likely priorities, which will be formally announced in June 2026, the Minister mentioned values, such as democracy and rule of law, competitiveness, the Single Market and simplification agenda, security and defence, the MFF and Enlargement. As well as capturing the imagination of citizens the main objective then would be move forward as an honest broker representing the voices of all Member States and to see where Ireland can have an impact on shaping the agenda and achieve consensus on major portfolios, all of which would enhance the reputation of the country, both from an administrative and diplomatic point of view.

In her speech, Minister Raouna acknowledges that enlargement has long been one of the EU’s most powerful transformative tools, and a driving force for reforms, progress, security, and prosperity. She discusses how the EU is navigating an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. She also argues that it is clear that enlargement is a geopolitical investment and necessity for stability, peace, and security for the European Union. It is widely accepted today that Enlargement has gained new impetus, and that this is a clear statement that Europe’s response to aggression lies in greater European unification, and deeper integration. According to Minister Raouna, Enlargement also re-emerges as a key policy for strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy and global influence. She calls for the current momentum for enlargement to be seized, pointing out that by integrating new partners, the EU will reinforce its collective security and capacity to respond to emerging challenges. She concludes by underscoring that the incoming Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU is committed to driving forward the EU’s enlargement agenda with ambition and a results-oriented approach based on merit. About the Speaker: Marilena Raouna is the Cypriot Deputy Minister for European Affairs, in charge of the preparations and political oversight of Cyprus’ Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026. She studied Jurisprudence (Law) at Oxford University, holds an LLM in Public International and European Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science (Chevening Scholar) and a Diploma in French language and civilization from Sorbonne University.

The UK is confronting a series of interlinked challenges - domestic, international, political and economic. This lecture by UK in a Changing Europe Director Anand Menon will explain what these are and how they interact. Speaker bio: Anand Menon is Director of the UK in a Changing Europe and Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King’s College London. He has written widely on many aspects of EU politics and policy and on UK-EU relations. He is a frequent contributor to the media on matters relating to British relations with the EU. Originally recorded on the 6th of November 2025

Since the Global Financial Crisis, central banks have made significant changes to their monetary policy operating frameworks. Notably, the Federal Reserve and other central banks have expanded their balance sheets, altered their reserves regimes, and adopted new tools to set their policy rates. President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Mary C. Daly, discusses the costs and benefits of conducting policy under different regimes. About the Speaker: As President of the San Francisco Fed, Ms. Daly serves the Twelfth Federal Reserve District in setting monetary policy. Prior to her current role, she was the executive vice president and director of research at the San Francisco Fed, which she joined in 1996. Ms. Daly has served as an advisor to the Congressional Budget Office, the Social Security Administration, the Institute of Medicine and the Library of Congress. She has also been a visiting professor at Cornell University and the University of California, Davis. Ms. Daly holds a Ph.D. in economics from Syracuse University, an M.S. degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a B.A. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

The United Kingdom has set an ambitious target to achieve a decarbonised power system by 2030 as part of its broader Net Zero commitment. Delivering on this goal is central to strengthening energy security, enhancing resilience, and ensuring affordable, clean power for households and industry. In his address to the IIEA, Chris Stark, Head of the UK Government’s Mission for Clean Power, outlines the UK’s pathway to Net Zero and discuss the role of interconnectors, infrastructure, and investment in delivering a secure and sustainable energy system. Drawing on his leadership of the UK government’s “Mission Control” for clean power, Mr Stark also reflects on the challenges and opportunities of transforming the UK’s energy landscape amid an increasingly complex global environment. This event is part of the IIEA’s REthink Energy series, organised in partnership with ESB. Speaker bio: Chris Stark was appointed head of the UK’s Mission for Clean Power in the UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in July 2024. Previous to this, he was Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee from April 2018 for six years. Under his leadership, the committee recommended a UK net zero target for greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 – a target that is now in law. He was Director of Energy and Climate Change in the Scottish Government from May 2016 to April 2018. He has also served as Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust and is currently Honorary Professor at the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Public Policy, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and is on the board of climate charity Murmer.

In his remarks to the IIEA, Thant Myint-U reflects upon the future of world peace and the United Nations. Through the lens of his new book Peacemaker: U Thant, the United Nations, and the Untold Story of the 1960’s, Thant Myint-U explores safeguarding global peace, preventing great power war, and reimagine the United Nations. In his book, Thant Myint-U tracks the history of U-Thant, the first UN Secretary-General of colour, who became the Cold War era’s preeminent ambassador of peace, and played a crucial role in preventing conflict such as during the Cuban Missile Crisis. His remarks will reflect not only upon the events of the 1960’s, but the lessons which U-Thant’s tenure may offer us now during a moment of escalating global tensions. About the Speaker: Dr Thant Myint-U is an award-winning author, historian, and international public servant. He has written five books, most recently Peacemaker: U Thant and the Forgotten Quest for a Just World (forthcoming September 2025). He was educated at Harvard and Cambridge Universities and taught history for several years as a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. He has also served on three United Nations peacekeeping operations (Cambodia 1992-3 and the former Yugoslavia 1994-6) and from 2000-2007 at the UN Secretariat in New York. From 2011-2021, he helped lead reform efforts in Myanmar, including as a presidential adviser, the Founding Chairman of the Yangon Heritage Trust, and the Chairman of U Thant House. He currently lives in Cambridge and is an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College.

A Keynote address by Martin O'Malley About the Speaker: Martin O’Malley is a former Mayor of Baltimore and a former Governor of Maryland. Most recently, he served as President Biden’s Commissioner of Social Security. He is also a Patron of the Killarney Global Economic Summit 2026. As a public servant and top executive, Martin O’Malley has pioneered a new way of performance-driven government at all levels including local, state, and national. Having worked for Grant Thornton, Guidehouse Advisories and a number technology companies, O’Malley brings a blend of private and public sector experience to some of the greater challenges facing humanity the world over. His accomplishments in public service include putting Baltimore on the path to the largest ten-year crime reduction of any major city in America; enabling Maryland’s public schools to rank first in the US for five years in a row; and reversing a 300-year decline in the health of the waters of the Chesapeake Bay - the largest estuary in North America. Martin O’Malley has taught at several leading universities in the US including Boston College, Harvard, Georgetown, Boston College Law, the University of Indian Kelley, Johns Hopkins Carey School of business. He is the author of Smarter Government — how to govern for results in the Information Age.

In his remarks, the Director General of the EU Military Staff (DG EUMS) will underline the need for a more strategic, coherent, and adequately resourced Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). He will stress that EU military missions and operations are effective only when guided by a shared political vision among all twenty-seven Member States and aligned with the priorities of Host Nations. He will highlight the importance of developing an Integrated Campaign Plan to ensure coherence across all EU instruments and closer coordination with international partners. Finally, he will emphasise that under-resourcing and limited participation undermine effectiveness, and that genuine political will must translate into collective responsibility and tangible contributions to safeguard the EU’s credibility as a reliable security partner. Speaker bio: The Director General of the EU Military Staff (DG EUMS) is the European External Action Service’s (EEAS) senior military adviser and the principal source of its military expertise. He directs the EU Military Staff (EUMS), providing military advice and expertise to EU institutions. In a dual-hatted capacity, he also serves as Director of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC). As DG EUMS, he oversees early warning, situation assessment, and strategic planning for EU military missions, ensuring the effective operational planning and conduct of non-executive missions through the MPCC. He further supports crisis management, capability development, and maintains close coordination with the European Defence Agency (EDA).

In an online address to the Institute, Dr Joana Portugal Pereira considers the environmental and social complexities of the EU's Green Deal beyond the EU's borders. She explores how the EU's Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Strategy may have adverse consequences on third countries, such as Brazil, should the EU rely on them for land-based carbon offsets. Dr Portugal Pereira argues for the adoption of a more equitable approach to climate action that supports global climate goals, while safeguarding the rights and livelihoods of communities in the Global South. Speaker bio: Dr Joana Portugal Pereira is an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Instituto Superior Técnico, ULisboa and Research Fellow at the Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research (IN+). She holds a PhD in Urban Engineering from The University of Tokyo (2011). Dr. Portugal Pereira has made significant contributions to global environmental assessments, serving as a lead author for several influential UN reports such as the IPCC Sixth Assessment Cycle, the UN Environment Programme's Seventh Global Environmental Outlook (GEO7), and the UNEP Emissions Gap Report. Her expertise lies in energy and land-based innovations for environmental mitigation and climate change adaptation.

This talk explores the future of unionism in Northern Ireland, examining both the opportunities and challenges facing those who wish to remain part of the United Kingdom. Drawing on polling data, historical context, and political strategy, Professor Pete Shirlow and Lee Reynolds highlight the shifting identities beyond the traditional unionist–nationalist divide, the need for a positive message, and the importance of engaging with the younger generation. Promoting the Union makes a case for building a forward-looking, persuasive vision of the Union. About the Speakers: Professor Pete Shirlow is Director of the Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool. He is an expert on conflict, peacebuilding, segregation, and post-conflict transformation, with a distinguished record of research, policy engagement, and public commentary. He serves as Independent Chair of the OFMDFM Employers’ Guidance on Recruiting People with Conflict-Related Convictions Working Group and is a board member of the mental health charity Threshold. Lee Reynolds is the former Special Adviser to DUP First Minister Arlene Foster and previously served as the party’s Director of Policy. He also directed the Vote Leave campaign in Northern Ireland during the 2016 referendum. Drawing on his experience designing and interpreting opinion poll data, Lee is recognised for his strategic insight into shifting voter identities and the future of unionism and is often asked for his political commentary.

A fireside chat with Tony Connelly. About the speaker: Tony Connelly is RTE’s Europe Editor, covering European affairs since 2001. He has reported extensively from Ukraine on the Russian invasion, and on the Middle East conflict. Tony was awarded an honorary doctorate for services to journalism by the University of Galway, is the recipient of two ESB National Media awards and a New York Festivals radio award. He received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the UCD Smurfit Graduate School of Journalism, and an Irish Law Society Justice Media Award, for his coverage of Brexit.

Europe stands at a turning point. In her address to the IIEA, Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the ETUC, argues that Europe’s competitiveness renewal lies not in deregulation and decline, but in combining investment and social justice. The next Social Contract needs to deliver a Quality Jobs Agenda to boost collective bargaining, drive fair transitions, deliver fair wages, end exploitation, increase investment for a European Industrial Policy. She calls for all public investment to deliver social conditionalities ensuring every euro creates quality jobs and ends the race to the bottom. The next Social Contract must be something all workers can rely on not just something they read about, every job should be a quality job, and all workers should be free from fear about tomorrow. About the Speaker: Esther Lynch is the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation. Previously, Ms Lynch was Deputy General Secretary at the ETUC from 2019 to 2022, following four years as Confederal Secretary. Esther led on social dialogue, collective bargaining and wage policy, trade union rights, gender equality. She has extensive trade union experience at Irish, European and international levels, starting with her election as a shop steward in the 1980s. Before coming to the ETUC, she was the Legislation and Social Affairs Officer with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), where she took part in negotiations on Ireland’s National Social Partner Agreements. As Deputy General Secretary and as Confederal Secretary she led successful actions aimed at improving workers and trade union rights in legislative initiatives such as the Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages, the Transparent and Predicable Working Conditions Directive and the Whistleblowing Directive, she also ran a successful campaign that mobilised support for the European Pillar of Social Rights and the ETUC’s ‘Europe Needs a Pay Rise’ campaign. In addition to securing the adoption of 15 legally binding occupational exposure limits to protect workers from exposure to carcinogens, as well as concluding social partners’ agreements on digitalisation and on reprotoxins. A lifelong feminist, Esther is pushing for measures to end the undervaluing of work predominantly done by women.

In this IIEA webinar, the panel takes a deep dive into Finland’s Futures Ecosystem — a unique network of public institutions, research bodies, civil society, and private sector actors working together to shape long-term thinking and strategic foresight. This panel provides an overview of the key components, actors, and processes that drive futures work in Finland, offering insights into how collaboration, policy, and innovation come together to anticipate and navigate change. This panel event follows on from an address entitled Finland’s Futures Ecosystem in a European Context by Joakim Strand, the Finnish Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering. This webinar will also be followed by a further panel event that focuses on the Irish approach to foresight and what can be learnt from the Finnish experience. This event was organised in conjunction with the UCD Centre for Innovation, Technology and Organisation. Panelists include: Elina Kiiski-Kataja, Senior Lead of Foresight & Insight at Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund that helps Finland anticipate the future; Maria Höyssä, Senior Advisor to the Committee for the Future at the Parliament of Finland & Senior Research Fellow at the Finland's Futures Research Centre; Vera Djakonoff, Senior Expert, Anticipatory Governance at Demos Helsinki, an independent think tank that helps build capacities to instigate and sustain essential transitions; Dr Kevin Deegan, Vice President for Innovation & Insight at Valio, Finland's biggest food exporter

In 2024, Denmark reached a landmark Green Tripartite Agreement, introducing the world’s first agricultural climate tax as part of a comprehensive package of measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, restore nature, improve biodiversity, and tackle nitrogen pollution. This pioneering policy framework is poised to transform Danish agriculture and rural landscapes over the coming decades. This webinar features insights from Johannes Flatz of CONCITO and Erik Jørgensen of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, who will outline the negotiation process behind the Agreement and assess its implications for the Danish agri-food sector, climate policy, and rural development. From an Irish perspective, Dr. Maria Snell of Macra na Feirme and Ailbhe Gerrard of Talamh Beo and Brookfield Farm will consider the opportunities and challenges for Ireland in delivering on climate and biodiversity targets within the farming community, exploring how elements of the Danish model might be adapted to the current policy landscape in Ireland. Bringing together Danish and Irish viewpoints, this discussion examines the design, implementation, and adaptation of ambitious agricultural climate measures across contrasting European settings, and the potential role such agreements can play in aligning environmental objectives with rural prosperity. Speaker bios: Johannes Flatz is a Climate Analyst in CONCITOs programme on food and consumption. Johannes works as a climate analyst with a focus on analysis of European agricultural policies. Johannes is particularly focused on the analysis of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the regulation of carbon emissions from the agricultural sector. Johannes has a master’s degree in environmental economics from the University of Copenhagen. Erik Jørgensen is the Chief Consultant at the Climate & Energy, Danish Agriculture & Food Council. Maria Snell is a Senior Policy Executive at Macra na Feirme, Ireland’s national organisation representing young farmers and rural youth. She holds a PhD in Environmental Science from the UK, where she worked on projects focused water quality, habitat management, and ecological health in agricultural catchments. Maria returned home to join Macra, where she works to ensure the voices of rural youth are represented in shaping sustainable agricultural, rural development and environmental policy. Ailbhe Gerrard is a farmer, beekeeper, and agricultural educator, and the founder of Brookfield Farm in Co. Tipperary. She is also a leading member of Talamh Beo, the Irish branch of La Via Campesina, and has been recognised for her innovative agroecological farming practices and advocacy for community-led food systems.

According to journalist and author Philip Stephens, for David Lloyd George the Partition of Ireland was a means to an end, an escape route from the Irish question in British politics, and a war against Irish Republicanism that Britain could not win. He argues that for Michael Collins the Free State was a first steppingstone to a united, independent Ireland and that over subsequent decades both parties misread the meaning of the Treaty. In his address to the IIEA and following the release of his new book These Divided Isles: Britain and Ireland, Past and Future, Mr Stephens discusses how he thinks the British assumed they could wash their hands of Ireland, North as well as South, and how Ireland judged that all that was required for reunification was British withdrawal. Mr Stephens also proposes that as the prospect of 32-county Ireland draws closer, both governments must avoid repeating these mistakes. Speaker bio: Philip Stephens is a writer and historian. He is a Contributing Editor at the Financial Times, and the author of Inside-Out, a regular column on Substack. He is also a Visiting Senior Fellow at the School for Transnational Governance of the European University Institute, a Richard von Weizsacker Fellow at the Bosch Academy in Berlin, an Honorary Governor at the Ditchley Foundation, and a member of Aspen Italia, Rome. He serves on the steering group of the Franco-British Colloque. His latest book Britain Alone: the Path from Suez to Brexit, was published by Faber. He has won the three main prizes in British political journalism, being named as winner of the David Watt prize for Outstanding Political Journalism, as Political Journalist of the Year by the UK Political Studies Association, and as Political Journalist of the Year in the British Press Awards. He is the author of Politics and the Pound, a study of British economic and European policy, and of Tony Blair, a biography of the former prime minister.

Amid democratic backsliding, civic disillusionment, and growing threats to democratic values, driven by authoritarianism, polarisation, and disinformation, there is now an urgent case to promote democratic resilience and renewal. In this event an expert panel discusses alternative approaches to democracy, including direct democracy, deliberative democracy, and other forms of democratic experimentation. This event examines the practice of direct democracy by referendum in Switzerland, and the practice of deliberative democracy by Citizens Assemblies in Ireland. The event will explore what lessons can be learnt from these examples and their relevance for other democracies. This event is organised in collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland in Ireland. The panel for this event include: Associate Professor Joseph Lacey, Founding Director of the Centre for Democracy Research, School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin; Professor Daniel Kübler, Professor at the Department of Political Science and Director of the Centre for Democracy Studies, University of Zurich Louise Caldwell, Member of the Board of Directors for People Powered: Global Hub for Participatory Democracy, and former member of the Irish Citizens Assembly 2016 – 2018 and it was moderated by: Susan Daly, Managing Editor, Journal Media

The world is becoming less peaceful and concerns about the future of peace as a focus or area of policy and practice seem warranted. Based on 156 interviews conducted over 7 years, Professor Millar’s presentation describes the various challenges (structural, financial, and practical) that practitioners in particular identify as limiting their ability to contribute to sustainable peace. His remarks also outline new approaches and mechanisms that would allow policy to better support peace work in this time of increasing uncertainty. About the Speaker: Gearoid Millar is a Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Aberdeen, where he Coordinates MSc programmes in both Peace and Conflict Studies, and Policy Evaluation. He has published widely over the past 15 years, with four books and more than two dozen contributions to key journals in Peace and Conflict Studies, such as the Journal of Peace Research, Cooperation and Conflict, International Peacekeeping, the Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding, Third World Quarterly, Peacebuilding, and many others.

In her speech to the IIEA, Kata Tüttő, President of the European Commission of the Regions, addresses the European Commission’s proposal for the next EU budget (2028-2034). She argues that the proposals represent an unprecedented attempt to centralise and nationalise EU policies, weakening the role of regions and cities in the European project. Whilst recognizing the emerging challenges of security and competitiveness, President Tüttő speaks about how regional and local leaders can mobilise to promote Europe’s growth model by ensuring that local and regional authorities play a full and inclusive role. Speaker bio: Kata Tüttő is a Hungarian politician, economist, and public servant with over two decades of experience in local government, European policy-making, and urban sustainability. As of February 2025, she serves as president of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), which represents local and regional governments from across Europe. At the same time, she remains a member of the Budapest City Council. Previously, Ms Tüttő served as the deputy mayor of Budapest from 2019-2024, overseeing climate adaptation, waste and water management, public transport, and utility services. She played a crucial role in making Budapest more sustainable and resilient, advocating for green investments and inclusive urban development.

'European defence: economics and business perspectives' Europe is rearming. The changed perception of the threat posed by Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has led to increases in defence spending in most countries and commitments by Nato members to make further substantial increases in the future. To understand the economic and business implications of this, the next edition of IIEA Insights will feature economist Juan Mejino-López of the Bruegel think tank in Brussels and Barry Lunn, founder and CEO of Proviso Barry Lunn is the founder and CEO of Proviso, a firm at the cutting of edge of developing advanced sensors for the transport sector. Based in Shannon, the company’s clients have included Nasa, Uber and Ford, among others. Juan Mejino-López is a research analyst at Bruegel where he has written about defence, among other things. He has previously worked on on public policy in the academic and consultancy sectors.

In her address to the IIEA, Erin Sikorsky discusses the pathways through which climate change is shaping instability and conflict globally. Her remarks reflect upon how extreme weather, slow-onset hazards, and responses to climate change intersect with geopolitical competition, hybrid warfare, and other foreign and security policy trends. About the Speakers: Erin Sikorsky is Director of the Center for Climate and Security (CCS), and the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS). She is also the author of Climate Change on the Battlefield, published earlier this year. Previously, Erin served as Deputy Director of the Strategic Futures Group on the US National Intelligence Council (NIC) in the United States, where she co-authored the quadrennial Global Trends report and led the US intelligence community’s environmental and climate security analysis. She was the founding chair of the Climate Security Advisory Council, a US Congressionally mandated group designed to facilitate coordination between the intelligence community and US government scientific agencies. Prior to her position on the National Intelligence Council, she worked as a senior analyst in the US intelligence community for over a decade, leading teams examining conflict and instability risks in Africa and the Middle East, and won the National Intelligence Analysis Award.

Following the end of the Cold War, the world experienced a remarkable wave of democratization. Over the next two decades, numerous authoritarian regimes transitioned to democracies, and it seemed that authoritarianism as a political model was fading. But as recent events have shown, things have clearly changed. Based on their new book Dictating the Agenda, Alexander Cooley and Alexander Dukalskis reveal how today's authoritarian states are actively countering liberal ideas, advocacy surrounding human rights and democracy across various global governance domains. About the Speakers: Alexander Cooley is the Claire Tow Professor of Political Science and Vice Provost for Research and Academic Centers at Barnard College, Columbia University. From 2015-21 he served as the 15th Director of Columbia University's Harriman Institute for the Study of Russia, Eurasia and Eastern Europe. Professor Cooley's research examines how international actors have influenced the governance, sovereignty, and security of the post-Communist states. In addition to his academic publications, Professor Cooley's commentaries have appeared in Foreign Affairs, New York Times, and Washington Post and he has testified for the US Congress, UK Parliament and the Parliament of Canada. Alexander Dukalskis is associate professor in the School of Politics & International Relations at University College Dublin. His research and teaching interests include authoritarian politics, human rights, and Asian politics. He is also a frequent expert commentator in national and international media on these themes. From 2022-2024 he directed UCD's Centre for Asia-Pacific Research. He is the author of two previous books, Making the World Safe for Dictatorship (Oxford University Press, 2021) and The Authoritarian Public Sphere (Routledge, 2017), and academic articles in several leading journals.

This webinar features a keynote address by Professor Emily Shuckburgh, Director of Cambridge Zero, followed by a fireside chat with Dr Eileen Culloty, Deputy Director, DCU Institute for Media, Democracy, and Society. Together, they will discuss the persistence of climate change myths, the role of the media in shaping public understanding, and how fact-checking, improved communication, and public engagement can counter misinformation. The discussion will highlight how false narratives can undermine climate action, and how researchers, communicators, and the public can work together to build a more informed and constructive debate. This event is part of the IIEA’s REthink Energy series, organised in partnership with ESB. Professor Emily Shuckburgh CBE is a world-leading climate scientist and science communicator, who is the director of Cambridge Zero, the University of Cambridge’s ambitious climate change initiative. Prof Shuckburgh is a mathematician and Professor of Environmental Data Science at Cambridge’s Department of Computer Science and Technology. Dr Eileen Culloty is an Assistant Professor in the School of Communications, DCU and Deputy Director of the DCU Institute for Future Media, Democracy, and Society. Her work focuses on disinformation, media literacy education, and the future of public media.

According to Eddie Rish, CEO of the International Hydropower Association (IHA) sustainable hydropower is the ignored giant of renewable energy. Mr Rish provides an overview as to how it plays a pivotal role in enabling the global energy transition by providing secure, reliable, low-carbon electricity and flexible storage. This webinar explores how it’s different uses can help to provide clean, green, secure, flexible, and affordable energy systems. About the Speaker: Eddie Rish has worked on the role of corporates in international development for over 20 years. He was appointed CEO of IHA in 2019. Since then, IHA has repositioned itself as a values-based organisation that prioritises sustainable hydropower.” He was instrumental in the launch of the Hydropower Sustainability Standard in 2021 and the establishment of the influential International Forum on Pumped Storage Hydropower. In 2022, IHA was awarded International Association of the Year. Previously, Mr Rish was deputy head of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).His prior experience included working as the UK Government Department for International Development (DFID)’s representative to Angola and its deputy head in Kenya. He was also head of the DFID's corporate social responsibility team.

The geopolitics of the Middle East have entered a period of profound flux. In recent years, shifting alliances, contested interventions, and the rise of non-state actors have reshaped the region’s landscape. From the Iran–Saudi détente to the Abraham Accords, from the wars in Syria and Yemen to the conflict in Gaza, the stakes for regional and international order are considerable. In his remarks to the IIEA, Dr Hellyer offers a perspective from the region itself, exploring how Middle Eastern states interpret threats and opportunities, the changing role of global powers, and the prospects for a regional security framework less dependent on external actors. He also considers the implications for Europe and the wider international community. Speaker bio: Dr. H. A. Hellyer is Senior Associate Fellow with expertise in Geopolitics and Middle East Studies at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI), the world’s oldest defense think tank. He is also Senior Fellow in Geopolitics and Security Studies at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C., which follows senior tenures in Washington at the Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Brookings Institution, and the Atlantic Council. Dr Hellyer has advised the UK government on radicalisation and extremism in Europe, and is regularly called upon by the public and the private sectors for non-partisan expertise on Middle East developments. A frequent media commentator, he has provided analysis for CNN, the BBC, the Washington Post, and The New York Times. Dr. Hellyer has also held appointments at Cambridge, Harvard, Warwick, and the American University in Cairo. He is the author of ten books and hundreds of articles on the politics and security of the Middle East and Europe.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western states not only find themselves in a changed geopolitical environment but have also learned important lessons about the role of the private sector in wartime. Ranging from the countering cyber-threats, ensuring continuity of communications, and the provision of space-based capabilities, the private sector has access to resources and expertise that states may not have themselves. Their capacity to augment national security risks making the private sector a target of hostile aggression. In his remarks to the IIEA, Franklin D. Kramer explores the changing role of the private sector in wartime crises and ensure that western states are prepared for future crises should they occur. Speaker bio: Franklin D. Kramer is a distinguished fellow and board director at the Atlantic Council. Kramer has served as a senior political appointee in two administrations, including as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. At the US Department of Defense, Kramer was in charge of the formulation and implementation of international defense and political-military policy, with worldwide responsibilities including NATO and Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

In this event Dr Ravi Iyer discusses how many people’s lives are increasingly being lived online, with significant implications for mental health. Dr Iyer discusses how many users encounter unwanted or disturbing content and experiences and how many people use digital services excessively with sometimes negative results for their well-being. Dr Iyer discusses how the design choices of online platforms contribute to these trends. He finally assesses how the negative consequences that can arise from this might be mitigated and the role that can be played by companies, governments, and civil society stakeholders in this regard. About the Speaker: Dr Ravi Iyer is the Managing Director of the University of Southern California (USC) Marshall School’s Neely Center. Previously he spent over four years leading data science, research and product teams across Meta to improve the impact of social media on both society and individuals. He has a Ph.D. in social psychology from USC and has co-authored numerous articles on the psychology of values and well-being. He currently advises the UK Office of Communications, the Anxious Generation team, as well as several other jurisdictions on how to improve the societal impact of technology.

'How Might the US React to the Occupied Territories Bill Becoming Law?' Over the Summer many US politicians have been increasingly critical of Ireland’s moves to pass the Occupied Territories bill into law with many calling for Ireland to face sanction if it does so. To discuss the implications of these developments and what measures the US might take, Insights will be joined by Ilan Goldenberg, Senior Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at J Street, who has previously served at the US State Department Department of Defense. Also joining the discussion is Eugene Kontorovich, Senior Research Fellow in The Heritage Foundation and professor at the George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School, whose opinion article in the Wall Street Journal in early July advocated for a strong US response in the event of Ireland’s enactment of the Occupied Territories bill.

In recent years, increased attention is being paid to the importance of protecting offshore infrastructure from threats. Offshore energy and communications infrastructure, such as wind farms and subsea cables, are increasingly being viewed as targets by hybrid threat actors. Incidents such as the damage to the Balticconnector cable and Nordstream pipelines have heightened awareness of the threat to critical offshore infrastructure. In response, European states are increasing their cooperation to ensure that such infrastructure is secure. Against this backdrop, Ireland is drafting a National Maritime Security Strategy to consider how best to protect both existing, and planned future, infrastructure. In this panel discussion, experts will discuss the threats to critical offshore assets, and what we can do to better protect them from hybrid risks. This event has been organised in conjunction with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ireland. About the Speakers: · Commodore Eduard de van der Schueren, Programme Director for the Protection of North Sea Infrastructure at the Dutch Ministry of Defence · Vice Admiral (Ret.) Mark Mellett, Former Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces · Jacqui McCrum, Secretary General of the Department of Defence · Dr Camino Kavanagh, Senior Fellow with the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and a Visiting Senior Fellow with the Dept. of War Studies, King’s College London.

We have seen the turmoil and chaos that the Trump Administration’s tariffs have caused over recent weeks and months. Since President Trump’s trade announcements, countries have been rushing to make new trade agreements, find new markets for their exports, as well as prepare for possible trade wars. In her address to the IIEA, Cecilia Malmström discusses the effect that US trade policy has had on Europe and the wider world. She also explores the impact US tariffs will have on how other countries will conduct trade in the future. About the Speaker: Cecilia Malmström served as European Commissioner for Trade from 2014 to 2019, and as European Commissioner for Home Affairs from 2010 to 2014. She was a member of the European Parliament from 1999 until 2006. She was also Minister for EU Affairs in the Swedish Government from 2006 to 2010. As European commissioner for Trade, Ms Malmström represented the European Union in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and other international trade bodies. In this role, she was responsible for negotiating bilateral trade agreements with key countries, including agreements with Canada, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, Vietnam, and the four founding Mercosur countries. Ms Malmström joined the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) as non-resident Senior Fellow in June 2021 and hosts the PIIE’s Trade Winds, a biweekly virtual event series. She is also a visiting Professor at the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Gothenburg.

Digital infrastructure and high-speed connectivity are the backbones of Ireland’s digital economy – they are fundamental for innovation, economic competitiveness, and the wellbeing of Ireland’s population. As demand for digital services continues to surge, Ireland’s infrastructure faces increasing pressure. This event brings together an expert panel representing government, industry, regulatory authorities, and academics to discuss how investment and government policy can promote Ireland’s digital infrastructure and connectivity to secure the country’s competitiveness. This event is organised in collaboration with Vodafone Ireland. This event begins with a keynote address by Minister Patrick O’Donovan, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport. The panel for this event include: Joakim Reiter, Chief external and corporate affairs officer at Vodafone Group; Garrett Blaney, Chair and Commissioner at the Commission for Communications Regulation; and Dr Frances Ruane, Chair of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council.

Developing a Life Sciences Vision for Ireland: The EU Agenda examines how Ireland can position its national life sciences strategy in the context of the European Commission’s 2025 Strategy for European Life Sciences and other new EU initiatives. Drawing on national and EU-level experience, panellists discuss key developments in EU life sciences policy and what Europe is doing to strengthen its competitiveness, research capacity, and innovation ecosystem. The event will also explore how Ireland can secure and strengthen its own role as a key player in Europe’s life sciences landscape by aligning its policy ambitions with emerging European trends. This event is organised by the Institute of International and European Affairs in partnership with Johnson & Johnson. Panellists: Pilar Aguar Fernandez, Director at People: Health and Society at DG Research and Innovation, European Commission Anouk de Vroey, Head of Government Affairs & Policy at Johnson & Johnson EMEA Muiris O’Connor, Assistant Secretary at Department of Health, Head of Research & Development and Health Analytics Darrin Morrissey, CEO of NIBRT National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training Frances Fitzgerald, Former MEP and Tánaiste (Moderator) Ireland is home to a high-performing life sciences industry, offering major opportunities for both economic development and public health. Unlike other European countries, however, Ireland does not have a holistic vision for the future of the sector. This is set to change, as the Government has promised to develop a national life sciences strategy. Other European countries have already adopted ambitious strategies to secure the future of the industry and unleash its benefits, coordinating policy across a range of areas from enterprise and investment to research and healthcare. Across the European Union, Member States are aligning national policy with broader EU ambitions for health innovation, research, and industrial resilience. Under initiatives such as Horizon Europe, the European Health Union, and EU4Health, the EU is already providing an increasingly integrated vision. In addition to this, this summer, the EU Life Sciences Strategy has been adopted by the Commission, while a new Critical Medicines Act and Biotech Act are expected soon. What will these new policies mean for Europe? And how should they be reflected in Ireland’s national strategy?

In his address to the IIEA on Finland's Futures Ecosystem in a European context, Minister Joakim Strand draws on tools of strategic foresight to elicit Finland's vision for future-proofing Europe and increasing its presence in the EU Institutions. He highlights Finland’s EU strategic policy objectives of strengthening Europe's democracy; boosting its resilience to malign foreign influence by strengthening media literacy; and improving comprehensive security. About the speaker: Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering of Finland Joakim Strand is responsible for matters related to the European Union within the Prime Minister's Office that are not covered by the Prime Minister, including representing Finland in the EU General Affairs Council. He is also responsible for state ownership steering policy. Minister Strand is serving his third term as a Member of Parliament from the Vaasa constituency, where he was first elected in 2015. He has served as the Chair of the Committee for the Future and the Intelligence Oversight Committee, and as a member of the Commerce Committee and the Defence Committee, among others. Minister Strand has also worked as the Chair of the City Council of his hometown, Vaasa, the Chair of the Regional Assembly of Ostrobothnia, the Chair of the Kvarken Council, and the Chair of the Board of two energy companies. He holds a Master of Laws and a Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration.

In his keynote address to the Institute, Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, addresses the disregard for human rights and international humanitarian law across the globe. Amid escalating conflict, deepening inequalities, and growing divisions, High Commissioner Türk speaks about how we need more human rights – not less. Human rights provide a compass to steer us through some of the greatest challenges of our time. We need an unwavering commitment to multilateralism and international law to work towards an equal and just future for all. Speaker bio: Volker Türk was appointed as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2022. Prior to this, Mr. Türk was the Under-Secretary-General for Policy in the Executive Office of the United Nations Secretary-General. Over the course of his career, he held a number of key positions including as Assistant High Commissioner for Protection in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva (2015-2019), during which time he played a key role in the development of the landmark Global Compact on Refugees. Mr. Türk holds a doctorate in international law from the University of Vienna and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Linz, Austria.

According to Dr Leah Rose Ely Downey, the power to create money is foundational to the state. In the United States, that power has been largely delegated to private banks governed by an independent central bank. Putting monetary policy in the hands of a set of insulated, non-elected experts has fuelled the popular rejection of expertise, as well as a widespread dissatisfaction with democratically elected officials. In her address to the IIEA, Dr Downey makes a principled case against central bank independence (CBI) by  challenging both the economic theory behind it and developing a democratic rationale for sustaining the power of the legislature to determine who can create money, and on what terms. She discusses how states governing money creation has an impact on the capacity of the people and their elected officials to steer policy over time and argues that in a healthy democracy, the balance of power over money creation matters. About the Speaker: Dr Leah Rose Ely Downey is a Junior Research Fellow at St. John's College, Cambridge affiliated with the Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS). Dr Downey is a political theorist with interests in the politics of economic theory, economic policymaking, and the administrative state. Her current research focuses on the democratic politics of monetary policy. Dr Downey is also the author of Our Money: Monetary Policy as if Democracy Matters. In September 2025, she will join the Department of Political Economy at King's College London.

As Ireland prepares for its EU Presidency in the second half of 2026, this keynote speech by Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović addresses the key topic of EU Enlargement. Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović presents Montenegro’s journey as the frontrunner in the European Union accession process, emphasising the country’s achievements, its enduring challenges and its clear vision for the future. From a Montenegrin perspective, EU integration is not merely a technical process, but a strategic and value-driven choice that reaffirms Montenegro’s European identity and its role as a regional leader on the path towards full membership. Speaker bio: Dr Filip Ivanović is the Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Montenegro, a position he has held since July 2024. Prior to this post, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs. From May 2022 to August 2023, Dr Ivanović served as member of the Governing Board of the University of Montenegro. From 2018 to 2021, he was member of the Working Group for the Negotiations on Accession of Montenegro to the EU for Chapter 25 ‘Science and Research’. Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović has a distinguished academic career and was a research/teaching fellow at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the University of Leuven, the Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem, and the University of Donja Gorica. In February 2020, Dr Ivanović was a visiting professor at the University of North Bengal and in April 2022, he was appointed assistant research professor at the Institute of Advanced Studies of the University of Montenegro. Since 2021, he has also been a visiting scholar at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in History of Ideas (CRISI) at the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan. Deputy Prime Minister Ivanović is also an expert evaluator of the European Commission, expert of the Agency for Control and Quality Assurance of Higher Education of Montenegro, member of the College of Research Associates of the European Science Foundation, a fellow of the Young Academy of Europe and the Royal Historical Society, and member of the Committee for Philosophy and Sociology of the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts. He holds BA and MA degrees from the University of Bologna and a PhD from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Diplomatic Practice from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers her 2025 State of the Union Address, outlining the EU’s priorities for the year ahead. While the speech is a closely-guarded secret, it may cover issues such as enhancing Europe’s competitiveness, strengthening the EU’s security and defence capacity, building win-win trade partnerships, the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the European Democracy Shield and upholding the rule of law.  To mark this speech, the European Commission and the European Parliament, in conjunction with the IIEA, have live streamed the address, followed by a hybrid expert panel discussion which assesses the key themes explored and President von der Leyen’s outlook and priorities for 2026. Speakers: Paddy Smyth, Journalist and Former Europe Editor at The Irish Times (Moderator)   Frances Fitzgerald, Former Tánaiste and MEP Tom Hanney, Former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ireland to the EU  Brigid Laffan, Professor Emeritus, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute Cian Walsh, Secretary of the UCC Government and Politics Society and a Quercus Active Citizenship Scholar

In her keynote address to the IIEA, Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA, Minister for the Economy in Northern Ireland, discusses economic opportunities for Northern Ireland in the context of constitutional change and her priorities in her current role. Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA was appointed Minister for the Economy in the Northern Ireland Executive in February 2025.  Previously, she served as Finance Minister from February 2024. Minister Archibald graduated from Queen’s University, Belfast with a BSc in Molecular Biology and a PhD by research with a Department of Agriculture and Rural Development studentship.  She also completed a Postgraduate diploma in Management & Corporate Governance at Ulster University. Minister Archibald was elected as an MLA for East Derry in May 2016, re-elected in March 2017, and again in May 2022. She is formerly Chair of the Assembly’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, and Economy committees. Prior to being elected in May 2016, she worked for almost a decade in applied horticulture and plant pathology research including on collaborative EU funded projects.

In an era of profound geopolitical upheaval and sharpening rivalries, this session will examine the critical juncture at which Türkiye and Europe stand. In his address to the IIEA, His Excellency Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, will set out Türkiye’s vision for a reinvigorated strategic partnership with the European Union. He will address the future of enlargement, defense and security cooperation, trade, and energy security as well as the wider regional challenges that define the European and global landscape. The discussion will underscore Türkiye’s pivotal role as a strategic partner and the urgent need for Europe and Türkiye to forge a common strategic horizon grounded in stability, resilience, and shared interests. Speaker bio: Hakan Fidan has been the Minister of Foreign Affairs since the presidential elections in May 2023. Prior to his current role, Minister Fidan held critical positions in the state administration in foreign policy and security domains. He served as the President of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, Deputy Undersecretary responsible for foreign policy and security issues at the Prime Ministry, Board Member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Undersecretary/Director of the National Intelligence Organization, and Special Representative of the President. Having graduated from the Turkish Military Academy and the Land Forces Language School, Minister Fidan pursued a significant part of his academic studies during his service in the Turkish Armed Forces. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland University College and master's and doctoral degrees from the Department of International Relations at Bilkent University. Following his service in the Turkish Armed Forces, Minister Fidan lectured in the field of international relations at Hacettepe University and Bilkent University.

In this podcast, which is part of the IIEA’s Future-Proofing Europe Project and kindly supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, IIEA Researcher Dylan Marshall engaged with Judge Baker in a conversation on the link between the European Democracy Shield and safeguarding the integrity of elections. Judge Baker provided an overview of the role and powers of the Electoral Commission (An Coimisiún Toghcháin) as an independent statutory body, constrained by legislation, which is responsible for: · overseeing all elections and referendum campaigns in Ireland; · overseeing the realignment of constituency boundaries; · maintaining the register of political parties in Ireland; and · encouraging people to vote by explaining the electoral process and its education and research role. On its role of ensuring the fairness and integrity of electoral events, she highlighted the importance of procedures being followed correctly to ensure that everyone has access and the opportunity to exercise their franchise. Furthermore, Judge Baker referred to the links between the Electoral Commission and similar agencies in other European countries and explained how its work can feed into the formulation of the EU Democracy Shield, which is due to be presented this autumn by Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection. Judge Baker discussed the Electoral Commission’s yet to be defined role in regulating online political information and advertising and discussed the Political Advertising Regulation, which will enter into force in October 2025, and the potential role that the Electoral Commission may have in its enforcement. In the context of regulating dis- and misinformation, Judge Baker underlined the importance of freedom of expression and its constitutional value and emphasised the importance of ensuring a balance between freedom of expression and regulation. Furthermore, she reflected on the role judicial oversight could have in ensuring respect for rights in this area, highlighting the importance of the rule of law and its link to democratic resilience. However, she emphasised the particular logistical difficulties that can arise with judicial redress around electoral events. Judge Baker emphasised the importance of education for citizens to enable them to engage with civil society and democratic processes and expressed the view that educational outreach can achieve much better outcomes in countering dis- and misinformation than regulation alone. She welcomed the high level of electoral literacy amongst Irish people and mentioned that radio programmes have proved to be an effective platform for reaching people in their daily life. Judge Baker briefly reflected on the upcoming Presidential elections in Ireland and stated that the procedures are neutral and robust, that the President’s ceremonial role should reflect the values of the population and must be taken seriously, and that the Electoral Commission has a role in ensuring that people know what the President can and cannot do. The conversation concluded with a discussion on the recently proposed motions, passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly and debated in Dáil Éireann, to expand the franchise in Irish Presidential elections to Irish citizens in Northern Ireland and on the potential logistical and structural challenges it could pose.

This podcast is part of the IIEA’s Future-Proofing Europe Project which is kindly supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Michael McGrath, as Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, launched the Commission’s Rule of Law Report 2025. The European Commission Rule of Law Reports first began in 2020, as the EU experienced a period of increasing decline in the rule of law. The Report was envisaged as an additional, preventative tool within the Commission’s Rule of Law Toolbox which could assess early warning signs of backsliding on the rule of law. Kersty McCourt argued that while the Commission’s Rule of Law Report is a useful resource, the challenge now facing the Commission is to link its assessments and recommendations with actions that are implemented quickly and robustly enough to steer Member States back towards greater respect for the Rule of Law. In the conversation, Kersty McCourt highlighted the particularly vulnerable position in which civil society across Europe now finds itself, where some governments, and even members of the European Parliament seek to discredit the work done by CSOs in support democracy, human rights and the rule of law. She warned that if these issues are not addressed, the EU will face a very dangerous trajectory over the next five years.

The European Commission’s much-anticipated Rule of Law Report was published on 8 July 2025. Since 2019, the Report has monitored developments in the rule of law in Member States and issues recommendations on how the Member States can improve judicial systems, anti-corruption frameworks, media pluralism, and other institutional checks and balances. In this IIEA webinar, Florian Geyer and Nicolaas Bel, Head and Deputy Head of Unit (respectively) at DG JUST in the European Commission, join Judge Marie Baker to discuss the Commission’s most recent findings and recommendations. They will present the new elements of the Report, including the innovative Single Market dimension, and discuss the connection between Rule of Law and securing EU funds. Speaker bios: Ms Justice Marie Baker serves as the first Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ireland. She was called to the Bar of Ireland in 1984 and was made a judge of the High Court of Ireland in 2014. She was a judge of the Court of Appeal of Ireland from 2018 until she was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ireland in 2019 where she sat until her retirement in 2024. She has lectured in law at University College Cork and Dublin City University. Florian Geyer is a lawyer who has worked for the European Commission for more than fifteen years in various Directorates-General. Before joining the Commission, he was a Research Fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) in Brussels and a senior research assistant in public law at the University of Trier, Germany. Since 2021, he has been the Head of Unit responsible for rule of law in the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers of the European Commission. Nicolaas Bel is a lawyer and has been working for the European Commission for some twenty years in various Directorates-General. Before joining the Commission, he worked in the legal department of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 2019, he has been the Deputy Head of Unit responsible for the rule of law in the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers of the European Commission.

In his address to the IIEA, Richard Browne, Director of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), outlines the current cyber risk environment facing Ireland, explain the present work of the NCSC, and sets out the upcoming challenges that the next National Cyber Security Strategy will seek to address. Richard Browne has been Director of the NCSC since 2022.

At a time when conflict and violence have forced an unprecedented number of people to flee their homes and countries, Filippo Grandi will argue that cuts to humanitarian aid and development budgets and the erosion of trust in multilateral institutions only contribute to further exacerbate instability. He will highlight how refugees have become pawns in political debates, rather than recipients of the protection and assistance they need, and to which they are entitled. Mr Grandi will explain UNHCR's mandate and function in responding to displacement emergencies, highlight its role in supporting countries in reacting effectively – and legally – to the challenges posed by forced displacement, and emphasise the indispensable role that humanitarian intervention plays in the arc of diplomacy. About the Speaker: Filippo Grandi is the 11th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He was first elected by the UN General Assembly on 1 January 2016 for a five-year term. Since then, the General Assembly has twice re-elected him to this post, and he will complete his term of office on 31 December 2025. He has been engaged in refugee and humanitarian work for more than 30 years and has served as Commissioner-General of the UN Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Afghanistan, and has worked with NGOs and UNHCR in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Jim O’Callaghan is the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. He was elected to Dáil Éireann for the constituency of Dublin Bay South in the general elections of 2016, 2020 and 2024. Previously, he had been a councillor on Dublin City Council. He has served as a member and Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Justice and was also a member of the Oireachtas Finance and Education Committees. He has been the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Justice since 2016. He is a law graduate (BCL) of University College Dublin and attained a Master of Law (LLM) degree and a Master in Philosophy (M.Phil) degree in Criminology from the University of Cambridge. He also holds a Barrister-at-Law degree from the King’s Inns and has been a Senior Counsel since 2008.

Against the backdrop of growing uncertainty in global markets, Ireland faces a number of challenges which could impact its domestic economy. Trade relations are ostensibly deteriorating as tariffs loom, meanwhile EU Member States have grown increasingly concerned about Europe’s competitiveness. In his remarks to the IIEA, Feargal O’Rourke, Chairperson of the IDA, discusses what this growing uncertainty may mean for Ireland, and how Ireland can ensure that it remains an attractive place for businesses and industry. About the Speaker: Feargal O’Rourke currently serves as Chairperson of the IDA, the Irish State agency responsible for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). He also serves as Chair of the board of the Institute of International and European Affairs. Previously, Mr O’Rourke was Managing Partner of PwC in Ireland from 2015 until 2023. Over a 37-year career, he specialised in FDI, focusing on assisting US-based companies to set up in Ireland and Europe. While at PwC, he led their tax practice and was heavily involved in the OECD BEPS process. In 2024, he published From Rags to Riches: The Irish Men’s Team in the Professional Era, an account of the history of the Irish Men’s Rugby team from 1995.

Oppressive governments are reaching across borders to harass and persecute their citizens and exiles. Transnational repression has become a normal and institutionalised practice for dozens of countries that seek to control their citizens abroad. This repression can include intimidation, harassment, abductions, and assassinations. In this event, Yana Gorokhovskaia, Research Director, Strategy and Design, at Freedom House, outlines findings from work undertaken by Freedom House on the subject of transnational repression over the last decade, and reflects on how democracies can respond. Yana Gorokhovskaia is a Research Director at Freedom House and leads work across several portfolios on the Research and Analysis team. She has co-authored several Freedom House reports on transnational repression. Her analysis has also been published in Foreign Affairs, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Politico, Journal of Democracy, Just Security, Huffington Post, and many other publications. Prior to joining Freedom House, Yana worked as an academic analyzing protest and politics in post-Soviet states. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of British Columbia and was a postdoctoral scholar at Columbia University until 2019.

On 3-4 April 2025, the first ever EU-Central Asia Summit took place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. At the summit, political leaders of the EU and Central Asian countries took the landmark step to upgrade relations between the two regions to a strategic partnership. In this IIEA webinar, Eduards Stiprais, EU Special Representative for Central Asia, addresses what it means to have a strategic partnership between these two regions, what is the reason behind it, and how the EU can achieve and maintain this level of partnership in the future. Central Asia over its recent history has been closely related to Europe. This is especially true in relation to people-to-people contact and educational, cultural and touristic exchanges. However, Ambassador Stiprais underscores the need to realise the full potential of cooperation between the EU and Central Asia and speaks about why the EU must continue to build up its partnerships around the world patiently and meticulously. About the Speaker: Ambassador Eduards Stiprais joined the Latvian Diplomatic Service in 1993. He served in a variety of positions including as Head of the EU delegation in Uzbekistan (2016-2020) Tashkent, as the Permanent Representative of Latvia to the EU and as the Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to the United Kingdom, as well as to France. Ambassador Stiprais assumed his role as EU Special Representative for Central Asia in March 2025. Throughout his career, Ambassador Stiprais received several national and foreign awards and decorations. He has contributed to numerous publications on matters of European integration and the wider international agenda.

In a bid to ensure both fairness and competitiveness, EU policymakers have been grappling with how best to protect consumers online while also boosting the digital economy. Digital services and online marketplaces, advertising, and personalisation have facilitated business growth and innovation but have also driven concerns about risks for consumers and about the misuse of personal data. Policymakers are now seeking to address these issues through initiatives such as the anticipated Digital Fairness Act while also proposing regulatory simplification to ease burdens on businesses - potentially requiring that a delicate balance be struck. In this event an expert panel will discuss if and how the EU can enhance digital fairness and consumer protection without harming innovation or widening the competitiveness gap between European firms and their international rivals. This event is organised by the IIEA and supported by Google. The panel for this event includes: Vanessa Hartley, Head of Google Ireland and Vice President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Large Customer Sales; Síona Ryan, Director of Digital and Data Regulation, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC); Marco Pierani, Director of Public Affairs and Media Relations, Euroconsumers; Regina Doherty, MEP

'Europe from the Inside' In the final edition of IIEA Insights before the summer break, recently retired Head of the European Commission’s Representation Office in Dublin, Barbara Nolan, will offer reflections from her decades-long career in the EU civil service. In the discussion, she will examine the changing role of the European Commission and other EU institutions; power dynamics within the bloc in the context of a near-tripling of members during her career; and how Britain’s exit from the bloc has changed it. Barbara will also offer perspectives on Ireland’s interests and positions in the EU over three decades. Barbara Nolan was Head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland on two occasions, from 2021-2024 and 2010-2016, but spent most of her career at the Commission’s HQ in Brussels. There, she was in charge of Fundamental Rights Policy in the Justice and Consumers Directorate General and represented the Commission on the board of the Fundamental Rights Agency. She was also responsible for the coordination of the Erasmus+ programme, the reform and modernisation of Higher Education, and worked on Anti-Discrimination Policy and Communications and Media. She was the European Commission's Spokesperson for Employment, Social Affairs and Health matters, as well as for Justice and Home Affairs.

Ireland is home to a high-performing life sciences industry, offering outstanding opportunities for both economic development and public health. Unlike other European countries, however, Ireland does not have a holistic vision for the future of the sector. This is set to change, as the Government has promised to develop a national life sciences strategy. Our European peers have already adopted ambitious strategies to secure the industry and harness its social benefits, coordinating policy across a range of areas from enterprise and investment to research and healthcare. This event series, organised by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in partnership with Johnson & Johnson, will explore these questions and more, bringing together Irish and European leaders from industry, public policy, and academia to discuss the right approach for a national life sciences strategy for Ireland. The second event of this series, entitled Developing a Life Sciences Vision for Ireland: Insights from Europe on Health Innovation, will look how Ireland should shape its life sciences strategy through a healthcare lens. The panellists will discuss the case for a coordinated government approach and explore how aligning healthcare policy with sectoral strategy can unleash benefits both for patients and the economy. Based on their experiences at both national and international level, the panellists will examine what other European countries have done to strengthen links between industry and healthcare systems, prepare for future waves of innovation, and how Ireland can use collaboration with the wider health sector to strengthen its position as a global life sciences hub. Panellists: Professor Mary Horgan, Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health Ann Van Gysel, CEO of Biovia, Belgium Dr Niklas Blomberg, Executive Director of Innovative Health Initiative Gwynne Morley, General Manager at IQVIA Ireland Ronan Glynn, EY Ireland Health Sector Leader.

In 2024 there were more internet shutdowns, occurring in more countries, than ever before. In this event, Felicia Anthonio, KeepItOn Campaign Manager at Access Now, and Zach Rosson, KeepItOn Data and Research Lead at Access Now, outline Access Now’s latest report: Emboldened offenders, endangered communities: internet shutdowns in 2024. This report documents internet shutdowns and their often devastating impacts – including for human rights and human life — around the world. About the Speakers: Felicia Anthonio is #KeepItOn Campaign Manager at Access Now, an organisation which campaigns to promote digital rights and freedom of expression. The #KeepItOn Campaign is global campaign of over 300 organizations that fights against internet shutdowns. Felicia has authored and co-authored several publications on internet shutdowns and hosted the Kill Switch Podcast. Felicia is also an Advisory Council member of the US-based Open Technology Fund (OTF) and a board member of the World Expression Forum (WEXFO), in Norway. Zach Rosson is the #KeepItOn Data Analyst and Research Lead at Access Now, where he helps fight internet shutdowns globally. His past experience includes data analytics in the private sector as well as computational scientific research. He has published research in the field of seismology, using data mining and statistics to study earthquake risk due to fracking activities by the energy industry.

The emergence of quantum technologies may accelerate technological development and have far-reaching economic and societal impacts. In this event, Dr Gustav Kalbe, Acting Director for Emerging and Enabling Technologies, DG CONNECT, in the European Commission discusses EU policies toward quantum technologies, including the forthcoming EU Quantum Strategy and the EU Quantum Act. Mr Kalbe focuses part of his remarks on the EU’s policies to promote the development of quantum technologies as well as how the risks that these technologies may pose can be addressed. About the Speaker: Dr Gustav Kalbe is the Acting Director for Emerging and Enabling Technologies in DG CONNECT in the European Commission. He joined the European Commission in 1998 and has held several assignments in quantum technologies, photonics, and cybersecurity. In January 2021, he was appointed Deputy to the Director of DG CONNECT for Digital Excellence and Science Infrastructure. In 2018 Dr Kalbe became responsible for the establishment and operation of the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking. Dr. Kalbe holds a PhD in Physics.

Ireland’s ambitions to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 will require a fundamental transformation of its energy systems, including its gas network. Renewable gases such as hydrogen and biomethane can play an important role in this transition and in future-proofing Ireland’s energy supply. Renewable gases have the potential to enable sectors that cannot easily electrify to decarbonise. They also have the potential to enhance Ireland’s energy security while creating opportunities for export-driven economic growth. This panel discussion, organised in conjunction with Gas Networks Ireland, will discuss the transformation that might be required in Ireland’s gas network to reach net-zero carbon emissions, as well as the long-term potential benefits for Irish society and the wider economy that this transformation might yield. About the Speakers: Edwina Nyhan, Director of Strategy and Regulation at Gas Networks Ireland Tom O’Brien, Group Chief Executive of Nephin Energy Katy McNeil, Head of Scottish Government Office, Ireland Charlie Brophy, Principal Officer, Electricity Storage and Hydrogen Policy in the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment.

In his online address to the IIEA, Professor Avi Shlaim discusses his new book, Genocide in Gaza: Israel’s Long War on Palestine, a Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year 2024. In the book, Avi Shlaim places Israel’s policy towards the Gaza Strip under an uncompromising lens, arguing that Israel has gone beyond land-grabbing and ethnic cleansing to now committing genocide. As a collection of essays written between 2021-2024, the book begins with a foreword by Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, and ends with the statement made by Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC to the International Court of Justice in the Case of Genocide against Israel. About the Speaker: Avi Shlaim is Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of the British Academy. He is one of the most acclaimed historians of modern Palestinian and Israeli history. His books include Collusion across the Jordan: King Abdullah, the Zionist Movement, and the Partition of Palestine (1988); War and Peace in the Middle East: A Concise History (1995); The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World (2000, updated edition 2014); Lion of Jordan: The Life of King Hussein in War and Peace (2007); Israel and Palestine: Reappraisals, Revisions, Refutations (2009); Three Worlds: Memoir of an Arab-Jew (2023), and Genocide in Gaza: Israel’s Long War on Palestine (2024).

In her address to the IIEA, Ruth Owen, Deputy Director at FEANTSA, examines the European Union’s efforts to address homelessness through its evolving affordable housing agenda. As the EU has no direct competence in housing, the responsibility for policies on and investment in social and affordable housing remains with the Member States. Drawing on over a decade of experience in homelessness policy, she explores the potential of EU initiatives to support more inclusive and effective housing solutions across Member States, including the European Platform on Combatting Homelessness and the affordable housing initiative as part of the Commission's renovation wave strategy for Europe. She considers the challenges of implementation, the role of national governments, and the need for integrated policy responses to ensure that affordable housing contributes meaningfully to the fight against homelessness. Speaker bio: Ruth Owen is Deputy Director at FEANTSA (European Federation of National Associations Working with the Homeless), where she has worked since 2010. She is an expert on homelessness and public policies to address it. She has a special interest in housing policy. Prior to working on homelessness, Ruth studied geography and worked as a teacher in London.

A Keynote Address by Stephen Doughty, UK Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories About the Speaker: Stephen Doughty was appointed Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in July 2024. Mr Doughty was first elected as Welsh Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth in November 2012. He studied at Lester B. Pearson UWC in Canada, Oxford University, and St Andrews University. He later worked for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and for members of the then National Assembly for Wales. Mr Doughty spent a number of years working for humanitarian and international development NGOs World Vision UK, Oxfam GB, Oxfam International, and Oxfam Cymru. During the previous Labour government, he was Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for International Development. In 2020 he was appointed Shadow Foreign Affairs and International Development Minister and in 2021 he was appointed Shadow Minister for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories. He also served on the Wales, Home Affairs, Arms Export Controls and International Development Committees in Parliament, as an opposition Whip, and a Shadow Minister for Trade and Industry. He chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group for HIV and Aids and was a member of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly. Minister Doughty completed the Armed Forces Parliamentary scheme, attending the Royal College of Defence Studies 2017 to 2018 and has also served as an Army Reservist.

In this event, Alan Matthews, Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy at Trinity College Dublin, presents the key themes from his upcoming paper Designing Agricultural Climate Policy in Ireland - From 2030 to Net Zero. The paper, which is the third in the IIEA’s Pathways project, examines the strategic and institutional challenges involved in defining appropriate long-term targets for agricultural emissions in Ireland, and explores the ambiguities and trade-offs in setting 2040 and 2050 targets. It makes the case for exploring the introduction of an agricultural emissions trading scheme to incentivise further progress towards reducing net emissions, and how this could be designed to minimise the impact on farm income while encouraging the necessary structural changes in our food and agricultural system. Prof. Matthews’ presentation is followed by a discussion with an expert panel. Panel bios: Alan Matthews is Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, and a former President of the European Association of Agricultural Economists. He is also a former member of the Irish Climate Change Advisory Council. His research interests include the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, the relationships between trade and food security, and WTO trade norms and disciplines. Niamh Garvey joined the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) as Senior Policy Analyst in March 2021, where she works on sustainable development and climate action. Prior to this, she was Head of Policy and Advocacy at Trócaire, an Irish international development organisation operating in 17 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In this role, she led a team of advisors focused on climate change, sustainable agriculture, business and human rights, and international finance. Niamh has also held research and advocacy positions with Christian Aid and the Institute of Development Studies and has served as a Board Director for several NGOs, including Debt and Development Coalition Ireland, Friends of the Earth Ireland, and Fairtrade Mark Ireland. She is a graduate of Durham University and the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex. Kevin Hanrahan is Head of Rural Economy and Development Programme at Teagasc. He leads the Rural Economy and Development Programme at Teagasc, based at the Rural Economy & Development Centre in Athenry, Co. Galway. His research focuses on the economic analysis of agricultural markets, including both input and output sectors, with a particular emphasis on agricultural land and factor markets. His research interests are in partial equilibrium modelling of Irish and European agriculture, the economics of climate change as it relates to agriculture, and the microeconomic impacts of agricultural policy reform. Dr Hanrahan also studies the effects of trade policy changes on Irish and EU agriculture and is a noted expert in the economics of Irish beef production.

New Zealand’s emissions profile is even more heavily weighted towards biogenic emissions than Ireland’s. However, the country’s emissions trading scheme (ETS) has only targeted emissions from the combustion of fossil fuel. Attempts to extend it to agricultural emissions have been controversial and unsuccessful to date although current government policy is to target methane emissions by 2030. The ETS does, however, have a powerful influence on land use decisions. Emitters have unlimited recourse to forestry units as a means of meeting their obligations. Carbon forestry can deliver higher returns than sheep and beef on much of the hill country, resulting in tens of thousands of hectares being forested. In his address to the IIEA, Simon Upton discusses New Zealand’s climate policies and how the distortions that have resulted pose significant challenges for the future of both land use and emissions reductions. About the Speaker: Simon Upton was sworn in as Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment for a five-year term on 16 October 2017. Simon is now in his second 5-year term. Mr Upton is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and a Rhodes Scholar, with degrees in English literature, music and law from the University of Auckland, and an MLitt in political philosophy from Oxford University. He was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council in 1999. A Member of Parliament between 1981 and 2000, Mr Upton held a variety of ministerial portfolios including environment, research, biosecurity, health and state services between 1990 and 1999. After leaving Parliament, Mr Upton moved to Paris to chair the Round Table on Sustainable Development at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In 2005, he returned to New Zealand to pursue a number of private sector roles while continuing to chair the Round Table.

'The Israel-Iran Conflict: Implications and Outcomes' The forthcoming edition of IIEA insights will focus on the Middle-East's latest conflict and its consequences for the region, Europe, Ireland, and the global economy. Rory Montgomery, a former ambassador and Political Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, will look at the implications for Ireland and Europe; Laurence Norman, who has followed Iran’s nuclear programme over years for the Wall Street Journal, will set out the possible diplomatic and military outcomes; Michael O’Sullivan, Author and Adviser on Intersection of Investment and Geopolitics, will assess the economic and energy impacts of the conflict and any potential escalation thereof; while Paola Rivetti of Dublin City University will discuss Iran’s domestic politics and society. Rory Montgomery was a senior Irish diplomat for almost four decades, serving as Political Director at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representative to the EU. He is currently Chairperson of the Press Council of Ireland. Laurence Norman is a Reporter at The Wall Street Journal based in Berlin and Brussels, covering the EU, European foreign policy, and nuclear issues. Over the last 20 years, he has reported for the paper from London, New York, and Buenos Aires. Michael O’Sullivan is an author, economist, and investor. He has twenty years’ experience in global financial markets, most recently as Chief Investment Officer at Credit Suisse Wealth. He is a Senior Adviser at WestExec, a Forbes contributor and author of ‘The Levelling’, which outlines what’s next in politics, economics, finance and geopolitics in the post globalisation era. Paola Rivetti is Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations at the School of Law and Government, Dublin City University.

Is Ireland ready for the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI)? This event will explore both the opportunities and risks of AI for people and firms in Ireland. This expert panel discusses how Ireland can ensure that AI is harnessed in a safe manner that is aligned with fundamental rights and European values. The panel will also discuss emerging policy issues, including the implementation and supervision of the AI Act, the speed of technological change and how Ireland can ensure trustworthy AI innovation. This event is organised in collaboration with the Economic Regulators Network (ERN), a cross-sectoral group of economic regulators in Ireland. The ERN is composed of the Central Bank of Ireland, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), Coimisiún na Meán, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), the National Transport Authority (NTA), and the Commission for Aviation Regulation. This event begins with a keynote speech by Minister Niamh Smyth, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation The panel for this event include: Jean Carberry, Assistant Secretary, Digital, EU and Climate Programmes, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE); Dr Harshvardhan Pandit, Assistant Professor, Dublin City University; Trevor Fitzpatrick, Head Of Risk Analysis, Data Analytics & Reporting (RADAR) Division, Central Bank of Ireland; Noelle Doody, Managing Director for Data and AI, Accenture

For the past 80 years, the US dollar has held the status of the world’s primary reserve currency. However, following President Trump and his administration’s policies, this status currently looks at risk. In his address to the IIEA, Professor Kenneth Rogoff discusses his new book Our Dollar, Your Problem: An Insider’s View of Seven Turbulent Decades of Global Finance, and the Road Ahead. Professor Rogoff illustrates how the US Dollar reached its current status as the world’s primary reserve currency. He also discusses the challenges it faces from the likes of crypto and the Chinese yuan. Professor Rogoff also considers how the current US Administration’s policies will impact the dollar’s role in the world economy. About the Speaker: Kenneth Rogoff is Maurits C. Boas Professor at Harvard University and former chief economist at the IMF. His influential 2009 book with Carmen Reinhart, This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly, shows the remarkable quantitative similarities across time and countries in the roots and aftermath of debt and financial crises. Professor Rogoff is also known for his pioneering work on central bank independence and exchange rates. His monthly syndicated column on global economic issues is published in over 50 countries. His 2025 book, Our Dollar, Your Problem: An Insider’s View of Seven Turbulent Decades of Global Finance explores the post-war rise of the dollar, the challenges ahead from crypto and the Chinese yuan, and argues that the period of reliably low interest rates, inflation, and exchange rate volatility has likely come to an end.

In his address to the IIEA, Fintan Slye discusses NESO’s new organisation and how it is supporting the UK Government’s ambitions to achieve clean power by 2030. Fintan Slye also touches upon UK-Ireland and UK-EU energy cooperation, and NESO’s recent work on reforming the process for connecting to the electricity transmission system. About the Speaker: Fintan Slye is the Chief Executive Officer of National Energy System Operator (NESO). NESO is an independent organisation responsible for planning Great Britain’s entire energy system, operating the electricity network, and offering expert advice to the sector’s decision makers. The organisation brings electricity and gas network planning under one roof, plotting the country’s course for clean power and paving the way for lower energy bills. Prior to this, Fintan led Great Britain’s Electricity System Operator (ESO) as its Executive Director. He was also CEO of the EirGrid Group and worked for McKinsey & Co, supporting clients across Ireland, the UK and Europe, as well as holding various management roles in ESB in Ireland and the United States. Fintan is a Non-Executive Director at AEMO Services Limited, which is based in Sydney, which is responsible for planning the level of investment in generation and storage over time in New South Wales, including designing and running the competitive tenders to deliver this. He holds an Engineering Degree, a Master’s in Engineering Science, and an MBA from UCD and is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers Ireland. He also has a keen interest in law, holding diplomas in Legal Studies and European Law.

'The Economic Outlook at Mid-Year' Despite intense uncertainty in the international trading system and heightened geopolitical tensions, both the Irish and global economies proved resilient in the first half of 2025. As we move into the second half of the year, Dan O’Brien, the IIEA’s Chief Economist, will present his economic outlook during the next event in the Institute’s Insights series. He will examine issues such as growth-positive technological changes and Europe’s under-discussed strengths. Dan O'Brien is Chief Economist of the Institute of International and European Affairs. He is also Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at University College Dublin’s Geary Institute and a Columnist with The Currency. He has previously worked for Economist Intelligence Unit, the Irish Times, the European Commission and as a consultant for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and Forfas.

Europe faces an acute and growing threat. The EU Joint White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030 outlines how Europe will need to do more to ensure to protect European citizens. This IIEA panel discusses how Europe can develop its capabilities. Moreover, it explores how European Member States can collaborate effectively to replenish diminished stocks of equipment to not only provide for their own security, but also to meaningfully support partners such as Ukraine in their defence against Russia’s war of aggression. This event has been organised in association with the European Commission Representation in Ireland. Speakers include: Minister Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Guillaume de la Brosse, Head of Unit for Defence Policy and Innovation at DG DEFIS Brigadier General (Retired) Tony Cudmore, Former Brigadier General in the Irish Defence Forces and Adjunct Lecturer at Maynooth University Dr Alice Ekman, Research Director at the EU Institute for Strategic Studies (EUISS) Professor Brigid Laffan, Emeritus Professor at the European University Institute. This event was moderated by Catherine Day, Former Secretary-General of the European Commission and IIEA Board member

'The Value of the Revised Draft Declaration on International Solidarity as a Corrective to the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum' The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum sets forth a solidarity mechanism that seeks to ameliorate inequalities in responsibility for processing asylum claims. NGOs are concerned that States are pursuing externalisation agreements and strengthening border security arrangements to promote deterrence in bad faith. The Revised Draft Declaration on International Solidarity provides a framework to correct the misunderstanding of solidarity with the EU Pact. In her address to the IIEA, Professor Bailliet presents the elements of an international solidarity human-focused asylum mechanism that ensures non-discrimination, provides access to justice, calls for a reversal of externalisation and keeps the best interests of the child at its core. About the Speaker: Professor Dr. jur. Cecilia M. Bailliet is the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights and International Solidarity and Director of the Masters Programme in International Law at the University of Oslo. She supported the creation of an International Solidarity Map: Solidarity Actions Around the World. She is Co-Chair of the Latin America Interest Group of the American Society of International Law. Prof Bailliet holds a combined J.D./M.A. (honours) degree from The George Washington University Law School & Elliott School of International Affairs. She received her Doctorate in law from the University of Oslo in Norway. Prof Bailliet has published extensively on transnational and cross-disciplinary issues within international law including general public international law, human rights, refugee law, constitutional law, counter-terrorism, gender/women's rights, solidarity, and peace. Prof Bailliet's books include:  Research Handbook on International Solidarity and the Law (2024), The Construction of the Customary Law of Peace: Latin America and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (2021), and The Research Handbook on International Law and Peace (2019). She has also contributed lectures to the UN AudioVisual Library of International Law.

After almost two-decades of floundering negotiations, talks on an EU-India Free Trade Agreement have begun to gather momentum. Both sides seek alliances that cover not only trade relations but greater security cooperation and a shared technology agenda. In a signal of its strategic priorities, the College of Commissioners paid a first-of-its-kind visit to India in February 2025, where Prime Minister Modi and European Commission President von der Leyen pledged to conclude a Free Trade Agreement by the end of this year. In this IIEA panel discussion, Dr Sonali Chowdhry and Dr Amitendu Palit address the prospects of a potential EU-India Free Trade Agreement and consider what an EU-India partnership should or should not prioritise. At a time when the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy has promised to create links, not dependencies, the panelists reflect on whether – in the words of President von der Leyen – EU-India ties have the potential to be one of the defining partnerships of this century. About the Speakers: Dr Sonali Chowdhry is a trade economist based at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) and the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Her work examines the structure of global supply chains and distributional effects of new trade policies. Dr Chowdhry has contributed to in-depth policy reports on mega-regional free trade agreements to the European Parliament. Previously, she was a Max Weber Fellow at the European University Institute and earned her PhD in Economics from LMU Munich as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow. Dr Chowdhry holds an MPhil in Economics from the University of Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar from India. Dr Amitendu Palit is Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead (Trade and Economics) at the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore. He specialises in economic security, international trade and investment policies, FTAs, supply chains, regional connectivity, and the Indian economy. He is a Senior Associate Fellow with the ISPI Milan and an Adjunct Faculty with the Centre for WTO Studies, India. He has also been a Member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Trade and Investment. Dr Palit has edited and authored several books. He writes for various global publications and features as an expert on CNBC, CNA, BBC, NDTV and other prominent media channels.

Join the IIEA for the launch of its second Pathways Paper, where Matt O’Neill, Climate Project Lead, presents the key themes from Farm to Finance: The Processor–Farmer Nexus in Ireland’s Agricultural Climate Transition. The paper explores the relationship between farmers and food processors in relation to the climate transition within Agriculture. It draws on interviews with stakeholders and sectoral data to analyse the financial and regulatory considerations, and trust-based barriers to transition within the agriculture sector. It draws upon interviews with stakeholders and sectoral data to analyse the financial and regulatory considerations to transition within the wider supply chain. Following the short presentation, a panel offers their responses and reflections to the paper’s key themes. This panel includes: Ailbhe Gerrard, representing TalamhBeo and founder of Brookfield Farm Dale Crammond, Director of Meat Industry Ireland - Ibec Alan Matthews (Panel Chair), Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy at Trinity College Dublin Matthew O'Neill, IIEA Climate Project Lead Tadhg Buckley, Director of Policy/Chief Economist at Irish Farmers Association Frances McDonnell, Deputy News Editor with Agriland Speaker bios: Tadhg Buckley is currently Director of Policy/Chief Economist with the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), Ireland’s largest farming organisation. Prior to joining the IFA, Tadhg worked in the finance industry as Head of Agriculture with AIB Bank. Dale Crammond in January 2023 after a 22-year career in Government he took up the role as Director of Meat Industry Ireland. Previously, he spent four years in the Embassy of Ireland in Washington, D.C. (2015-2019) where he worked to increase market access opportunities for Irish food and drink exports to the United States.  Alan Matthews is Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy at the University of Dublin Trinity College, Ireland, and a former President of the European Association of Agricultural Economists. Matthew O'Neill is Climate Project Lead at the IIEA, in which role he leads the Pathways: Ireland’s Agricultural Future project. His research focuses on the intersection of climate policy and agricultural systems. Francess McDonnell is an award-winning journalist and producer. Currently Deputy News Editor with Agriland, she is also a former business editor and correspondent with the Sunday Times Ireland and the Irish Times and has previously worked with Sky News and BBC NI. Ailbhe Gerrard, founder of Brookfield Farm, is a farmer, beekeeper, researcher, and agricultural educator with deep interest in agriculture, creativity and regeneration.

This lecture touches on the changing global focus of development cooperation, the reform processes that have been put in place, and Ireland’s perspective on the future of development. The Minister of State speaks about Ireland’s role in key events this year, such as the upcoming Financing for Development Conference in Seville, the G20 Development Working Group and COP 30 to be held in Brazil in November, and highlights the Key Priorities for Ireland, focusing on gender and health, climate action, nutrition and education. About the Speaker: Neale Richmond is Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for International Development and Diaspora. He previously served as Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance, and as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Business, Employment and Retail, and the Department of Social Protection.

'Will Multinational American Corporations Become Less Multinational?' The US political and economic policy-making environment has changed dramatically in 2025, with a shift against globalisation among the most potentially impactful changes being executed by the current administration. US multinational corporations are reassessing their global operations in the light of tariffs, pressure from the US government to invest more at home, invest less abroad, and reshore production and jobs from other countries. To discuss how corporate America is responding to this changed environment, IIEA Insights is joined by Mike Beary, formerly of Amazon in the US and Amazon Web Services in Ireland; Courtney Fingar, Founder of Fingar Direct Investment; Joseph Quinlan, Co-Author of AmCham’s annual ‘Transatlantic Economy’ report; and Anna Scally, International Tax Partner at KPMG Ireland. About the speakers: Mike Beary is currently Chair of the Governing Authority of University College Dublin. Previously, he joined Amazon in Seattle in 2012 as part of the marketplace leadership team. He subsequently served as Country Manager Ireland for Amazon Web Services and as the company’s HR Director for Europe, Middle East & Africa. Courtney Fingar founder of Fingar Direct Investment after a career engaged in FDI issues. Her previous roles include Editor in Chief of both Investment Monitor and fDi Intelligence, Senior Advisor at The World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies, and Content Editor for FT Live. Joseph Quinlan is Senior Fellow with the Transatlantic Leadership Network and has a long and ongoing leadership role in the financial services industry in New York. Anna Scally is an International Tax Partner at KPMG Ireland where she is Sector Leader on the Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT) Industries.

On 18 May 2025, Romania held a pivotal presidential runoff between George Simion, leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), and Nicușor Dan, the pro-European independent and mayor of Bucharest. This election followed the annulment of the 2024 vote due to allegations of foreign interference, leading to heightened political tension and public scrutiny. Simion’s first-round victory, securing approximately 41% of the vote, has raised concerns about Romania’s future alignment with the EU and NATO, given his nationalist rhetoric and scepticism towards European integration. In the run-off election on 18 May, Nicușor Dan won the election and is poised to take the Romanian presidency, on a platform emphasising democratic values, anti-corruption, and continued cooperation with Western partners. This IIEA webinar explores the implications of the election outcome for Romania’s domestic political landscape, foreign policy, and role within the EU. The discussion features Professor Cristian Preda and Dr. Claudia Bădulescu and was moderated by Dr. Barry Colfer. Speaker bios: Professor Cristian Preda is a professor of political science at the University of Bucharest and served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2019. He was presidential adviser to President Emil Constantinescu (1999–2000) and President Traian Băsescu (2007–2009) and also served as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007. Dr Claudia Bădulescu is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute for European Studies (IEE) and the Centre for the Study of Politics (CEVIPOL) at Université Libre de Bruxelles. She holds a PhD from the European University Institute and specialises in democracy, autocratisation, and EU neighbourhood policy.

Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, sharpening Sino-US rivalry, and doubts about US security guarantees have left Europe searching for ballast. Against this backdrop, a new German government led by Friedrich Merz promises to “restore leadership.” Dr Nicolai von Ondarza explores Berlin’s concrete goals for developing EU policies, defence, and transatlantic ties, as well as its coalition-building strategies with France, Poland, the UK, and smaller member states such as Ireland. He also addresses how a resurgent AfD might constrain Germany’s room for manoeuvre. Part of our #WhatsNext series, which sees experts debate, discuss and analyse what's next for public policy as political and social change sweeps the globe. Dr Nicolai von Ondarza is the Head of the EU/Europe Research Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin and an Associate Fellow at Chatham House. His research focuses on Germany’s role in Europe, EU politics and institutions, EU–UK relations as well as democracy in Europe. As part of his work, he has consulted the German Government, the Bundestag, the UK government, the European Parliament and the European Commission.

How Africa Eats is free to read and download from the LSE Press website via this link: https://doi.org/10.31389/lsepress.hae In his online address to the IIEA, award-winning author, Professor David Luke discusses his forthcoming publication, How Africa Eats: Trade, Food Security and Climate Risks. The book examines in detail what Africa eats and where and how it is produced. Despite holding 60% of the world’s arable land area, up to one quarter of the African population experiences severe food insecurity. As editor, Professor Luke has brought together experts in trade policy, international law, and development to scrutinise how finance, investment, foreign aid, institutions, actors, and capacities have interacted with policies in preventing Africa from becoming an agricultural powerhouse. In his address, Professor Luke sets forth the urgent threats of climate change, trade barriers, and policy challenges facing the African continent in terms of food security. Professor Luke will examine the role of the EU as Africa’s most important trade partner and investor and assess whether the EU’s Global Gateway initiative has had – or could have – an impact on Africa’s food production systems and capacities. David Luke is Professor in Practice and Strategic Director at the LSE’s Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa and Extraordinary Professor at North-West University in South Africa. Specialising in African trade policy and trade negotiations, Professor Luke has decades of experience in policy advisory services, managing and catalysing research, building partnerships, and training and capacity development for private sector and government. This experience stems from an extensive career spanning a tenured appointment at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, and assignments at the African Union, the UN Development Programme, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) with postings in Harare, Pretoria, Geneva, and Addis Ababa. At ECA’s African Trade Policy Centre, Professor Luke and his team were instrumental in the preparation of the protocols that make up the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement. His PhD in African Political Economy is from the School of Oriental and African Studies, and his MSc and BSc are from the London School of Economics and Political Science. His research and teaching interests are in the areas of trade in development; trade and inclusion; and trade and sustainability. He is also a member of the board of TradeMark Africa.

Europe’s world of work is changing fast - shaped by AI, hybrid work models, new forms of work, and a renewed focus on job quality and flexibility. How can its social agenda respond to ensure competitiveness, fairness, and inclusion? This panel debate, jointly organised by the IIEA and Eurofound, also marks 50 years of Eurofound’s research supporting policies for a stronger social Europe. Drawing on insights from the IIEA and the latest Eurofound findings, this panel discussion covers themes such as working conditions and job quality, telework, employment trends, AI in the workplace, and the rising cost of living and housing. Expert panellists also consider how the EU can foster competitiveness, inclusion, social convergence, and other pressing issues in this era of rapid change. About the Speakers: Barbara Gerstenberger is Head of the Working Life Unit at Eurofound. In this role, she coordinates the research teams investigating job quality in Europe based on the European Working Conditions Survey and has overall responsibility for the European Observatory of Working Life and research into industrial relations in the EU. She joined Eurofound in 2001 and has been a research manager in the European Monitoring Centre on Change and Head of Communication and Coordinator in the Directorate Products Information and Communication Unit. Previously, she worked as Senior Research Officer in the European Metalworkers’ Federation in Brussels. Tadas Leončikas has been Head of the Employment Unit at Eurofound since September 2022. Prior to this, he was a Senior Research Manager in the Social Policies Unit, managing the European Quality of Life Survey and developing Eurofound’s survey research. Since joining Eurofound in 2010, he has worked on various topics including survey methods, quality of life, social mobility, social inclusion, trust, and housing inadequacies. In his earlier career, he headed up the Institute for Ethnic Studies in Lithuania where he worked on studies related to the situation of ethnic minorities, migrants, and other vulnerable groups. As a researcher, he has previously collaborated with the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, the United Nations Development Programme, and the International Organisation for Migration. Massimiliano Mascherini has been Head of the Social Policies unit at Eurofound since October 2019. He joined Eurofound in 2009 as a Research Manager, designing and coordinating projects on youth employment, NEETs and their social inclusion, as well as on the labour market participation of women. In 2017, he became a Senior Research Manager in the Social Policies unit where he spearheaded new research on monitoring convergence in the EU. In addition to his work on the European Quality of Life Survey, he also leads the preparation and analysis of the COVID-19 e-surveys. Previously, he was scientific officer at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

With the election of Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the formation of a new German government, expectations are mounting for revitalised German leadership at the heart of Europe. As the EU grapples with a formidable economic policy agenda, shaped by the landmark reports of Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi and influenced by shifting global dynamics under a new U.S. administration, the question arises: where does Europe go from here? In his address to the IIEA, Johannes Lindner, Co-Director of the Jacques Delors Centre at the Hertie School in Berlin,offers a unique vantage point on the evolving policy landscape from Berlin and Brussels. He discusses the EU’s ability to find consensus and deliver on key economic issues, such as common industrial policy, budget reform, increased defence spending, financial integration, regulatory simplification, and transatlantic trade. About the Speaker: Johannes Lindner is Co-Director of the Jacques Delors Centre at the Hertie School in Berlin, where he leads the Centre’s think tank work on economic and financial policy. He also teaches at the Hertie School and is an Honorary Professor at Aston University, Birmingham. From 2003 to 2022, he worked at the European Central Bank (ECB), including ten years as Head of the EU Institutions and Fora Division. He holds master's degrees from the London School of Economics and the University of Cologne and completed his PhD in political science at the University of Oxford.

Democracy is at the heart of the EU's and Member States' political foundations. Yet in an increasingly volatile global landscape— marked by the rise of authoritarianism, foreign interference, and disinformation— it cannot be taken for granted. The digital public sphere is particularly vulnerable to manipulation: recently, we have seen influencers being paid to promote certain political candidates and AI-generated fake news flooding social media platforms. Beyond external threats, there is a growing sense of disengagement among citizens from democratic participation. How can the EU address these challenges? One of the European Commission’s priorities for 2025 is the European Democracy Shield, which is envisaged as a tool to combat digital propaganda, develop media literacy and support free and independent media and civil society. In his address to the IIEA, Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, speaks about the European Commission's plans to protect European democracy, in particular, through the European Democracy Shield.  About the Speaker: Michael McGrath assumed the role of EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection on 1 December 2024, as a member of the European Commission under the leadership of President Ursula von der Leyen. Commissioner McGrath has specific responsibility for upholding the rule of law, protecting democracy and fundamental rights, tackling disinformation, improving criminal justice cooperation and strengthening the rights of victims of crime. His broad portfolio also includes improving EU competitiveness through the reform of company law and civil law. He has responsibility for consumer protection policy and for ensuring compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation across the EU. Prior to his appointment, Commissioner McGrath served as Ireland’s Minister for Finance from 2022 to 2024, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform from 2020 to 2022, and was an elected member of the Irish Parliament from 2007 to 2024.

As the global security landscape grows increasingly fractured, gender-based violence continues to be both a consequence and a tactic of conflict. In this IIEA event, expert panellists explore how the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda can more effectively address conflict-related sexual violence and ensure justice and support for survivors. Drawing from a range of experiences and diverse regional perspectives, from the Sahel to Latin America, and Ukraine to Northern Ireland, this discussion examines the multiple dimensions of gender-based violence in conflict settings. The panellists also consider how women can be agents of change in peacebuilding processes and reflect on what effective prevention, accountability, and survivor-centered responses look like in practice. This panel includes: Kateryna Levchenko, Ukrainian Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy Mary Fitzgerald, Researcher, Policy Analyst and Consultant affiliated with the Middle East Institute in Washington DC where she specialises in Libya Aisling Swaine, Professor of Peace, Security and International Law at the Sutherland School of Law, University College Dublin. Caitriona Dowd, Assistant Professor at the School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin.

'Is Britain Broken?' Recent elections and opinion polls show low levels of support for both the ruling Labour Party and the opposition Conservative Party, with a widespread belief that British politics and society are not working as they should. In the next edition of IIEA Insights, David Goodhart, Finn McRedmond, and Thomas Prosser discusses the reasons for British declinism and what is needed to turn the country around. About the Speakers: David Goodhart is Head of the Demography, Immigration, and Integration Unit, and Director of the Integration Hub website at Policy Exchange. He has authored a number of books, including most recently, The Care Dilemma: Caring Enough in the Age of Sex Equality. He is a former Director of Think Tank Demos, and former Editor of Prospect magazine, which he founded in 1995. Finn McRedmond is a Commissioning Editor and Staff Writer at the New Statesman. She also writes a weekly opinion column in the Irish Times. Thomas Prosser is Professor of Political Economy at Cardiff University. He researches subjects such as European social democracy, party and trade union support bases, and European social dialogue. He is also a keen essayist and writes The Path Not Taken Substack.’

The Digital Services Act (DSA) is a landmark European regulation which seeks to protect Europe’s values and democratic principles in the online space, and to help counter the dissemination of illegal and harmful online content. The DSA entered into force in November 2022 and began to fully apply across the EU from February 2024. At this hybrid event, a panel of experts discusses the implementation of the DSA to date and assesses the ongoing debates relating to various features of the DSA. The panel also discusses the opportunities and challenges that may lie ahead for the future of DSA enforcement. This event is organised in collaboration with the Economic Regulators Network (ERN), a cross-sectoral group of economic regulators in Ireland. The panel for this event include: John Evans, the Digital Services Commissioner,  Coimisiún na Meán Dr Eileen Culloty, Deputy Director of the DCU Institute for Future Media, Democracy, and Society (FUJO); Coordinator of the Ireland Hub of the European Digital Media Observatory Professor Natali Helberger, Distinguished University Professor of Law and Digital Technology, University of Amsterdam; Member of the project team at the Digital Services Act Observatory Irene Roche Laguna, Head of Unit, Coordination and Regulatory Compliance, DG CONNECT, European Commission The ERN is composed of Coimisiún na Meán, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), the Central Bank of Ireland, the National Transport Authority (NTA), and the Commission for Aviation Regulation.

In his address to the IIEA, Dr Pascal Boniface examines how France is positioning itself within a shifting global landscape. The presentation explores France’s strategic posture in relation to the evolving transatlantic relationship, its engagement in the Middle East, and its response to the war in Ukraine – assessing how France is navigating complex security challenges and global realignments in its bid to remain a prominent European and international actor. Speaker bio: Dr Pascal Boniface is the Founding Director of IRIS – the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs. He is Editor-in-Chief of La Revue internationale et stratégique and L’Année stratégique, and the author of more than 80 books on international relations, global power dynamics, French foreign policy, and sports geopolitics. Recorded on the 28th of April 2025

'War, sanctions and western disunity' As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is in its fourth year and efforts to pause the conflict have both intensified and become more complex, David O’Sullivan, the EU’s Sanctions Envoy since January 2023, discusses the use of sanctions by the EU and others on Russia. Since the invasion in 2022, sixteen packages of sanctions have sought to prevent Russia from accessing dual-use and advanced technologies for the manufacturing of cutting-edge weapons, and to degrade Russia’s ability to finance its war of aggression. Mr O’Sullivan discusses the evolution and efficacy of these measures and how the changed posture of the US vis-à-vis the conflict in recent months has affected EU sanctions policy. About the Speaker: David O’Sullivan spent most of his career, before formally retiring in 2019, in a series of senior roles at the European Commission, including Secretary-General of the European Commission; Chief Operating Officer of the European External Action Service; Director General for Trade; and Chief of Staff to Commission President, Romano Prodi. He also served as Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to the United States from November 2014 until February 2019, which included more than half of the first term of US president Donald Trump. Prior to taking up his role as EU Sanctions Envoy, David was Director General of the IIEA.

In her address to the IIEA, Professor Marie Jull Sørensen discusses consumer protection in the digital age. Professor Sørensen discusses some of the risks that consumers face in the digital environment and considers some of the challenges relating to digital contracts and automated decision-making. Professor Sørensen also discusses the possible role that the forthcoming European Digital Fairness Act (DFA) could potentially play in addressing online risks for consumers. About the speaker: Marie Jull Sørensen is an associate professor and Vice Dean of Research at the Department of Law at Aalborg University, Denmark. She has written several articles and book contributions in the area of consumer law. She is a reporter on the E-justice Portal and chairs the Nordic Hub of the European Law Institute (ELI) and is currently a co-reporter on the ELI’s project on automated decision-making.

A keynote address by Dr Gloria de la Fuente, Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs of Chile. This event has been organised in conjunction with the Embassy of Chile, Ireland. About the Speaker: Dr Gloria de la Fuente is a Chilean Political Scientist with a Ph.D. in Social Science from the Universidad de Chile. She currently serves as Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs (since 2023). She has worked extensively on transparency and access to public information, notably as President of the Council for Transparency. She has also served as a consultant for Eurosocial and the Transparency and Access to Public Information Network (RTA), and led projects at Chile Transparente, the Chilean chapter of Transparency International. Dr. de la Fuente held senior roles at Fundación Chile 21, a Chilean think tank dedicated to promoting democratic governance, social equity, and progressive public policies, where she served as Director of Public Policy, Executive Director, and later as President. In April 2024, she received the Women Leaders of Reference award from the Women Economic Forum, recognizing her leadership in advancing gender equality and advocating for equity and inclusion.

The political landscape across the island of Ireland has been changing over the past decade. Demographic changes, Brexit, polling data, and the realignment of traditional politics in the Oireachtas all point to the need to prepare for the increasing inevitability of substantial constitutional change in the future. Dialogue around the potential for a United Ireland has become more prevalent, particularly in Northern Ireland. In his address to the IIEA, Senator Conor Murphy discusses how this now requires more structured formal planning involving the Irish Government to ensure the necessary preparations are in place for a smooth transition in the event of constitutional change. Speaker bio: Conor Murphy was appointed as Sinn Féin Leader of the Seanad in February 2025. In 1998, after serving as a Newry and Mourne councillor for eight years, he was elected to the Assembly where he chaired the Assembly Committee, was the Party Chief Whip, and also held the position of Group Leader of the Sinn Féin MLAs. In 2005, Senator Murphy became the first Irish Republican to be elected as MP for Newry and Armagh, he then retained the seat in 2010. In 2007, Conor was appointed the Minister for Regional Development, a position that he held until 2011. In 2012, as part of Sinn Féin’s commitment to ending double-jobbing, he left the Assembly to concentrate on his role as an MP.

Violence against women and girls is a persistent and escalating crisis and remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations worldwide. From femicide and domestic abuse to online harassment and conflict-related sexual violence, the scale and severity of gender-based violence continues to deepen across every region. Despite international commitments to gender equality, many legal frameworks are still insufficient, impunity persists, and survivors are too often met with stigma rather than support. In her address to the IIEA, Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, explores global trends in the fight to end such violence, highlighting both promising practices and persistent gaps. About the Speaker: Ms. Reem Alsalem was appointed United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences in July 2021 by the UN Human Rights Council. She is an independent consultant on gender issues, the rights of refugees and migrants, transitional justice, and humanitarian response. She has consulted extensively for United Nations departments, agencies, and programmes such as UN-Women, OHCHR, UNICEF, and IOM, as well as for non-governmental organisations, think tanks, and academia. Previously, she worked as an international civil servant, serving with the UNHCR in thirteen countries. During her service, she planned, implemented, and monitored programmes that served to protect persons that were survivors of gender-based violence, particularly women and girls. She was also a visiting professional with the Prosecutor’s Office of the ICC from January to March 2009 and a visiting Researcher with the Feinstein International Centre of Tufts University in December 2008. She holds a Master’s in International Relations from the American University in Cairo and a Masters in Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford.

The European Green Deal was launched in 2019 to make Europe the world’s first climate neutral and resilient economy, and to decouple economic growth from resource use. Six years later, the ambition has become even more important for Europe, and for the world, but the global context has considerably changed. In his address to the IIEA, Director General Vandenberghe explains the relevance of the Green Deal and how it will be taken forward, in Europe and internationally, amid rapidly changing and increasingly volatile global circumstances. This event is part of the IIEA’s REthink Energy series, organised in partnership with ESB. Speaker bio: Kurt Vandenberghe was appointed Director General of DG CLIMA in January 2023. From December 2019 to January 2023, he was the Green Deal and Health Advisor to President Ursula von der Leyen. Previously, he was Acting Director for Research & Innovation Outreach, Director for Policy & Programming, and Director for Climate action and resource efficiency at DG Research and Innovation. He also served in the Cabinet of Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin (1999-2004), and as Head of the Cabinet of Janez Potočnik, who was Commissioner for Research and Innovation (2004-2009) and subsequently for Environment (from 2010). Mr Vandenburghe joined the European Commission in 1996 as co-ordinator of the Commission’s Intermodal Transport Task Force and of the Transport Research Programme. Before entering the Commission, Mr Vandenberghe worked as a manager at Ernst & Young Association Management, where he set up, managed and represented international trade associations. He holds a degree in French and Italian literature from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), a degree in Public and International Affairs from the University Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve (UCL), and a MA in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

Government attention to the security and resilience of subsea telecommunications cables has intensified in recent years. While largely owned and operated by private companies, a growing number of states now qualify or designate the systems as critical, if not strategic infrastructure, the security and resilience of which are vital to economic and societal well-being, national security and much else. In her address to the IIEA, Dr Camino Kavanagh discusses government efforts to protect the infrastructure in the current geopolitical context, examining how such efforts - and the different challenges that emerge - contribute to the global telecommunications systems’ core resilience capacities. About the Speaker: Dr. Camino Kavanagh is a Senior Fellow with the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and a Visiting Senior Fellow with the Dept. of War Studies, King’s College London. Her current research focuses on international security, conflict and technology as well as emerging issues relevant to critical subsea infrastructure. Camino is also Senior Digital Advisor to the UN Department of Political Affairs’ Policy and Mediation Division. She served as advisor/rapporteur to the 2019-2021 and 2016-2017 UN negotiating processes on cyber/ICT and international security (UNGGE and UNOEWG). Over the past decade she has also advised and consulted with the UN Secretary-General’s office, the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the European Commission, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Organization of American States, as well as with government departments and agencies on issues pertaining to national/international security, conflict and diplomacy. Prior to this, Camino spent over a decade working in conflict and post-conflict contexts, including with UN peacekeeping operations and political missions.

'The Global Impact of US Economic Policies' The international economic policies of the United States have shifted dramatically since the inauguration of Donald Trump as president at the end of January. Thus far, the most impactful have been a series of historically large tariff announcements on most countries in the world. Former US Treasury Economist, Brad Setser examines these policy changes and their implications for the US economy, global trade and investment flows, financial markets, and the role of the dollar as the world’s reserve currency. He also discusses his work on US corporate tax strategies. Brad Setser is the Whitney Shepardson Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Mr Setser served as a Senior Advisor to the United States Trade Representative from 2021 to 2022, where he worked on the resolution of a number of trade disputes. He had previously served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Economic Analysis in the U.S. Treasury from 2011 to 2015, and as a Director for International Economics on the staff of the National Economic Council and the National Security Council. He has published widely, including co-authoring, with Nouriel Roubini, Bailouts and Bail-ins: Responding to Financial Crises in Emerging Economies, and has contributed to publications such as Foreign Affairs, Finance and Development and Global Governance. He regularly blogs at Follow the Money.

Enhancing peace and security cooperation is a key pillar of the EU-Africa partnership, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025. In the second address of the 2025 Development Matters lecture series, which is kindly supported by Irish Aid, Mr Johan Borgstam, EU Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region, presents his assessment of the situation in the region based on his recent visits and focus on the EU's engagement in support of peace, stability, and security in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mr Borgstam is a Swedish diplomat with extensive national and EU experience, which includes serving as the Head of the EU Delegation to Ethiopia and ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Greece. He was appointed the EUSR for the Great Lakes Region on 1 September 2024. In this role, he supports the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs in implementing the EU’s foreign policy objectives in the Great Lakes Region. His mission is to contribute to building a stronger, more comprehensive, and more strategic partnership with the countries in the region, maintaining close contact with key regional organisations and fora, such as the African Union and the East African Community, as well as the United Nations, the International Financial Institutions, and non-state actors when relevant. It is the second lecture of the 2025 Development Matters series, which is kindly sponsored by Irish Aid.

Europe finds itself in a new geopolitical reality. While Russia's continues its war of aggression against Ukraine and threatens to advance on Europe's Eastern Flank, the transatlantic relationship is undergoing a period of change. Since the United States signalled that Europe will need to do more for its own defence, European capitals have been attempting to recalibrate to a new reality where there is less certainty of US commitment to the security of Europe. In her remarks to the IIEA, Judy Dempsey discusses the challenges which Europe faces in this new geopolitical moment, and whether we will be able to adapt to meet this new reality. About the speaker: Judy Dempsey is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie Europe. She was the editor in chief of the Strategic Europe blog from 2012 to 2024. Dempsey is also the author of the book The Merkel Phenomenon. She worked for the International Herald Tribune from 2004 to 2011 as its Germany and East European Correspondent and from 2011 to September 2013 as columnist. Dempsey was the diplomatic correspondent for the Financial Times in Brussels from 2001 onward, covering NATO and European Union enlargement. Between 1990 and 2001, she served as Jerusalem bureau chief, Berlin correspondent, and Eastern European correspondent in London (1990–1992) for the Financial Times. During the 1980s, Dempsey reported on Central and Eastern Europe for the Financial Times, the Irish Times, and the Economist.

'Trump, Tariffs, and The Future of Transatlantic Trade' The US is scheduled to announce another round of wide-ranging tariffs, including on the EU, on Wednesday, 2 April. This edition of IIEA Insights takes place the following day and assesses the measures and their likely impact on Ireland, the EU, and the transatlantic economy. Panellists also discuss the sectoral impact of the announced tariffs and what retaliatory measures the EU and others have already taken or might take in the following days and weeks. Joining the discussion are: Tom McDonnell, Co-Director of the Nevin Economic Research Institute; Allie Renison, an Associate Director at consultancy firm SEC Newgate UK; and Fabian Zuleeg, Chief Executive and Chief Economist at the European Policy Centre.

In his address to the IIEA, Mike Nesbitt, Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, explores how the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, signed on 10 April 1998, saw an all-time peak of hope for the future of the people of Northern Ireland and, by association, Northern Ireland’s neighbours in the Republic of Ireland and in Great Britain. According to Mr Nesbitt, it is one thing to obsess over how that hope has waned, or who is responsible; it is another to deliver a vision to restore that hope. In his address, Mr Nesbitt will posit why he believes delivering a Prosperity Agenda has become a common cause for all of Northern Ireland's political parties, whatever their constitutional preference. Mr Nesbitt discusses how tackling health inequalities in his role as Minister for Health is part of the Prosperity Agenda, and how such health inequalities are, in fact, social inequalities, requiring a whole Executive response. Mr Nesbitt explains how he is leading with a clear target of lowering the disparities in healthy living predictions, as the most deprived areas of Belfast show a 14.2-year gap in life expectancy when compared to those in areas of least deprivation, a figure that Mr Nesbitt is determined to change. About the speaker: Mike Nesbitt is the Minister of Health in the Northern Ireland Executive. He is also the Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, the only person to be elected to the position on two occasions, in 2012 and 2024. Mr Nesbitt is a four-time Member of the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly for Strangford constituency. Previously, he was a broadcast journalist covering Northern Ireland’s Troubles and the consequent peace process. He was then appointed as a Commissioner for Victims & Survivors of the conflict before entering politics.

Full presentation Title: Constitutional Change and the Rise of Fiscal Discipline in Europe: Ripple Effects on Fundamental Social Rights In March 2025, the ReArm Europe plan brought EU fiscal discipline and rules back into the spotlight of EU policymaking. In her address to the IIEA, Dr Kotsoni explores how, following the eurozone crisis, several EU Member States adopted constitutional fiscal rules – both formally and, as she will argue, informally. In her presentation, Dr Kotsoni examines how the constitutionalisation of fiscal rules has had lasting effects beyond the eurozone crisis and reflects upon its ongoing limiting impact on fundamental social rights in Europe. About the Speaker: Dr Maria Kotsoni is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Princeton University. Her research focuses on the protection of social rights at constitutional, European, and international levels. Maria obtained her PhD from the European University Institute and is a consultant to the Council of Europe’s Department of Social Rights.

In her address to the IIEA, Constanze Stelzenmüller explores Europe’s strategic outlook as it faces mounting geopolitical challenges. As Russia’s war against Ukraine persists with ongoing support from China, the United States has entered a new political chapter following its recent presidential election. Meanwhile, authoritarian powers are asserting themselves on the global stage, challenging the rules-based international order. Against this backdrop, Europe must confront difficult questions about its security, prosperity, and strategic autonomy. Dr Stelzenmüller explores what role Europe can play in shaping the future global order, and what the implications are for Ireland and the wider European Union. About the speaker: Dr. Constanze Stelzenmüller is the Director of the Center on the United States and Europe and the inaugural holder of the Fritz Stern Chair on Germany and Trans-Atlantic Relations at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC. A German citizen herself, she is an expert on German, European, and Trans-Atlantic foreign and security policy, as well as international law and human rights. From 2019-2020, Dr. Stelzenmüller held the Kissinger Chair on Foreign Policy and International Relations at the Library of Congress, and from 2014-2019 served as the inaugural Robert Bosch Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Prior to joining Brookings, she directed the Berlin office of the German Marshall Fund of the United States and later served as Senior Transatlantic Fellow with the organisation, heading the Transatlantic Trends Programme. Dr. Stelzenmüller’s work in the think tank sphere follows a distinguished career in journalism, including the role of Defence and International Security Editor in the political section of DIE ZEIT from 1994-2005. She has contributed to a variety of publications, writes a monthly column for the Financial Times, and is a frequent commentator on American and European news outlets.

Current tectonic changes in Europe’s security environment have opened the way for rethinking the EU enlargement process. Western Balkan countries are an immediate neighbour to the EU and their stability is of strategic importance. As their closest EU partner, Croatia strongly advocates for the European path of the Western Balkans countries and is committed to finding solutions to challenges in the accession processes. In this address as part of the IIEA's Future-Proofing Europe project, supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Minister Grlić Radman will tackle some of the focal challenges and questions on EU enlargement, as well as opportunities and possible ways forward. Speaker bio: Gordan Grlić Radman is the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, a post he has held since July 2019. Additionally, Minister Radman is also the President of the Danube Commission. Prior to his current position, he was Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to the Federal Republic of Germany from 2017 until 2019 and to Hungary from 2012 until 2017. He has also held a number of high-level roles within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Head of the Central European Department and Secretary General. Minister Radman holds a PhD from the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Zagreb.

Ten years after the historic climate agreement reached at COP21 in Paris, considerable progress has been made in areas ranging from energy efficiency and renewables deployment to electric vehicles and heat pumps. However, this progress is well below that required to deliver on the goals in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, and investment in clean energy remains uneven. As political headwinds increase, Brian Motherway considers what the past decade has taught us in terms of global engagement on climate and clean energy, and what we have learned in terms of engaging citizens and societies in the vital project of clean energy transitions. This event is part of the IIEA’s REthink Energy series, organised in partnership with ESB, Ireland’s state-owned electricity company. Speaker bio: Brian Motherway is Head of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Inclusive Transitions at the International Energy Agency. He oversees analytical and outreach programmes supporting energy efficiency globally. He also leads IEA’s work with governments on people-centred policymaking, addressing issues such as skills, inclusion and fairness in clean energy policies. Prior to joining the IEA, Brian was Chief Executive of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

In this talk, Professor Stephen Millard discusses the outlook for the UK economy in light of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement and accompanying Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast. He compares the current NIESR view as to the outlook for GDP, inflation and the labour market with the OBR’s forecast and the forecast from the Bank of England’s February Monetary Policy Report. In his remarks, Professor Millard also draws out the implications for monetary and fiscal policy moving forward. About the Speaker: Professor Stephen Millard is the Interim Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) in the UK and is currently part of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. Prior to joining NIESR, Stephen worked for 26 and a half years at the Bank of England. During this time, he worked in a variety of policy, research and managerial roles across the Bank's Monetary Analysis and Financial Infrastructure Directorates. He is also a Visiting Professor at the Durham University Business School and the University of Portsmouth. He holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University.

In this webinar, Nina Jankowicz discusses the evolution of disinformation in democracies, ranging from Russian-linked disinformation campaigns in Eastern Europe to the new U.S. Government’s hostile stance towards disinformation research. She discusses how the new US administration’s relationship with technology companies may affect content moderation policies and practices. Ms Jankowicz also assesses the implications of readily accessible Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications for the generation of disinformation and explores how democracies can best respond to the evolving threat of disinformation.  About the speaker: Nina Jankowicz, is the co-founder and CEO of the American Sunlight Project, an advocacy group working to counter disinformation, and an internationally-recognised expert on disinformation and democratisation. She is the former Executive Director of the Disinformation Governance Board at the US Department of Homeland Security. Before this she was a Global Fellow at the Wilson Centre and she previously advised the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on strategic communications under the auspices of a Fulbright-Clinton Public Policy Fellowship. Ms Jankowicz is one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in AI and is the author of How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News, and the Future of Conflict.

Whither Ireland-US relations? The second term of Donald Trump has been eventful. After just weeks in office, the US president has alienated some of the most pro-American governments in Europe with his interventions in the war in Ukraine and his moves towards an accommodation with the aggressor in the conflict, Russia. He has also promised tariffs on goods from the European Union and strongly criticised EU laws and regulations being applied to American companies operating in the bloc. The next edition of IIEA insights will look at how this upheaval in transatlantic relations is affecting Ireland’s traditionally close ties with the US and how those ties might change over the next four years with Larry Donnelly, Law lecturer and columnist with the Journal.ie; Brian Jensen, retired US diplomat and former Section Chief at the US embassy in Ireland; Niamh King, Director of the Aspen Security Forum; and Fergal O’Brien, Executive Director at Ibec.

Strengthening the full implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons necessitates a balanced implementation of all of its three pillars: nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and peaceful nuclear uses. However, the current geopolitical situation has exacerbated significant challenges in all of these three pillars. In his address to the IIEA Ambassador Klement discusses efforts to address those challenges, and reflects upon regional non-proliferation crises and his experience as a negotiator in the Iran nuclear negotiations. Speaker bio: Ambassador Stephan Klement is the EU Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, a position he has held since February 2024. From 2019 to 2023, Ambassador Clement served as EU Head of Delegation to the International Organisations in Vienna. Since 2016, he has served as the Special Advisor for the Iranian nuclear issues in the European External Action Service (EEAS). Mr. Klement holds a Doctoral degree in International Law from the Institute of International Law and International Relations, University of Vienna. He holds a Doctoral degree in Physics from the Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Vienna, a Masters in Law and a Masters in Theoretical Physics both from the University of Vienna, Austria.

The Poverty, Prosperity, and Planet Report 2024 is the first global, post-pandemic assessment of the World Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty, boost shared prosperity in a liveable planet and take stock of its progress towards achieving these goals. It highlights the stark reality that these intertwined goals are out of reach under the current levels and patterns of economic growth.    About the speaker: Luis Felipe López-Calva is the Global Director for Poverty and Equity at the World Bank Group. He has over 30 years of professional experience working with international institutions and advising national governments. He rejoined the World Bank in 2022 from the United Nations Development Programme, where he served as UN Assistant Secretary General and Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean since 2018.  It is the inaugural lecture of the 2025 Development Matters series, which is kindly sponsored by Irish Aid.

The Minister speaks about the environmental policies and programmes being implemented to protect and improve our environment ensuring we work together to tackle the interconnected challenges facing agriculture and the environment About the Speaker: Andrew Muir MLA is Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland and Alliance Party MLA for North Down. He previously served as Alliance Party Chief Whip, Finance and Infrastructure Spokesperson and leading party efforts for Restoration and Reform of Assembly and Executive. Aged 47, prior to joining the Northern Ireland Assembly in late 2019 Andrew served for nearly a decade as Councillor including a term as Mayor of North Down 2013/14. Before becoming a MLA Andrew worked for Northern Ireland’s Public Transport provider Translink as a Senior Project Manager overseeing roll out of multi-million pound Future Ticketing System Project. Andrew graduated with a degree in Peace and Conflict Studies at Ulster University in 1999. A keen runner, Andrew has completed eleven Marathons with a Personal Best of 3:07. He founded both Bangor and Crawfordsburn free weekly 5k parkruns and is a member of North Down Athletic Club.

In this event, in partnership with the European Parliament Liaison Office in Dublin, constituents have the opportunity to discuss issues of interest with Midland-North-West MEPs. This event offers an opportunity to debate matters of importance including agricultural policy, land use, climate change, housing, transport and other topics. As panellists, the MEPs offer insights into how policies at the EU level play a role in addressing these key challenges. Speakers: Maria Walsh, Group of the European People's Party in the European Parliament, Fine Gael Barry Cowen, Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament, Fianna Fáil Ciaran Mullooly, Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament, Independent Brendan Flynn (Discussant), Lecturer & Head of Politics, School of Political Science and Sociology at University of Galway Dr Orla Flynn (Moderator), President of the Atlantic Technological University.

Tectonic shifts are happening in European security. With intense uncertainty over the role. of the US as a guarantor of the continent’s security, Russia’s war in Ukraine now in its fourth year, and the exclusion of all other countries from US-Russia talks about ending that war, defence has shot to the top of governments’ agendas across the continent. This edition of IIEA Insights will discuss aspects of current and future defence policy in Ireland, other European countries, and the EU with Mark Mellett, Neils Pultz, and Jakub Janda.

In this webinar Ms Lucilla Sioli, Director of the EU AI Office, addresses the Institute on the enforcement of the EU’s new AI Act. Ms Sioli explores the enforcement framework for the AI Act and how this legislation will be implemented in practice. Ms Sioli focuses particular attention on the role of the EU AI Office and how it can help to ensure coherent cooperation between regulators across different sectors and Member States. About the speaker: Lucilla Sioli is the Director of the AI Office in Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content, and Technology (DG CONNECT) in the European Commission. She was previously the Director for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Industry within DG CONNECT, where she was responsible for the development of AI policy, including the AI Act, and for the digitisation of industrial strategy. Ms Sioli holds a PhD in economics from the University of Southampton (UK) and one from the Catholic University of Milan (Italy) and has been a civil servant with the European Commission since 1997.

In this podcast, Judge Eugene Regan engages in conversation with IIEA Researcher, Heather Burke, to discuss the role that the Court of Justice of the European Union has played in defending the rule of law in Europe through its case law and as interpreter of the EU Treaties. He explains the function and responsibilities of the Court before tracing its caselaw relating to the rule of law. Judge Regan has been Ireland’s judge on the European Court of Justice since 2015. In these past ten years, the Court’s has issued a number of judgments that stress the value of judicial independence; however, in this podcast, Judge Regan explains how this area is not a novel one for the Court, which has judged on matters relating to judicial independence for over two decades. Looking to the future of the EU, Judge Regan concludes by considering the challenges and opportunities facing the Court in terms of EU enlargement and in terms of AI and the administration of justice.

In this ‘In Conversation’ event, Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, discuss their new book, Head North, which sets out a vision for a more balanced and inclusive future for the UK. Drawing on their experiences in Westminster and local government, the Mayors reflect on the challenges of centralised decision-making, the impact of devolution, and the shortcomings of successive ‘levelling up’ policies. With reference to their ten-point plan for reform, the discussion explores how shifting power away from Westminster could contribute to a more equitable distribution of opportunity and prosperity across the UK. Abouts the Speakers: Andy Burnham was first elected as Mayor of Greater Manchester in May 2017, re-elected for a second term in May 2021, and again for a third term in May 2024. Mr Burham’s priorities for his third term include continuing to build a London-style integrated transport system, ending the housing crisis by 2038, offering a new technical education pathway as an alternative to university, and creating a new Live Well service. Before being elected Mayor of Greater Manchester, Mr Burnham was MP for Leigh from 2001. In government, he has held Ministerial positions at the Home Office, Department of Health and the Treasury. In 2008, he became Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, before returning to Health as Secretary of State in 2009. In opposition, Andy has served as Shadow Education Secretary, Shadow Health Secretary, and Shadow Home Secretary. Steve Rotheram began his political career when he was elected to serve as a councillor in 2002, representing Fazakerley ward on Liverpool City Council and held the ceremonial title of Lord Mayor of Liverpool through the city’s European Capital of Culture year in 2008. In 2010, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for the Liverpool Walton constituency. While in Westminster, he led campaigns for justice for the Hillsborough families; in support of blacklisted workers; for compensation for those suffering from mesothelioma and asbestosis; and to change the law on the use of old tyres on buses and coaches. In 2017, Mr Rotheram was elected as the first ever Liverpool City Region Mayor, representing 1.6m people across the boroughs of Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and the Wirral and was subsequently re-elected in 2021. In 2024, he was elected for a third term as Mayor. Mayor Rotheram has pledged to return to council housebuilding at scale, to increase foreign direct investment (FDI) into the region, to build three new train stations, and to launch a free pilot of artificial intelligence (AI) in local schools. He has also revised the region’s net zero target to 2035 – the most ambitious target for a city region in the country.

In his address to the IIEA, Governor Makhlouf shares insights into the nation's current economic position and the Central Bank of Ireland’s priorities for 2025. His address offers perspectives on monetary policy, fiscal stability, and future economic priorities for Ireland and the euro area. About the Speaker: Gabriel Makhlouf took up his position as Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland on 1 September 2019. He chairs the Central Bank Commission, is a member of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank, a member of the European Systemic Risk Board, and is Ireland's Alternate Governor at the International Monetary Fund. Prior to joining the Central Bank, Governor Makhlouf was Secretary to the New Zealand Treasury and the Government's chief economic and financial adviser from 2011 to 2019. During his time as Secretary, he led reviews of New Zealand's three macroeconomic pillars (monetary, financial stability and fiscal policy) and the development of a new framework for the development of economic and public policy focused on intergenerational wellbeing. In addition, Governor Makhlouf was New Zealand's Alternate Governor at the World Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He was also co-chair of the Trans-Tasman Banking Council.

The OECD launched the Economic Survey of Ireland 2025 on Wednesday,12 February 2025. The biennial Survey provides detailed analysis of economic developments and key structural challenges, as well as making specific policy recommendations in these areas. This year’s Economic Survey contains an in-depth thematic chapter entitled 'Making housing more affordable and resilient for all’, in addition to exploring recent economic developments, competitiveness, and the green transition. About the Speakers: Paschal Donohoe is the Minister for Finance. He was appointed to this role on 23 January 2025. Before this, he served as Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. Minister Donohoe was elected President of the Eurogroup of finance ministers in July 2020 for a two-and-a-half-year term. He was re-elected in December 2022, beginning his second mandate in January 2023. Álvaro S. Pereira is the OECD Chief Economist and G20 Finance Deputy. He oversees the Economics Department and ensures they are at the forefront of the international political economy agenda. He identifies ways in which the OECD can promote policies to improve member and partner countries long-term economic performance. Previously, he was the Director in the OECD Policy Studies Branch and OECD Country Studies Branch. Prior to the OECD, Mr Pereira was Minister for Economy and Employment in Portugal (2011- 2013) and was also a Professor at Simon Fraser University, Canada, a Lecturer at the University of British Columbia, Canada and at the University of York, UK. Müge Adalet McGowan is a Senior Economist and Head of the Japan/Ireland desk in the Economics Department at the OECD. Since joining the OECD in 2011, she has worked at several desks (Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden) and the Productivity team, where she conducted policy research on productivity, insolvency regimes, and skill mismatches. Before joining the OECD, she worked as a Lecturer in Turkey and New Zealand, and as an economist at the New Zealand Treasury. She holds a PhD in Economics from University of California, Berkeley. Dr Martina Lawless is a Research Professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). Before joining the ESRI, she received her doctorate from Trinity College Dublin and worked as a research economist at the Central Bank of Ireland. Her research has focused primarily on firm-level dynamics and decision making, covering a range of topics, such as access to finance for small and medium firms, effects of taxation, and participation in exporting. More recently, she has investigated the potential effects of Brexit and COVID-19 on firms in Ireland. Her work has been published in a number of leading international academic and policy journals. From 2017 to 2020, she was a member of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and she spent 2023-2024 on secondment to the Strategic Economic Development section of the Department of Finance. John McCarthy is the Chief Economist in the Department of Finance, with responsibility for the provision of economic and budgetary analysis and forecasts. He is currently the vice-chair of the OECD’s Economic Policy Committee and an advisor to the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council; he was previously the chair of the European Union’s output gap working group and a member of the National Statistics Board. He holds a B.A. in Economics and Mathematics from Trinity College Dublin and an M.Econ.Sc from UCD. He previously worked as a senior economist in the Central Bank of Ireland. This event was co-organised with the Department of Finance and the OECD.

Ireland is home to a high-performing life sciences industry, offering outstanding opportunities for both economic development and public health. Unlike other European countries, however, Ireland does not have a holistic vision for the future of the sector. This is set to change, as the Government has promised to develop a new national life sciences strategy. Our European peers have already adopted ambitious strategies to secure the industry and harness its social benefits, coordinating policy across a range of areas from enterprise and investment to research and healthcare. This two-part event series, organised by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in partnership with Johnson & Johnson, will explore these questions and more, bringing together Irish and European leaders from industry, public policy, and academia to discuss the right approach for a national life sciences strategy for Ireland. Developing a Life Sciences Vision for Ireland: Lessons from Europe on Economic Strategy is the first event in this two-part hybrid series on Developing a Life Sciences Vision for Ireland. The panel discusses how Ireland should develop its promised national strategy for the life sciences, positioning itself as a global hub for the industry. The sector is a critical pillar of our economy, covering industries from biopharmaceuticals to medical devices. The panellists will look at what other European countries are doing to embed investment, sharpen their competitive edge, and prepare for future waves of innovation. Chaired by Bryan Dobson, the panel brings together international and Irish experts to discuss how a holistic vision for the life sciences can become part of Ireland’s economic strategy. Panellists: Michael Lohan, CEO IDA Ireland Diana Arsovic Nielson, CEO at the Danish Life Sciences Cluster Professor Mark Ferguson, Former Director General of SFI and current Rapporteur and Lead Author for the European Commission High Level Group for the evaluation of Horizon Europe Jenni Nordborg, Director of International Affairs at Lif and Former National Coordinator for Life Sciences, Sweden Bryan Dobson, Former RTÉ Newsreader (Moderator)

In her remarks to the IIEA, Dr Jade McGlynn explores the identity, interactions, and influence of nationalist policy critics within the Russian political landscape, particularly concerning the war in Ukraine. She discusses how nationalists' criticisms target military strategy and leadership inefficiencies and straddle a line between regime support and vocal opposition. Despite a decrease following the Wagner mutiny, such critiques have grown since September 2022. Finally, Dr McGlynn discusses how nationalist critics continue to exert a tangible, albeit constrained, influence on governmental strategies, prompting shifts in military tactics and policy but doing little to undermine regime stability. About the Speaker: Jade McGlynn is the author of Russia’s War and Memory Makers, and is an academic based at King’s College London. Her research focusses on Russia’s war on Ukraine since 2014 through the lens of identity and propaganda. She frequently writes for the international media and is also a Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ (CSIS) Europe Program. She splits her time between the U.K. and Kharkiv, where she co-founded Free Ukraine Fund to assist the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

As Ireland’s population and economy grow, the demands on its transport infrastructure are increasing. Enhancing Ireland’s ground transport connectivity will play an important role in supporting economic growth, improving quality of life, and meeting climate commitments. Ireland’s National Development Plan 2030 outlines ambitious goals to upgrade Ireland’s road, rail, and public transport networks while addressing the dual challenges of increasing mobility needs and reducing carbon emissions. In this panel discussion, leading experts examine how Ireland can develop transport systems that meet current needs and anticipate future demands, while aligning infrastructure investment with economic and environmental priorities. This panel has been organised in conjunction with Deloitte Ireland. Speakers on this panel include: Rachel Cahill, Director, Executive Office and Sustainability Lead at TII Stephen Prendiville, Partner, Infrastructure, Transport & Regional Government Lead at Deloitte Ireland Dr Debbie Hopkins, Associate Professor in Human Geography at the University of Oxford

The EU's Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 sets a transformative agenda for accessibility, equality, and inclusion. In her address to the IIEA, Inmaculada Placencia Porrero, Senior Expert in Disability and Inclusion at DG Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion at the European Commission, explores the strategy’s achievements, challenges, and alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Drawing on her pivotal role in the creation of the European Accessibility Act and recent election to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Inmaculada reflects on Europe’s leadership in disability policy and its implications for innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and the advancement of these rights globally. About the Speaker: Inmaculada Placencia Porrero is a Senior Expert in Disability and Inclusion at Directorate-General (DG) Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion at the European Commission. Her unit is responsible for the coordination of European policies for persons with disabilities. She works on European disability policies including the European Disability Strategy and the EU implementation of the UNCRPD. Inmaculada has worked on research programmes addressing accessibility as well as assistive technologies and has been Deputy Head of Unit for various disability-related units in the Commission. Her work in the "e-Inclusion" unit of the DG for Information Society and Media addressed accessibility policy. While at the DG for Justice and Consumers, she contributed to disability-related antidiscrimination legislation. She was responsible for the task force for the preparation of the European Accessibility Act and remains responsible for it since the Act's adoption in 2015. Currently, under the DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, she leads the team working on the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030. In June 2024, she was elected as a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Ireland faces a unique challenge in reconciling its position as a major agricultural producer with increasingly ambitious climate targets at national and EU level. The agri-food sector contributes significantly to Ireland's economy, generating €17.3 billion in gross value added (6% of GNI*) and employing 173,400 people. However, it also accounts for 37.8% of national greenhouse gas emissions, creating a distinctive challenge. In this first event of a new IIEA project entitled Pathways: Ireland's Agricultural Future, Prof. Alan Matthews and Dr. Matthew O’Neill present for discussion the findings of their working paper, ahead of its publication in early 2025. The event was chaired by Dr Karen Keaveney, Head of Subject for Rural Development in the School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin. The IIEA is grateful to the European Climate Foundation for its support in establishing this project. About the Speaker: Prof Alan Matthews is Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy at the University of Dublin Trinity College, Ireland, and a former President of the European Association of Agricultural Economists. His research interests include the behaviour of the Irish farm and food system, the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, the relationships between trade and food security, and WTO trade norms and disciplines. Dr Matthew O'Neill is Climate Project Lead at the IIEA, in which role he leads the Pathways: Ireland’s Agricultural Future project. His research focuses on the intersection of climate policy and agricultural systems.

In her address to the IIEA, Lara Marlowe discusses her new book, 'How Good It Is I Have No Fear of Dying'. Her book recounts the true story of a Ukrainian female army officer, Lieutenant Yulia Mykytenko, who commands a 25-man drone attack and reconnaissance platoon on the eastern front of the Russo-Ukrainian war. Lt Mykytenko has survived artillery and aerial bombardment and human wave attacks by Russia’s Wagner militia. She won the medal for courage for leading missions into the grey zone between Ukrainian and Russian lines to retrieve dead and wounded soldiers. She has lost her husband, father and dozens of comrades-in-arms to the conflict. This is war as it is being fought on the edge of Europe in the 21st century, with high-tech weapons from muddy, rat-infested trenches reminiscent of the First World War, and where you can be obliterated by a two-tonne glide bomb or pursued and blown up by a whining drone rigged with a hand grenade. About the Speaker: Lara Marlowe is a Paris-based journalist and author. Marlowe has reported on more than a dozen wars and has won four press awards. She has completed three long reporting stints in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion of 24 February 2022 and continues to write a column for The Irish Times. She has reported for a host of broadcast and print media and was a staff foreign correspondent, based in Paris and Washington, for The Irish Times from 1996 until 2023. Marlowe makes her permanent home in Paris, where she has covered five French presidencies. She became a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur in 2006 for her contribution to Franco-Irish relations. Marlowe is the author of How Good It Is I Have No Fear of Dying: Lieutenant Yulia Mykytenko’s Fight for Ukraine (Head of Zeus, UK, 2024 and Melville House, US, 2025), Love in a Time of War: My Years with Robert Fisk (Head of Zeus, 2021), Painted with Words (2011) and The Things I’ve See: Nine Lives of a Foreign Correspondent (2010).

This year’s IIEA YPN Christmas Special reflects upon the 2024 ‘year of elections’. Larry Donnelly, Lecturer at NUI Galway, discusses the 2024 US Presidential election and what we can expect with a new Trump administration. Brigid Laffan, Professor Emeritus at EUI, discusses the European Parliament and what we can expect from a new EU Commission. Finally, Kevin Cunningham, Lecturer in Politics at TU Dublin and Founder of Ireland Thinks reflects upon the 2024 Irish General Election and its outcomes.  Speakers on this panel include: Larry Donnelly, Lecturer at University of Galway Brigid Laffan, Professor Emeritus at Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, EUI Kevin Cunningham, Lecturer in Politics at TU Dublin and Founder of Ireland Thinks

This podcast explores the importance of the rule of law as a fundamental value of the EU and its role in ensuring the future of the EU. In conversation with IIEA Researcher, Heather Burke, retired Supreme Court Judge, John MacMenamin discusses the internal and external issues facing Europe and its liberal democratic model. He emphasises that a healthy democracy relies on active participation in the democratic project, not only passive acceptance of the rule of law as an abstract principle. Offering insights into the role of the EU as a champion of the rule of law, Judge MacMenamin discusses how the EU must use tools such as the Article 7 procedure and the Rule of Law conditionality mechanism to their full potential. However, developing a sense of trust and ensuring subtlety when dealing with illiberal democracies must also be emphasised, lest the EU’s actions enhance the standing of populist, nationalist leaders. Judge MacMenamin considers that we must always draw a fundamental distinction between the policies of political parties and the neutrality of the institutions of the rule of law and democracy. The former may change based on the democratic will of the people, but the latter must always be protected. The ideal of the rule of law is one that is close to the human spirit, and Judge MacMenamin concludes by reflecting on its success being a matter of connecting with people, as a bottom-up, democratic process.

According to Noel Cunniffe, CEO of Wind Energy Ireland, wind energy is Ireland’s greatest asset in the fight against climate change and is also an enormous opportunity for Ireland to grow its economy and deliver affordable energy for homes and businesses. In his address to the IIEA, Mr Cunniffe will provide an overview of the evolution of the wind sector from the very first onshore wind farm which was installed in Co. Mayo in 1992, right the way through to the opportunities and challenges for onshore and offshore wind in the next 25 years. He will reflect on making Ireland energy independent, which is not without its challenges, but is certainly possible. About the Speaker: Noel Cunniffe is the CEO of Wind Energy Ireland which is Ireland’s largest renewable energy association and works with a wide range of stakeholders to build understanding and awareness of the benefits of wind and renewable energy. Prior to becoming CEO, Noel led Wind Energy Ireland’s Policy department in driving policy development across all aspects of the onshore and offshore renewable industry in Ireland. Previously, Noel was the Renewable Integration Lead in EirGrid, the Transmission System Operator of Ireland, and worked across several departments including electricity grid planning and operation, and the design of the electricity market of Ireland. He is a Chartered Engineer with Engineer’s Ireland.

In the final event of the 2024 Development Matters lecture series, which is kindly sponsored by Irish Aid, Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, discusses the most prevalent health emergencies facing the world today, particularly in Gaza, Haiti, South Sudan, and Yemen. He provides insights into currently ongoing disease outbreaks, environmental disasters, and other humanitarian crises. Dr Ryan also gives his views and experience on what causes such emergencies and how best to address them.  About the Speaker: Dr Mike Ryan was appointed Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme in 2019, having served as Assistant Director-General for Emergency Preparedness and Response from 2017 to 2019. Dr Ryan has worked at the forefront of managing acute risks to global health for nearly 25 years. He first joined the WHO in 1996.

In the context of global elections and geopolitical shifts, according to Holy Ranaivozanany, Deputy Executive Director of the Africa-Europe Foundation, a rethought, strong, and forward-looking alliance between Africa and Europe remains the most effective way to resolve interconnected crises and to meet shared development goals. In her keynote address to the IIEA, Ms Ranaivozanany explores how to unlock such opportunities for mutual benefit, where bold, innovative thinking is needed, from finance to health, green industrialisation, and digital cooperation. About the Speaker: Holy Ranaivozanany is Deputy Executive Director of the Africa-Europe Foundation, overseeing strategy, partnerships and outreach across Africa, Europe, and multilateral platforms. Previously, she led corporate social responsibility and sustainability for Fortune 500 companies in China and France, championing digital inclusion and climate solutions. She has collaborated with UN organisations and think tanks to shape global policy on technology for good, and has contributed to thought leadership on sustainability, disaster relief, and circular economy innovation.

The report of Mario Draghi, first published in September 2024, states that competition policy must adapt to ensure greater focus on fostering innovation and restoring the EU’s long-term competitiveness. Many of the ideas in this report have featured heavily in the mission letters sent by European commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Commissioners-designate. This panel of experts explores how concepts in the Draghi report may be incorporated into any future Commission guidelines and how the report will influence the new Commission’s approach to competition enforcement. The panel also reflects on whether Europe’s competition policy harms its competitiveness or whether it offers an avenue through which to boost Europe’s competitiveness. This panel event is hosted in conjunction with the Economic Regulators Network (ERN). About the Speakers: Olivier Guersent is the Director-General of the Directorate General for Competition. He joined the European Commission in 1992 and was initially with the “Merger Task Force” in the Directorate-General for Competition. From 2010 to 2014, he was the head of the private office of Michel Barnier, Commissioner for Internal Market and Service. Having held the position of Deputy Director-General since July 2014, Olivier has been Director-General of the Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Service and Capital Markets Union from September 2015 to December 2019. Brian McHugh was appointed Chair of the Irish NCA, the CCPC in August 2023, having previously served as a Member of the CCPC from 2017. Prior to his appointment to the CCPC, he spent 15 years in Northern Ireland’s Utility Regulator, the body responsible for both regulating the gas, electricity and water utility industries in Northern Ireland. During his time at the Utility Regulator, Brian was Director of Gas and Director of Finance & Network Assets. Brian holds a BA in Economics from Trinity College, Dublin, and an MSc in Energy Economics from the University of Surrey. Professor Imelda Maher is the Sutherland Full Professor of European Law and Director of the UCD Dublin European Institute. She is a member of the Royal Irish Academy and has been Senior Vice President since 2023. She is an honorary bencher of Middle Temple London, and she serves on the Advisory Board of the Cambridge Centre for European Legal Studies, the Max Planck Institute of Innovation and Competition, Munich, and the Institute for Consumer Antitrust Studies, Loyola University, Chicago. Professor Maher was the first Irish woman to become President of the Society of Legal Scholars of the UK and Ireland (2016-2017), the largest scholarly society of common law lawyers in Europe and is a founding member of the European Law Institute, Vienna. Loretta O’Sullivan is the Chief Economist and Partner at EY Ireland. Loretta has been working in the economics field for almost 20 years in both the public and private sectors, on a wide range of Irish, European and global issues. She was previously the Chief Economist at Bank of Ireland and the Senior Economist in the Monetary Policy and International Relations Division at the Central Bank of Ireland. Loretta holds a PhD in Economics from Trinity College Dublin and an MA in Policy, Management and Government from the University of York.

In July of this year, Labour won one of the biggest landslides in British electoral history. However, according to the Irish Times’ London Correspondent Mark Paul, the new government's sheen quickly wore off. Prime Minister Keir Starmer was forced into an early reshuffle of his backroom operation while his popularity also plummeted, causing his administration to try turn the page on its early difficulties with a landmark budget that stunned Westminster in its scale. In his address to the IIEA, Mark Paul gives an overview of the challenges the Party has faced as it makes the transition from opposition to government. He discusses how confident Labour’s senior leadership is that they can lead Britain into a more stable political era. He also looks at how Labour might fend off the Tories under Kemi Badenoch and the growing electoral threat from Nigel Farage's Reform UK. About the Speaker: Mark Paul has been the London Correspondent and writer of the weekly London Letter for the Irish Times since January 2023. Before that he was the author of the backpage Caveat column in the Irish Times and also the Business Affairs Correspondent. Mr Paul joined the newspaper in 2013 from The Sunday Times, where he worked for almost a decade. He is currently a member of the Westminster press lobby, primarily observing the political intrigue in the Houses of Parliament. Mr Paul also reports on events from Holyrood and the Senedd in Edinburgh and Cardiff.

In his address to the IIEA, Kai Zenner discusses the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act). He outlines the Act’s risk-based approach and its implications for different levels of the AI value chain. Mr Zenner will also assess what he deems to be the positive and negative features of the AI Act. He particularly discusses the implications of the Act for the EU’s competitiveness, including both the opportunities and the risks. About the Speaker: Kai Zenner is Head of Office and Digital Policy Adviser for Axel Voss MEP (European People’s Party Group) in the European Parliament. He focuses on AI, privacy, the EU’s digital transition and Better Regulation. Mr Zenner is a member of the OECD.AI Network of Experts and of the AI Governance Alliance at the World Economic Forum. He was also part of the temporary Expert Group that supported the 'High-Level Advisory Body on AI' of the United Nations. Mr Zenner was awarded best MEP Assistant in 2023 and ranked Place #13 in Politico's Power 40 - class 2023.

John Hume was a committed and dedicated European, seeing the institutions and ethos of the European Union as models for peace, partnership, and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. The John Hume 'European Spirit of Peace’ Lecture recognises those who have demonstrated a strong commitment to European principles and values. The IIEA is honoured to host the fourth edition of the ‘European Spirit of Peace’ Lecture which was delivered by Simon Coveney TD, former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. About the Speaker: Simon Coveney TD served as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from 2022 to 2024. He also served as Deputy Leader of Fine Gael from 2017 to 2024. He previously served as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence and was Ireland’s Brexit spokesperson through the Brexit negotiations. Mr Coveney was Tánaiste from November 2017 to June 2020 and has also held roles as Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Mr Simon Coveney  represented Cork South Central constituency from 1998 to November 2024.

Germany’s traffic light coalition came to power in December 2021, promising a green, innovative transformation - of the German economy and its role in Europe. It has delivered neither, buffeted by external crises and hobbled by domestic ideological battles that have poisoned cooperation on all fronts and left Germany - and Europe - adrift. Derek Scally, Berlin correspondent of the Irish Times, gives an overview of the options for any new government following the next federal election, scheduled for September 2025. About the Speaker: Derek Scally is a native Dubliner, who studied at Dublin City University and the Humboldt University in Berlin, where he has been Irish Times correspondent since 2001. Covering politics, business and culture, he is a regular contributor to German news outlets, including Die Zeit weekly and Deutschlandfunk/WDR radio. He reports regularly from northern Europe and is also author of “The Best Catholics in the World”, published in 2021 by Penguin.

The European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD), a non-profit NGO in the disability sector, promotes the views of over 20,000 social services and their umbrella associations. The EASPD aims to promote equal opportunities for people with disabilities through effective and high-quality service systems. On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Kirsi Konola, President of the EASPD, provides a comprehensive overview of the EU framework for disability policy and looks at examples of structures in different Member States and European countries to support disability services. She highlights the EASPD’s role in empowering its members to transform service delivery and to implement innovative practices on the ground. Drawing on her experience in Finland, Ms Konola reflects on collaborative efforts to advance disability policy and services at national and international level. About the Speaker: Kirsi Konola is the President of the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD) and the CEO of Tukena Foundation. Tukena is one of Finland’s largest value-based social service providers, dedicated to promoting the good life of people with disabilities. Kirsi is deeply committed to advancing the human rights of persons with disabilities and transforming services and service structures to enable their full realisation. Her work focuses on developing inclusive, human rights-based services in collaboration with broad networks and particularly with individuals, their families, and professionals. She brings extensive leadership experience, with expertise in strategic and value-based leadership as well as change management. Kirsi is particularly skilled at bridging policy and practice to drive the vision and objectives of organisations and advance the broader goals of the sector.

On the eve of the Irish General Election, this edition of IIEA Insights brings together seven diplomats, scholars, and analysts to share their views on what the foreign policy priorities of the next government should be. Each speaker outlines one-three priorities over a five-minute period. Speakers include: Edward Burke, Assistant Professor in the History of War at University College Dublin Clifford Coonan, China Analyst, Reporter, Producer, and Editor with Deutsche Welle Bill Emmott, Former Editor of The Economist Mary Fitzgerald, Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC Declan Kelleher, Former Irish Ambassador to China and the EU Michael O’Sullivan, Author and Adviser on Intersection of Investment and Geopolitics Mary Whelen, Former Irish Permanent Representative to the UN and WHO

Following the adoption of the 2024 Enlargement Reports on 30 October 2024, DG Koopman provides an analysis from the perspective of the European Commission on the current state of play of EU enlargement. He examines the progress made by the partners from the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova on their paths towards EU memberships. He also discusses the frozen negotiations with Türkiye and the halted accession process of Georgia in light of recent developments, in particular the adopted law on transparency of foreign influence. About the Speaker: Gert Jan Koopman has been the Director-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission since January 2023. Between 2018 and December 2022, he was the Director-General of the European Commission’s budget department, where he contributed to putting in place the EU’s €800 billion NextGenerationEU recovery plan as well as the €18 billion MFA+ for Ukraine.

Although 2024 will be remembered as a year of political and electoral tumult worldwide, the situation in Northern Ireland has been relatively stable. The Executive and Assembly have been functioning since the Safeguarding the Union Deal (31 January) and its draft Programme for Government is intended to do ‘what matters most’. This rather unfamiliar situation must come as a considerable relief to those who consider themselves co-guarantors of the 1998 Good Friday/Belfast Agreement, none of whom can expect much domestic or international stability in the near future. Northern Ireland is ripe for good things to grow, but this won't happen without some cultivation. Drawing on evidence and analysis from political sociology, in her address to the IIEA, Professor Hayward identifies the conditions that will make for belated but healthy progress in Northern Ireland society and the ways in which Ireland, the UK, and the USA – not to mention the ever-important EU – can help nurture them.  About the Speaker: Katy Hayward MRIA FAcSS is Professor of Political Sociology at Queen’s University Belfast. She is an Eisenhower Fellow and was a Europe’s Futures Fellow (ERSTE/IWM) in 2023/24. Professor Hayward was also recipient of a special Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize and ‘Political Communicator of the Year’ award for her work on the impact of Brexit on Ireland/Northern Ireland, and is a trusted expert for media, policy, civic, and academic audiences worldwide. Her latest publications include the co-authored book Northern Ireland a Generation after Good Friday (2021).

This event is being held in conjunction with the European Commission Representation and the European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland. Held at the IIEA to mark President von der Leyen’s address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg when she presents her new team, an expert panel discusses the composition of the Commission and the implications this will have for Europe and its place in the world. As the dust settles on the European Parliament hearings this month, as the contours of the new Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space takes shape amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, and following the re-election of Donald Trump to the White House, the panel will reflect on the challenges that President von der Leyen’s new team might face over the coming years, all against the backdrop of forthcoming general elections in the likes of Ireland and Germany. Speakers: Eileen Dunne, Former RTE newsreader & former International President of the Association of European Journalists (chair) Catherine Day, Former Secretary General of the European Commission John O'Brennan, Professor of European Politics at Maynooth University Dan O'Brien, Chief Economist of the IIEA

This year, COP 29 takes place in Baku and a key focus at the conference will be finance, countries requiring considerable amounts of finance to significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions and protect people from the worsening effects of climate change. The Conference aims to find a new collective quantified goal on finance. Countries also presented their updated climate action plans, as under the Paris Agreement. COP 29 is seen as an important opportunity to accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis. This panel of experts explores what was achieved during COP 29 and whether there were any missed opportunities, with a specific focus being paid to the work of agreeing a collective quantified goal on finance. Ahead of the tenth anniversary of the Paris Climate Accords, the panel also reflects on COP process and whether a new forum is required in order to achieve greater change. About the Speakers: Jerry Mac Evilly is Head of Policy in Friends of the Earth where he manages research, advocacy and stakeholder engagement in support of campaigns on fossil fuel phase-out and climate action. Jerry has over 15 years' experience in developing, researching and influencing policy in both the government and Not-For-Profit sectors. Previously he held policy positions in the Oireachtas, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the CRU, as well as a number of NGOs. Jerry is a member of the National Economic and Social Council, the EPA Advisory Committee and EirGrid’s National Advisory Committee. Dr Sinead Walsh is Climate Director in the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Ireland. Prior to this she served as the EU Ambassador to South Sudan. Dr Walsh has worked for Ireland’s DFA since 2009, and previously served as the Ambassador of Ireland to Sierra Leone and Liberia and was the Head of Irish Aid in the two countries. Before joining the DFA, Sinead spent ten years working in the NGO sector and is the co-author of Getting to Zero: A Doctor and A Diplomat on the Ebola Frontline. Sam Peacock is the Managing Director, Corporate Services, Regulatory and Strategy at SSE. He has been a member of the SSE Group Executive Committee since 2020 and leads SSE’s teams overseeing corporate strategy, government and regulatory affairs, communications, brand, and local project communications. Prior to joining SSE in 2011, he directed government affairs at the UK Regulator, Ofgem and worked at leading communications agency Edelman, as well as in the UK Parliament and in the UK Government. Erin Maher is Lead Sustainability Strategist and Adviser at ENSO. ENSO is a certified B corporation that helps SMEs with ESG Strategy and regulatory preparedness. Erin holds a BSE from the University of Michigan in Climate Science and Impacts Engineering with a focus on climate adaptation, and a MSc in Development Practice from Trinity College Dublin. She is passionate about addressing the climate crisis in a just and equitable way, focusing on just transitions, accessibility and communication, and environmental justice. This event has been organised in conjunction with SSE.

Dr Haddad argues that, while policymakers and public health leaders are currently managing a range of urgent priorities, delivering good nutrition must be a foundational component of domestic budgets and development cooperation funding. At a time of great food insecurity, he highlights how nutrition stakeholders will need to do more to make the case as to why it is in the interest of non-nutrition stakeholders to agree to tackle malnutrition in the developed and developing world, with examples from climate, the private sector, and international financial institutions. Dr Haddad’s speech is timely, as the 2025 Paris Nutrition for Growth Summit will focus on the critical need for sustained investment in nutrition. About the Speaker: Dr Lawrence Haddad is the Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and has held this position since 2016. In 2020 he chaired Action Track 1 of the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit: Ensuring Access to Safe and Nutritious Food for All. Dr Haddad is the co-founder of the Standing Together for Nutrition, a response to the COVID-19 crisis, and is one of the drivers behind the Initiative on Climate and Nutrition (ICAN). Prior to GAIN, he was lead author of the Global Nutrition Report, Director of the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), and Director of the Food Consumption and Nutrition Division at IFPRI. He was made a World Food Prize Laureate in 2018 and was awarded a CMG in the 2023 UK Honours List for his “services to international nutrition, food and agriculture”.

In his remarks to the IIEA, Anthony Michael Collins, Former Advocate-General at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) reflects upon his time at the Court. As the rule of law in Europe faces increased challenges, Mr Collins discusses the importance of the Court for European citizens, and offers his perspective on the future of the CJEU. About the Speaker: Anthony Michael Collins is a former Advocate-General at the Court of Justice of the European Union (2021-2024). In October 2024, he was nominated by the Government of Ireland to serve as a Judge at the Court of Appeal. Prior to his role as Advocate-General, he served as a Judge at the General Court of the European Union from 2013 to 2021, where he was elected President of Chamber for two terms starting in September 2016. Mr Collins is President of the Irish Centre for European Law, an Adjunct Professor of Law at University College Cork, and a Bencher of the Honourable Society of King’s Inns.

Globally, it is estimated that 2.5 billion people need access to one or more assistive products or devices, and this number is likely to rise to above 3.4 billion by 2050. In May 2022, the WHO and UNICEF jointly launched a landmark Global Report on Assistive Technology (GReAT), which provides a clear roadmap with recommendations that, when implemented, can address global challenges in terms of access to assistive products and making universal health coverage inclusive for all people, including delivering on our obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with a Disability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The focus of this presentation will address the conditions required to create a much-needed step-change in our approach to assistive technology and how Ireland can shift to being a global leader in the field, including through its current collaboration with the World Health Organization. About the Speaker: Dr Cathal Morgan works for the WHO Regional Office for Europe, leading the workforce optimisation agenda within the Health Workforce and Service Delivery team. Before his current WHO role, Dr Morgan provided policy and technical advisory support to Governments in scaling access to rehabilitation, digital and assistive technologies with a key technical role in advising on disability-inclusive health policies. He has held several senior leadership positions within Ireland's public service, including as Head of Disability Operations in the Health Service Executive, and has worked with international organisations such as the International Initiative for Disability Leadership (IIDL) and EU EQUAL Initiative. Cathal is a trained clinical psychotherapist with a master's degree in clinical psychotherapy, a PhD in clinical research relating to suicidology, and a post-graduate diploma in executive leadership coaching.

In February 2025, France will host the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, bringing together global leaders, thinkers, academics, businesspeople, and civil society to reflect upon what the AI revolution will mean for the world. AI is poised to usher in significant changes to the global economy, trade, education, government, employment, health, arts and culture. At this critical juncture, Dr Patricia Scanlon and Ambassador Henri Verdier discuss the Irish and French perspectives on what Artificial Intelligence might mean for not only their own countries, but for citizens all over the world.  This event has been organised in conjunction with the Embassy of France in Ireland About the Speakers: Henri Verdier is Ambassador for Digital Affairs at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. He has led the France’s digital diplomacy since 2018. Henri Verdier is co-founder and CEO of MFG Labs, an internet-based startup involved in social data mining, and chairman of the board of Cap Digital, the French-European Cluseter for Digital Content and Services. Ambassador Verdier has co-authored three books written in French, L'Age de la Multitude, Entreprendre et Gouverner Après la Révolution Numérique (The Age of Multitude, Entrepreneurship and Governance after the Digital Revolution), in 2017, Des Startup d’État à l’État plateforme ( From State Startups to the Platform State), and Le Business de la haine : Internet, la démocratie et les réseaux sociaux (The Business of Hate: Internet, Democracy and Social Networks). Dr Patricia Scanlon is Ireland’s AI Ambassador, a role which she has held since 2022, and chair of Ireland’s AI Advisory Council. In 2013, she founded SoapBox Labs, a pioneering company specialising in ethical voice AI technology for children with application across education and gaming. SoapBox Labs became a global leader and was acquired by US-based Curriculum Associates in 2023. Her innovative contributions to the tech industry earned her recognition by Forbes as one of The World’s Top 50 Women in Tech in 2018.

'Europe’s Security and Defence: Where We Stand' Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 transformed the threat perception for many European democracies. Russia has emerged as Europe’s most powerful and menacing power, willing to retool its economy for war and accept hundreds of thousands of casualties in the pursuit of territorial conquest. In response, democratic Europe is re-arming and providing unprecedented assistance to the defence of Ukraine. Brigid Laffan, Carsten Søndergaard, Marcin Terlikowski, and Ben Tonra will join this edition of IIEA Insights to assess Europe’s preparedness in an utterly changed security environment and what the election of Donald Trump as US president means for the US commitment to European security. Brigid Laffan is Emeritus Professor at the European University Institute in Florence and was Director at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies until her retirement in August 2021. Carsten Søndergaard served as a Danish diplomat until August 2022. His final position was as Denmark’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2018-2022). Marcin Terlikowski is Deputy Head of Research at the Polish Institute of International affairs. Ben Tonra is Full Professor of International Relations at the UCD School of Politics and International Relations and Project Leader for the IIEA’s policy group on European Security and Defence.

The world can increasingly be characterised by uncertainty and transformations. Climate change, geopolitical competition, demographic changes, and new innovations in technology, including artificial intelligence, have prompted the need to reflect upon the implications which these changes may mean for society and businesses across Europe. In this panel discussion, expert speakers drawn from EU institutions and Ireland reflect upon how Europe can thrive in a changing world and ensure that the EU and its Member States are best positioned to meet the challenges and to identify the opportunities which may arise therefrom. Speakers will include: Pascal Leardini, Chair of the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS), and Deputy Secretary-General and Chief Operating Officer of the European Commission Peter Clifford, Head of Strategy at Research Ireland Elena Lazarou, Senior Analyst at the European Parliamentary Research Service Kevin Flynn, Head of the Irish Liaison Office for Research and Innovation in Brussels, Enterprise Ireland Una Fitzpatrick, Director of Technology Ireland This panel has been organised in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland, and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seized public consciousness in recent years, but public attention has often focused on the technological aspects of AI. However, as AI is inserted into every part of daily life, from dating to doctor consultations, it is important to ensure that this technology is adopted in a human-centric way. Susie Alegre examines AI through the lens of international human rights law to explore the legal frameworks we need to build the human-centric future we want. About the Speaker: Susie Alegre is an international lawyer specialising in technology and human rights and a Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).  A barrister and Associate at Garden Court Chambers in London, she has worked in the field of public international law and human rights around the world for organisations including Amnesty International, the European Union, the OSCE and the UN. She is the author of Freedom to Think, a Financial Times Technology book of the year and Human Rights, Robot Wrongs: Being Human in the Age of AI published in 2024.

In her address, Dr Songwe acknowledges that the bulk of the cost of the climate transition in many low- and middle-income countries will be borne by governments, with the private sector and Multilateral Development Banks playing a complementary role. Country platforms, transition plans and “Nationally Determined Contributions” (NDCs), in her view, should play a critical role in identifying priority financing needs and in coordinating global and domestic climate finance. She argues that Governments must use all levers to raise long-term affordable finance and create the fiscal space for investments needed to meet the challenge. A Green industrial strategy is the key to translating transition plans and NDCs into clear investment pathways for public, private and multilateral finance. About the Speaker: Dr Vera Songwe is Chair and Founder of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility and a senior non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution on Global Economy and Development. Songwe has led numerous efforts to bring greater prosperity to Africa, including as the former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Dr Songwe is also a global climate champion. She is the Co-Chair of the Independent High-Level Expert Panel on Climate Finance, where she has supported the government of the UK and Egypt for COP27 and also for Egypt and the UAE under COP28.

American diplomacy has faced a combustible mix of unique challenges in recent years, from domestic political divisions to a disorderly international landscape, compounded by multiple ongoing wars. These challenges are unlikely to disappear soon. In his address to the IIEA, Nicholas Kralev reflects on American diplomacy's track record since the turn of the century, its ability to navigate and influence today's complex world, and the potential impact of the upcoming US presidential election in November. Drawing from his visits to more than 80 US embassies during his research for his books America's Other Army and Diplomatic Tradecraft, Mr. Kralev offers his insights into the current state and future of US diplomacy. About the Speaker: Nicholas Kralev is a recognised expert in US diplomacy, international affairs, and foreign service training. He is the founding executive director of the Washington International Diplomatic Academy, an independent organization offering professional training in diplomacy. With over two decades of experience, Nicholas Kralev has closely observed US diplomacy, first as a correspondent for the Financial Times and Washington Times, traveling with Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, and Madeleine Albright. He has also authored several books, including America's Other Army and Diplomatic Tradecraft, which was recently published by Cambridge University Press.

'Check and Balances on US Presidents: Legal and Political Perspectives' The forthcoming presidential election in the United States has been described as among the most consequential in the republic’s 248-year history. In this edition of IIEA Insights, Lecturer in Law at University of Galway, Larry Donnelly, discusses how political power is diffused in the US and assess how strong checks and balances are on the exercise of executive power. The roles of congress, the supreme court, and the states will be considered in how presidential power is constrained, along with how independent government agencies and interest groups of all kinds influence executive decision-making. Larry Donnelly is a native of Boston and citizen of both the US and Ireland. He is the founder and director of the Clinical Legal Education programme at the University of Galway’s School of Law. He has been published widely in academic legal journals, including on comparative law. He was previously active in politics and government in the US and now contributes regularly to various Irish media outlets on politics, current affairs, and law in the US.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice delivered an Advisory Opinion on the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories while, at the same time, examining alleged breaches of the Genocide Convention by Israel in the context of its war on Gaza in a separate case brought by South Africa. This panel of experts explores these recent and ongoing legal processes, their historical context, the significance of the Court's findings thus far, and the legal effects of its decisions on other states. Furthermore, the panel discusses Ireland's role in these processes and what impact these legal processes may have on Ireland, for international law, and for delivering justice in the Middle East. About the Speakers: Dr Giulia Pinzauti, Assistant Professor of Public International Law at Leiden University Dr John Reynolds, Associate Professor of International Law at Maynooth University Prof Hélène Tigroudja, Professor of Public International Law at Aix-Marseille University Giulia Pinzauti is Assistant Professor of Public International Law at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies of Leiden Law School. She previously served as an associate legal officer at the International Court of Justice from 2015 to 2016, in the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia from 2012 to 2014, and at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon from 2011 to 2012. John Reynolds is Associate Professor of International Law at the School of Law & Criminology, Maynooth University. His research focuses on questions of international law in relation to colonialism, apartheid, and states of emergency. Dr Reynolds’ book on Empire, Emergency and International Law, published with Cambridge University Press, was awarded the Kevin Boyle Book Prize for Outstanding Legal Scholarship. He is an editor of the Third World Approaches to International Law Review (TWAIL Review) journal. Hélène Tigroudja is Professor at the Faculty of Law at Aix-Marseille University, where she teaches international law, international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law. She is currently serving as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee and is appointed as Special Rapporteur on New Communications and Interim Measures. She also regularly works with other universal and regional organisations such as UNESCO, the European Union and the Council of Europe. She has authored several articles, chapters of collective books, and monographs in French, English, and Spanish. Her collected specialised course delivered at The Hague Academy of International Law in 2023 on Armed Conflicts and International Human Rights Law will be published in 2025.

As the conversation on the future of industrial policy in the European Union continues, questions on the future of European competitiveness, the green transition, and trade policy have grown in importance. In her remarks to the IIEA, Garance Pineau reflects upon these key concerns and offers the French vision for the future of the European business environment. About the Speaker: Garance Pineau is the Director General of the Mouvement des Enterprises de France (MEDEF), the largest business organization in France since November 2023. Before joining MEDEF, she served as European advisor to the French President, Emmanuel Macron. She was previously Chief of Staff to the European Affairs Minister and managed the 2019 European elections for the President’s political party. She also worked as the Deputy Director of Social Relations at MEDEF and lent her expertise as a Diplomatic Advisor in the office of the Minister for Labour. In addition to this, Garance Pineau has worked for the UN and the OSCE in the field of Human and Asylum Rights.

In conversation with Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), he explores the most pressing issues facing the aviation industry today. The conversation looks at the industry’s ambitious commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities that stakeholders face. Mr Walsh also discusses topics such as increased pressure on airport capacity, regulatory challenges that aviation companies face, as well as the broader aviation supply chain and current EU and international aviation policies. This conversation aims to provide a comprehensive look at the future of aviation, with insights into how international and European institutions interact to ensure the aviation industry can operate safely and efficiently. About the Speaker: Willie Walsh became the eighth person to lead the International Air Transport Association (IATA) when he took on the role of Director General in April 2021. Mr Walsh began as a cadet pilot with Aer Lingus in 1979 and rose to the position of Chief Executive at the airline in 2001. In 2005, he was appointed Chief Executive of British Airways (BA), leading them through the 2008/09 global financial crisis, he also established a transatlantic joint business venture with Iberia, Finnair, and American Airlines, and oversaw the 2011 merger of BA and Iberia under a newly established parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG). He was the Chief Executive of IAG from its inception until September 2020. Mr Walsh served on the IATA Board of Governors between 2005 to 2018, including serving as Chair from 2016 to 2017.

'The end of the free market and free trade in Europe?' The recent imposition of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles by the EU, which won the support of member states including Ireland, is just one illustration of how the potential downsides of free trade have been given greater prioritisation in Europe in recent years. The appointment of a European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security for the first time underscores a fundamental rethinking of core EU competences such as competition policy, state aids, and trade. Elvire Fabry, Martin Sandbu, and Sander Tordoir will discuss the origins of this rethink and how it will shape future policy outcomes in the EU. Elvire Fabry is Senior Research Fellow at the Jacques Delors Institute, in charge of the geopolitics of trade and rapporteur of the working group on EU-China relations. Her areas of expertise include EU bilateral trade negotiations, EU-US relations, EU-China relations, investment, global governance, WTO reform, Brexit, and perceptions of globalisation. Martin Sandbu is the European Economics Commentator at the Financial Times where he writes on a range of international affairs issues drawing insight from the intersection of economics, politics, and ethics. He is the also the author of a number of books, including The Economics of Belonging: A Radical Plan to Win Back the Left-Behind and Achieve Prosperity for All. Before joining the Financial Times, he worked in policy consulting and academia, including at Harvard, Columbia, and the Wharton School. Sander Tordoir is Chief Economist at the Centre for European Reform where he works on eurozone monetary and fiscal policy and the institutional architecture of EMU and European integration. Prior to joining the CER, he worked at the ECB in Frankfurt, as advisor to the ECB Representative at the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC and at the German Federal Finance Ministry.

This address by Prof Emanuel Del Re, the EU Special Representative for the Sahel, which is part of the IIEA Development Matters series supported by Irish Aid, focuses on the evolving dynamics of the EU-Africa relationship, with a particular emphasis on the Sahel region. In her address, Prof Del Re explores key strategic areas such as security, development, governance, and migration, highlighting how the EU's comprehensive approach in the Sahel aligns with broader African Union priorities. The discussion delves into the challenges and opportunities of fostering sustainable peace and development in the region, addressing complex issues like violent extremism, climate change, and humanitarian crises. About the Speaker: Emanuela Del Re is the European Union Special Representative for the Sahel. She was Italian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation from June 2018 to February 2021. She was an Elected Member of the Italian Lower House of Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, from March 2018 to June 2021 and resigned to take up her appointment by the EU Council as the EU Special Representative for the Sahel region in Africa. She was a member of the Foreign Affairs Commission at the Italian Parliament until June 2021 and was appointed President of the Standing Committee on the implementation of Agenda 2030 and sustainable development until June 2021. She is a Jean Monnet Professor of Sociology at the Sapienza University, a director of film-documentaries on conflicts, coexistence and ethno-religious persecutions, and founder and president until 2017 of EPOS, a non-profit organization active in conflict areas with projects for the reconstruction of the Civil Society and governance, in particular for refugees and welcoming communities.

In his address to the IIEA, Ambassador Javier Niño Pérez discusses the evolving partnership between the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU). This discussion highlights the partnership’s commitment to multilateralism to reduce global inequalities, strengthen solidarity, promote international cooperation, and fight and mitigate climate change. Ambassador Niño Pérez also looks towards the upcoming EU-AU Summit in 2025, where leaders from Europe and Africa will continue to shape this important relationship. About the Speaker: Ambassador Javier Niño Pérez is the Head of Delegation for the EU Delegation to the African Union, a position he has held since January 2024. Previously, he held various positions within the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Commission, including Director/Deputy Managing Director for Americas, Head of Division for US and Canada, and Head of Division in Turkey. He has served as an Ambassador in Haiti and Cuba and has held various positions within the Political and Economic Sections of European Commission Delegations in Trinidad & Tobago and Burkina Faso. Ambassador Niño Pérez holds a M.A. in Advanced Political Studies from the College of Europe in Bruges, an LL.M. in European Law from the Free University of Brussels, and a degree in Law from the University of Valladolid.

'Does Ireland have a Europe strategy?' Europe is in flux. Countries are re-arming in response to growing security threats. Economic security risks are leading to a rethinking of EU state aid rules, competition and trade policies. With public opinion shifting against immigration across the continent, how the EU and its members handle asylum applications from outside the bloc is rising up the agenda. Dr Eoin Drea, Senator Michael McDowell and Dr Kathryn Simpson share their views on how Ireland is positioning itself on these issues, how they think it should position itself, and how have Ireland’s alliances with other member states have evolved in these rapidly changing circumstances? Dr Eoin Drea is Senior Researcher in the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies focusing on the political economy of the European Union, the future of the Eurozone, EU-UK and EU-US relations. He is a regular media contributor and his opinion pieces have appeared in Foreign Policy, Politico, The Guardian, The Times of London and The Irish Times among others. Senator Michael McDowell was elected to Seanad Éireann in 2016. He served as Attorney General from 1999 to 2002, as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2002 until 2007, and as Tánaiste from 2006 until 2007. He is also currently a Senior Counsel, an Adjunct Professor in the UCD Sutherland School of Law and a weekly columnist with the Irish Times. Dr Kathryn Simpson is Associate Professor of Politics & Economics of the EU and Director of Research at Keele University. Her research interests include Ireland’s relationship with the EU, political behaviour and public opinion in the EU, UK & Ireland, the politics, and economics of Brexit on the island of Ireland and Ireland-UK relations post-Brexit. Her books include ‘Nationalism in Internationalism: Ireland’s Relationship with the EU’.

Human impacts on the global ocean are increasing in scale and scope. As we learn more about climate change, plastic pollution, deep sea mining, and overfishing we see more clearly that these impacts alter our relationship with the ocean. Around the world, communities of people are working together to observe, understand, and act to sustain ocean habitats. In her address to IIEA, Tessa Hill, author of At Every Depth, discusses our growing knowledge about the ocean and the changes that threaten it. The discussion provides an overview of the major themes and lessons from the book, and how they apply to people who are working to protect marine environments on a local, national, and international level.  About the Speaker:  Dr Tessa Hill is a Professor in the Earth & Planetary Sciences Department, and Associate Vice Provost for Public Scholarship and Engagement at UC Davis. Dr Tessa Hill is a Professor in the Earth & Planetary Sciences Department, and Associate Vice Provost for Public Scholarship and Engagement at UC Davis. She holds a Ph.D. in Marine Science from UC Santa Barbara (2004). Her research interests include climate change, both past and present, and understanding the response of marine species to environmental perturbation.  She is part of the Bodega Ocean Acidification Research (BOAR) group at Bodega Marine Laboratory, which aims to understand the impacts of ocean acidification and partner with local community groups to address these impacts. Tessa is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the California Academy of Sciences. Tessa’s work has been featured in a variety of media outlets including National Public Radio, Al Jazeera, and New York Times. She was the recipient of the Rachel Carson Lecture from the American Geophysical Union in 2023. She is co-author of At Every Depth: Our Growing Knowledge of the Changing Oceans (Columbia, 2024).

In his remarks to the IIEA, Frank Elderson, Member of the Executive Board and Vice President of the Supervisory Board of the European Central Bank, provides an overview of major trends of relevance for the macro financial outlook in Europe. He discusses how these trends are reflected in the ECB’s monetary policy and banking supervision priorities. Mr Elderson also reflects upon the specific actions the ECB is undertaking in monetary policy and banking supervision in relation to climate and nature-related risks. Mr Elderson will be joined by Sharon Donnery, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, for a fireside discussion and Q&A which will be moderated by Dan O'Brien, the IIEA's Chief Economist. Frank Elderson is a member of the Executive Board and of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank. He is Vice-Chair of the ECB’s Supervisory Board and oversees the ECB’s Legal Services. He co-chairs the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Risks of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. Mr Elderson previously served as Executive Director of De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB). At DNB he held several senior positions before joining its Governing Board in 2011.Before joining DNB in 1999, Mr Elderson worked as a lawyer specialising in EU competition law.  Sharon Donnery is Deputy Governor at the Central Bank of Ireland for Financial Regulation on 1 July 2022. She is an ex-officio Member of the Central Bank Commission and is a member of the Supervisory Board of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the General Board of the European Systemic Risk Board.

Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), Intelligence gathered using publicly available data from sources such as social media, has changed how we think about intelligence gathering and secrecy. Though OSINT has been used for years by researchers, Russia's war in Ukraine has illustrated the effectiveness of OSINT tools for both researchers, and governments around the world. In his address to the IIEA, George Barros discusses the growing importance of OSINT, how OSINT may change the future of intelligence gathering, and provide his assessment on the ongoing war in Ukraine.  About the Speaker: George Barros is the Russia Team & Geospatial Intelligence Team Lead on the Russia and Ukraine portfolio at the Institute for the Study of War. George's work with the Russia and Ukraine portfolio focuses on Russian information operations, the Kremlin’s operational art and campaign design in Ukraine and Belarus, and Ukrainian politics. His work within the Geospatial Intelligence Team focuses on innovating ISW's open-source research methodology with remote sensing data collection, data visualization, and geospatial analysis. George received his B.A. with Honors in International Relations and Global Studies with a concentration in Russian and Post-Soviet Studies from the College of William & Mary. Prior to joining ISW, he worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as an advisor on Ukraine and Russia for a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

As the pace of technological change continues to accelerate, driven by advancements in generative AI, machine learning, and quantum computing, organisations and enterprise have been faced with increasing uncertainty. Amongst this uncertainty, climate change, geopolitical competition and demographic changes continue to pose challenges to society and businesses across Europe. In this panel discussion, expert speakers discuss how horizon-scanning tools can assist and support policymakers, citizens, and organisations in making sense of, and addressing, uncertainty as well as identifying potential opportunities arising. This panel has been organised in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland, and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. About the Speaker: Larry O'Connell is the Director of the National Economic and Social Council. Aaron Maniam is a Fellow of Practice and the Director of Digital Transformation Education at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government. Soile Ollila is the Foresight Manager at Business Finland. Alessandra Colecchia is the Head of Science and Technology Policy at the OECD.

'Britain’s relations with its neighbours and the EU: what has changed and what can change?' Britain’s Labour Party came to power in early July. It was the UK’s first change of government since Brexit and since the upheaval Britain’s departure from the EU caused in relations with its European neighbours. In the coming edition of IIEA Insights, Daithí Ó Ceallaigh and John Peet will assess how Ireland-UK relations have changed and whether Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit position in the EU single market for goods is permanently settled. Britain’s other bilateral relationships with European countries and prospects for closer cooperation with the EU will also be examined. Daithí Ó Ceallaigh is a former Irish diplomat and chair of the IIEA’s UK group. Among other rolls during his career he served as Ireland’s ambassador to Finland and the UN in Geneva. He was also deeply involved in Ireland-UK relations, culminating in his appointment as ambassador to the UK in 2001. After his retirement from the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2009, he led the IIEA as Director General. John Peet is The Economist‘s political and Brexit editor. Over his decades-long career at the paper, he has held a range of senior positions, including Europe editor and business affairs editor. He also spent time in Brussels and Washington DC as the paper’s correspondent. Before joining The Economist John was a civil servant.

According to Dr Šedivý, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has highlighted the necessity for the EU to strengthen Europe’s Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB). A resilient and competitive EDTIB is a precondition for being able to develop and produce the capabilities that Member States and the EU’s partners require for their defence and security. Since February 2022, the EU has launched several major initiatives to boost the EDTIB and address defence gaps, especially ammunition stocks. Going forward, European defence spending needs to remain at the same, relatively high level if the EDTIB and Member States’ armed forces are to be fit for purpose and if Europe is to have the capabilities that it needs to address both current and future challenges. About the Speaker: Jiří Šedivý is the Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency, a position which he has held since 2020. Previously, Dr Šedivý served as Defence Minister of the Czech Republic (2006-2007), Deputy Defence Minister (2010-2012), NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning (2007-2010), and Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to NATO (2012-2019). He was also the Czech Special Representative for Resilience and New Threats at the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2019-2020). Dr Šedivý is a graduate of Charles University, Prague where he completed a PhD in Political Science and of King’s College London where he earned an MA in War Studies.

Until the early 2000s, the Netherlands stood out as an exception in the success of far-right challengers: while populist radical right contenders were gaining significant electoral traction in neighboring countries, they long struggled to achieve similar success in the Netherlands. However, according to Dr Léonie de Jonge, since the turn of the 21st century, the Netherlands appears to have turned into a hotbed for far-right populism, which has become normalised by competition within this political wing. Indeed, the country has witnessed the rise of several influential populist radical right parties, including the Lijst Pim Fortuyn (List Pim Fortuyn or LPF), Geert Wilders’s Partij voor de Vrijheid (Party for Freedom or PVV), and, more recently, the Forum voor Democratie (Forum for Democracy or FvD), led by Thierry Baudet. In the 2023 general election, PVV secured nearly a quarter of the vote, leading to its inclusion in a coalition government in 2024. With this move, it seems fair to say that the far right has become normalised. In her address to the IIEA, Dr Léonie de Jonge tries to make sense of the meteoric rise of the far right in the Netherlands, and what this might mean for that country, the wider Benelux region, and for Europe. Part of our #WhatsNext series, which sees experts debate, discuss and analyse what's next for public policy as political and social change sweeps the globe. About the Speaker: Léonie de Jonge is Assistant Professor in European Politics and Society at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. She also works as a researcher at the Documentation for Dutch Political Parties. Léonie obtained her PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2019 for her research on the success and failure factors of populist radical right. In her latest book (2021), she answers the question of why these parties have been more successful in the Netherlands and Flanders than in Luxembourg and Wallonia. In 2021, Léonie was elected Chair of the Steering Committee on Extremism and Democracy at the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR), and in 2022, she was appointed member of the Young Academy (De Jonge Akademie) of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). Léonie is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of political extremism and right-wing populism in Europe. Her work is also frequently featured in international news and media.

'Trump’s tariffs: the implications for transatlantic trade' America has soured on free trade and globalisation. Disruption to transatlantic trade is a major near-term risk for the Irish economy, as the biggest per capita goods exporter to the US among EU members. One of the candidates in November’s US presidential election has promised across-the-board tariffs of at least 10% on all imported goods. Such a measure would almost certainly result in retaliatory measures by the European Commission, which has exclusive competence over EU members’ international trade policy. In this edition of IIEA Insights, Alicia García Herrero, Rory Montgomery and Matt Moran examine the implications of these tariffs on transatlantic economic and security relations. Alicia García Herrero: Chief Asia Pacific Economist at Natixis bank and a Senior fellow at Bruegel think tank. Rory Montgomery: former Permanent Representative of Ireland to the EU, among others senior diplomatic roles. Matt Moran: former head of Ibec’s Biopharmachem Ireland and currently a consultant in that industry.

In his address to the IIEA, Dr Vindman examines the Russia-Ukraine War: Past, Present, and Future. He discusses the roots of the war and its conduct to date, highlighting the conflict’s effects on European security, the trans-Atlantic alliance, and broader geopolitics. Dr Vindman also provides analysis on how the war is likely to unfold and conclude. His assessment of the war will be contextualised within the global clash between democracy and authoritarianism, with prescriptions on what the West must do to win. About the Speaker: Dr Alexander Vindman, a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel, was the director for European Affairs on the White House’s National Security Council. Before that, he served as the Political-Military Affairs Officer for Russia for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and as an attaché at the US Embassies in Moscow and Kyiv. While on the Joint Staff, he co-authored the National Military Strategy Russia Annex. He earned an MA from Harvard University, where he serves as a Hauser Leader, and a PhD from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, where he is currently a senior fellow. Dr Vindman leads the national security think tank Institute for Informed American Leadership, is an executive board member for the Renew Democracy Initiative, a senior fellow at the Kettering Foundation, and a senior advisor to VoteVets. His best-selling memoir is titled Here, Right Matters.

In this address to the IIEA, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, Mihai Popșoi, discusses the membership aspirations of Moldova and ongoing negotiations with the European Union, particularly about the necessary structural reforms underway within the country, and the feasibility of the 2030 target date for EU Accession. Another theme of his address covers Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and ongoing “grey zone” assaults on Moldova. About the Speaker: Mihai Popșoi is the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, holding a Ph.D. in Political Studies from the University of Milan. From 2019 to 2024, he served as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament and was the Faction Leader of the Action and Solidarity Party. He was also the Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in 2022. His extensive parliamentary work includes co-chairing the Parliamentary Committee on Moldova-EU Association and the Moldova-Poland Parliamentary Assembly and chairing the Parliamentary Monitoring and Control Commission on Reintegration Policy.

In this panel, Dr Elodie Fabre and Mathieu Gallard dissect the recent French legislative elections. These two experts discuss voting trends, electoral issues, the results and possible new government, and what that may mean for France’s domestic and international policy. About the Speakers: Dr Elodie Fabre is a Lecturer in Politics and International Studies at Queen’s University Belfast. Her research focuses on political parties in France and in the UK. She is currently working on the evolution of Renaissance, Emmanuel Macron’s political party, and party finance in Northern Ireland. Mathieu Gallard has been Research Director at Ipsos France since 2016. He is in charge of surveys on political and electoral issues in France and abroad and has produced analyses on these matters for numerous media and think tanks. Before joining Ipsos, Mr Gallard worked at the Government Information Service, which analyses public opinion for the Prime Minister's office.

In his remarks to the IIEA, Édouard Philippe analyses the role of France and the EU in adapting to global upheavals. In his address, he underscores France's pivotal role in Europe, especially in promoting peace and economic cooperation, while addressing current challenges such as shifting global power dynamics, waning multilateralism, and defense policy alignment. He also highlights the necessity of a united Europe to effectively respond to these issues. About the Speaker: Édouard Philippe has been Mayor of Le Havre since 2010. From 2012 to 2017, he was also Member of Parliament representing the 7th district of Seine-Maritime. From 2017 to 2020, he served as Prime Minister of France. In October 2021, he created his own political party, Horizons. In November 2021, he was elected President of the International Network of Port Cities (AIVP). Édouard Philippe is also a writer who has published several novels and non-fiction books.

This panel discusses what the next steps might be for the EU following the European Parliament elections, which took place in June. The panellists will look at where we are in the various post-election processes, as regards to appointments to the top EU jobs, the formation of the parliamentary groups, and the formation of the new Commission. About the Speakers: John O’ Brennan is a professor in the department of Sociology at Maynooth University and Director of the Maynooth Centre for European and Eurasian studies. He is an expert on EU enlargement and on Ireland’s experience of European integration. He has published two books, and dozens of journal articles and book chapters on these themes. He is one of Ireland’s foremost analysts of contemporary Europe for newspapers, television and radio outlets. Frances Fitzgerald is an international leader and influencer on equality from Ireland, who is currently serving a two-year term as a Member of the Gender Equality Advisory Council to the G7. A parliamentarian for over 20 years,Frances has served as Tánaiste; Minister for Business, Enterprise & Innovation; Minister for Justice & Equality; and was the State’s first Minister for Children & Youth Affairs. She held the position of Member of the European Parliament for 5 years (2019-2024), where she served on the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee, the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee and the Development Committee Marian Harkin TD served as an MEP from 2004 to 2019, as a member of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE). She was first elected as an independent in 2004 for the Connacht-Ulster region and was re-elected in 2009 and 2014 to represent the Northern and Western Region. Marian was the co-ordinator for the ALDE group on the Committee for Employment and Social Affairs and also sat on the Agriculture and Finance Committees in the European Parliament. In 2012, she became Vice-President of the European Democratic Party. In 2020, after 15 years as an MEP, Marian was re-elected to Dáil Eireann as an independent for Sligo-Leitrim-North Roscommon and South Donegal.

At a time when migration is one of the most pressing issues on the international agenda – and one of the most polarising – Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), reflects on why it is important to change the global narrative – from one that is highly politicised to one that captures the potential and rich benefits of this global phenomenon. About the Speaker: Amy Pope is the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a post she has held since 1st October 2023. She brings a wealth of experience in addressing complex migration issues and a passion for changing the global narrative about people on the move. She is the first woman to hold the post in IOM’s 73-year history.

Since the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020, reports of crimes against Armenian cultural heritage in the territory have emerged. After Azerbaijan assumed control over Nagorno-Karabakh following a military offensive in October 2023 and the mass expulsion of the region’s ethnic Armenian population, concerns of heritage abuse have intensified. Crimes against cultural heritage gained infamy in recent years with the plundering of ancient sites in Iraq and Syria yet reports of the attempted erasure of Armenian cultural heritage in both Nagorno-Karabakh and Nakhchivan have not received global attention. In this panel, two experts discuss abuses of cultural heritage in general and, specifically, the alleged or potential destruction of Armenian cultural heritage following the assertion of Azerbaijani control over Nagorno-Karabakh. About the Speakers: Derek Fincham is a Professor at the South Texas College of Law Houston, where he teaches Legal Research and Writing and Art Law. Dr Fincham serves on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Cultural Property and runs the Illicit Cultural Property Blog. Lori Khatchadourian is Associate Professor of Near Eastern Studies and Anthropology at Cornell University, and co-founder and co-director of Caucasus Heritage Watch. Her research uses the methods of archaeology and anthropology to study heritage politics and the ruins of modernity, with a particular focus on the South Caucasus.

In this IIEA webinar, Dr Tim Oliver, Director of Studies, and Senior Lecturer for the Institute for Diplomacy and International Governance, Loughborough University and Dr Lisa Claire Whitten, Research Fellow at Queen's University Belfast, discuss the implications and outcomes of the UK general election that took place on Thursday, 4 July. About the Speakers: Dr Tim Oliver is a leading expert on Brexit, UK politics and foreign policy, and international relations. Dr Oliver holds a PhD from London School of Economics, which looked at the nature of the UK state and how it makes foreign policy. Dr Oliver was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Defence and International Affairs at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he was also a Transatlantic Postdoc Fellow for International Relations and Security (TAPIR) based at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (Berlin), the Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and the RAND Corporation in Washington D.C. Dr Lisa Claire is a Research Fellow at Queen’s University Belfast specialising in the legal, regulatory, and constitutional implications of Brexit, particularly looking at Northern Ireland. Prior to entering academia, Lisa Claire held a variety of posts in the public sector, including working for an MP in Westminster and in the Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels. She has recently published two books, both on the subject of the Northern Ireland constitution entitled, Northern Ireland and the UK Constitution and Brexit and the Northern Ireland Constitution.

Prof. Tobias Lock gives a detailed examination of the constitutional and legal processes behind German reunification to highlight the substantial legal challenges that Irish unification would entail. Similar to German reunification, achieving Irish unity would necessitate negotiations at multiple levels: domestic, bilateral, and international, including with the EU. This process would involve integrating two distinct legal systems, addressing issues ranging from the routine to the contentious. Although the specific issues will differ between Germany and Ireland, Prof. Tobias Lock argues that the legal techniques used in Germany, such as frontloading, transition periods, and conflict rules could also be effectively applied to Irish unification. About the Speaker: Tobias Lock is a Professor of Law at Maynooth University and the founding director of the Maynooth Centre for European Law. From 2020-2023, he held the Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law and Fundamental Rights. Originally from Germany, Prof. Lock previously taught at the University of Edinburgh. His research focuses on EU constitutional and fundamental rights law, comparative constitutional law, and the relationship between EU law, domestic law, and international law. He is an EU law adviser to the Scottish Parliament and a member of the Royal Irish Academy’s ARINS project.

France is on the cusp of unprecedented political change. If opinion polls prove correct, Europe’s second largest economy and founding member of the European Union is set to elect a lower house of parliament dominated by the hard right and hard left. This edition of IIEA Insights examines the political, economic, diplomatic, and security implications of the coming sea change in French politics. Hélène Conway-Mouret, member of France’s senate representing the Socialist Party. She was minister-delegate for French expatriates from 2012-14 and is a scholar of international relations. She has previously held academic positions in both France and Ireland. Nicolas Véron, cofounder of Bruegel think tank and Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He is a Senior Fellow at both Bruegel and the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington DC. He has previously held senior positions in the French government and private sector.

Full event title 'Global Gateway Strategy: EU’s Values-Based Strategy for Enhanced International Partnerships and Sustainable Investments' In her remarks, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, presents the Global Gateway investment strategy. In a time of geopolitical turmoil and subsequent global crises, which have hit the most vulnerable the hardest, Global Gateway is the European Union’s positive and holistic partnership offer to advance Sustainable Development Goals in partner countries. It reflects the new paradigm of development cooperation, stemming from the need to reset relations with the Global South and build mutually beneficial, equal partnerships to solve global challenges. About the Speaker: As European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Ms Jutta Urpilainen oversees the European Commission’s work on international cooperation and sustainable development. Before joining the Commission, Ms Urpilainen served as a Member of the Finnish Parliament from 2003 to 2019. In 2008, she became the first woman leader of the Social Democratic Party of Finland. From 2011 to 2014, she served as Finland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister. During that time, she became closely involved in development issues, joining the Development Committee of the World Bank Group and IMF, and chairing the Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development. She served as the Foreign Minister’s Special Representative on Mediation (2017-19) and chaired the Finnish National Commission for UNESCO (2015-18).

In his talk, Michael Kenny discusses the main themes of his new book, Fractured Union, which provides a comprehensive analysis of how and why the UK’s Union has, in his opinion, come near to breaking apart in recent years. He explores the policy options and cultural changes required in British politics and government to put the Union on a more stable footing. He also considers the implications of the next general election taking place in the UK for the next 10-20 years, and discusses what will be different, and what might continue, in the event of a victory for Keir Stamer’s Labour Party. About the Speaker: Michael Kenny is Professor of Public Policy, and the inaugural Director of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at the University of Cambridge where he leads the Institute’s place and public policy programme. He is a visiting Fellow at the UCL Constitution Unit, a Fellow of the UK’s Academy of Social Sciences, and holds advisory positions with the Constitution Society, the ‘Behaviour Change by Design’ project, and ‘The Science of Global Risk’ project. His research includes leading projects on left-behind communities, social infrastructure and devolution, and the future of the UK constitution. His latest book is entitled Fractured Union: Politics, Sovereignty, and the Fight to Save the UK.

In his presentation, Gerald Knaus argues that migration fears drive populist leaders like Viktor Orban and Donald Trump to undermine post-war liberal democracies. Using examples from Austria, France, Italy, and Germany, Dr Knaus will demonstrate how these fears have enabled the far-right to achieve their strongest results in recent European elections. He offers suggestions on how to improve migration management in Europe by moving towards a more humane legal system which balances border control and human rights by introducing fast and fair asylum procedures, strategic deportations, and legal mobility for migrants. He also discusses partnership agreements and other options to deter illegal migration. About the Speaker: Gerald Knaus is an Austrian migration expert and a well-known advisor on migration policy. He is the founding chairman of the European Stability Initiative (ESI) think tank and a founding member of the European Council on Foreign Relations. An accomplished author, in 2020, he published the award-winning SPIEGEL bestseller “What Borders Do We Need?” and prior to that he wrote a book in 2011 with the British writer and then politician Rory Stewart entitled: “Can Intervention Work? He was an Associate Fellow at the Kennedy School in Harvard University for five years and has lectured at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) in Vienna, at the State University of Ukraine and at the NATO College in Rome. Apart from refugee issues, his expertise covers economics, southern Europe and the Balkans, rule of law in Europe, and corruption.

In recent years digital technologies have led to rapid economic and social change. For Ireland and Europe to adapt, grow, and prosper in the digital age it is vital that their populations are equipped with the right skills to navigate this digital transition. In this event an expert panel examines the current state of play with regards to digital skills in Ireland and Europe. The panel also discusses the challenges and opportunities relating to digital skills for the economy and society. The panel also explores the role of policymakers and other stakeholders in promoting the uptake of the skills required to ensure a prosperous and inclusive future. This event is jointly organised by the IIEA and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS). This event begins with a keynote address by Minister Patrick O’Donovan, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The panel for this event include: Francesca Borgonovi, Head of the Skills Analysis team in the OECD Centre for Skills Barry Lowry, Chief Information Officer of the Government of Ireland Grainne Blake, Associate Director, KPMG Anna Thomas, Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Institute for the Future of Work

How effective has America’s new industrial policy been to date? How seriously should western countries take the threat of a wave of cheap Chinese goods flooding the global marketplace? Is the end of the US dollar as the world's reserve currency in sight? What lessons can be drawn from Japan's 20-year history of unconventional monetary policy? And how is American public opinion shifting on issues ranging from domestic political polarization to the role of the US in the world? In the next edition of IIEA Insights, polymath analyst Noah Smith will answer these question and others about which he has written recently. Noah Smith is an American blogger, journalist, and commentator on economics and current events. A former assistant professor of Behavioral Finance at Stony Brook University, Smith writes for his own Substack blog, Noahpinion, and posts prolifically to his more than 300,000 followers on X. He has also written for publications including Bloomberg, Quartz, Associated Press, Business Insider, and The Atlantic.

Sally Hayden, journalist and photographer focused on migration, conflict, and humanitarian crises and an international correspondent for The Irish Times, participates in a fireside chat with IIEA Researcher Tara Kukec and a Q&A session with members. Based on her acclaimed book “My Fourth Time, We Drowned: Seeking Refuge on the World’s Deadliest Migration Route,” Ms Hayden discusses the movement of refugees and migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, their treatment on the way to Europe, and how EU institutions and citizens have responded to the ongoing migration crisis. She also provides insights into her personal experience conveying the stories of refugees and what she has witnessed throughout her reporting. About the Speaker:  Sally Hayden is a journalist and photographer focused on migration, conflict, and humanitarian crises and is an international correspondent for The Irish Times. Her debut book, “My Fourth Time, We Drowned: Seeking Refuge on the World’s Deadliest Migration Route,” was awarded the Orwell Prize for Political Writing, Il Premio Terzani, An Post Irish Book of the Year, and the Michel Deon Prize. She is a three-time winner for ‘best foreign coverage’ at the Irish Journalism Awards and was named Journalist of the Year in 2023.

About the Speech: Since the onset of Russia's war against Ukraine, the Franco-German engine has stalled. The two countries are pursuing fundamentally different policies, particularly in security, defense, and energy. Additionally, Berlin and Paris have failed to achieve significant progress on EU enlargement and reform. In this IIEA discussion, Dr Ronja Kempin will discuss the reasons behind the strained relationship between the two countries and assess how to bridge the divide and inject new momentum into the EU integration process. About the Speaker: Dr. Ronja Kempin is a Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin, advising the Bundestag, the German government, and the business community on foreign policy issues. Previously, she led the EU External Relations Research Group at SWP and advised the German Federal Foreign Office. In 2024/2025, she will hold the Alfred Grosser Chair at SciencesPo Paris. Her research focuses on European security and defence policy, particularly the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy, as well as France and Franco-German relations.

This panel discussion on sustainable aviation brings together leaders from industry and research. Steven Fitzgerald, Ryanair; Steven Gillard, Boeing; and Prof Marina Efthymiou, DCU, share insights into sustainability initiatives in aviation, including advancements in eco-friendly aircraft technology, operational strategies to reduce carbon emissions, and the role of policy and innovation in achieving sustainability goals. The panel also explores how research can contribute to innovative solutions and workforce development in this field. The aim of this panel discussion be to provide insights into collaborative efforts between airlines, manufacturers, and researchers to drive the aviation industry towards a green future. Speakers on this panel include: Steven Fitzgerald, Head of Sustainability and Finance at Ryanair Steven Gillard, Regional Director for Middle East and Europe Sustainability at Boeing Dr Marina Efthymiou, Professor of Aviation Management at Dublin City University Business School.

As adolescent mental health has declined substantially in the last decade, it has spurred pervasive concern that digitalisation and social media use might be playing a part in this phenomenon. Dr Orben reflects on the challenges and problems facing research in this space to date, and provides an overview of her team’s work in trying to address these challenges to produce evidence that can be used to improve adolescent’s mental health. About the speaker: Dr Amy Orben is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit and Fellow of St. John’s College at the University of Cambridge. She directs an internationally renowned research programme investigating the links between mental health and digital technology use in adolescence. Dr Orben advises governments, health officials and public servants around the world. She has received a range of prestigious awards including the Medical Research Council Early Career Impact Prize (2022), British Psychological Society Award for Outstanding Contributions to Doctoral Research (2019) and Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science Mission Award (2020).

In his remarks, the Minister of State for International Development and the Diaspora, Seán Fleming T.D., discusses the legacy and significant achievements of Irish Aid 50. He outlines Ireland’s strong and consistent focus on ending poverty and hunger and how reaching the furthest behind first, especially in Africa, is at the heart of Irish Aid’s programme. The Minister reflects on his own personal experiences as Minister for International Development since his appointed. He also addresses the many challenges and overlapping crises that are impacting Ireland’s international development programme. While attention this year has been centred on the Middle East and the plight of Ukraine and its people, the Minister highlights how Ireland has not put aside its commitments to and focus on those living in poverty and crisis in the least developed countries worldwide. Finally, he sets out Ireland’s priorities and responses to these interlinked challenges, focusing on: gender equality, reducing humanitarian need, climate action and strengthening governance. About the Speaker: Seán Fleming T.D. is Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for International Development and Diaspora. He was appointed to this role in December 2022. He previously served as Minister of State at the Department of Finance. Minister Fleming was elected to represent the Laois-Offaly constituency at the 2020 General Election, having been first elected to the Dáil in 1997.

'Housing policy – international evidence on what works' Paul Cotter, Principal Officer in the Economics Division of the Department of Finance, and Michelle Norris, Professor of Social Policy and Director of the Geary Institute for Public Policy at University College Dublinand, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist

In his address to the IIEA, former President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, discusses current global developments and how these relate to the European challenges of our time. In Mr Van Rompuy’s opinion, these challenges include democracy, leadership, strategic autonomy, deindustrialisation, immigration, and potential institutional changes. In his remarks, he also discusses growing individualisation within the European Union and how this affects our societies and politics. About the Speaker: Herman Van Rompuy was the first full-time President of the European Council, a position he held from December 2009 until November 2014. At the time of his election, he was serving as the Prime Minister of Belgium. A former economist at the National Bank of Belgium, Herman Van Rompuy began his political career in 1973 as national vice-president of the youth movement of the Flemish Christian Democrats (CD&V). He served in the Belgian Parliament and in the Belgian Government in multiple positions. Having retired from politics, Mr Van Rompuy served as the President of the European Policy Centre (2015-2022) and is currently the President of the Administrative Council of the College of Europe.

Against the backdrop of increased geopolitical tensions, the relationship between the EU, its Member States, and China has continued to remain of significant importance. As the United States' relationship with China has deteriorated, the EU has increasingly sought to chart its own course vis a vis China, seeking partnerships where beneficial while ensuring its own interests are looked after. In this IIEA discussion, Finbarr Bermingham reflects on the present state of the EU's relationship with China, its challenges and opportunities, and explores what the future holds for the EU-China Relationship. About the Speaker: Finbarr Bermingham is a Brussels-based correspondent covering Europe's relationship with China. He is the Senior Europe Correspondent for the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post, a role he has held since 2021. Over the last decade, he has reported on China through a number of different lenses. Over seven years in Hong Kong he chronicled the Chinese trade economy through the Trump years and Covid-19. Since coming to Brussels, he has charted the downward spiral in EU-China ties following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He regularly appears on broadcast media and has won and been nominated for awards for his reporting and podcasting.

An interview with Pat Cox, part of the IIEA's Future Proofing Europe project

In their address to the IIEA, John FitzGerald and Edgar Morgenroth present their recent IIEA publication on the Northern Ireland subvention, which considers what the financial costs for the government in Ireland would be of Irish unification, using data from 2019. They discuss the findings from their paper, including that covering the Northern Ireland deficit would cost around 5% of Irish national income, and raising Northern Ireland’s public service pay rate and welfare rates to levels south of the border would cost another 5% of national income. According to FitzGerald and Morgenroth, if Northern Ireland were to immediately address the cause of its very low productivity, especially the inadequacies of its educational system, when such action matured in 25 or 30 years, this could substantially reduce the cost of unification. A quicker productivity win would also be available if Northern Ireland could persuade the large number of emigrants who are university graduates living in England to return. About the Speakers: John FitzGerald is Co-Chair of the Institute of International and European Affairs Economists Group, a member of the UK Group, and an Honorary Fellow, and Adjunct Professor of Economics at Trinity College Dublin. He is also a Research Affiliate at the Economic and Social Research Institute, and a Member of the Royal Irish Academy.  He was a member of the Central Bank of Ireland Commission from 2010 to 2020 and he was Chairman of the Irish government’s Climate Change Advisory Council until January 2021. Dr Edgar Morgenroth is a member of the Institute of International and European Affairs Economists Group and UK Group, and a full Professor of Economics at DCU Business School, Dublin City University. He has held positions at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Keele University, and the Strategic Investment Board of Northern Ireland (SIB). He is a Fellow of the UK Academy of Social Sciences and a Fellow of the Regional Studies Association, having served as its vice chairman and treasurer.

In recent years, Europe and much of the world have suffered the largest inflation shock in decades. Central banks have responded with large and rapid increases in interest rates. In his presentation to the IIEA, Philip Lane, Chief Economist of the European Central Bank, discusses the inflation outlook in the Eurozone at a time when hopes of a return to price stability are rising. About the Speaker: Philip R. Lane has been a Member of the six-person Executive Board of the European Central Bank since June 2019. Previously, he was the 11th Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland. Before taking on these policy-making roles, he was on the academic staff at Trinity College Dublin and remains affiliated with the university as Honorary Professor of Economics. In other roles, Philip has chaired the Advisory Scientific Committee and Advisory Technical Committee of the European Systemic Risk Board and has acted as an academic consultant for the European Commission, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, OECD and Asian Development Bank among others.

'Managing Europe’s under-performing economy' Lucinda Creighton and Conall Mac Coille in conversation with Dan O'Brien

SMEs are a vital part of Europe’s digital economy and are essential to ensuring Europe’s future prosperity. In his address to the IIEA, Mr Toffaletti provides a SME perspective on developments in digital policy and the digital economy over recent years. He particularly assesses the challenges that SMEs may face in navigating digital regulation and the potential role of digital policy in promoting SMEs. He also assesses the opportunities and challenges ahead for the digital SME sector. About the Speaker: Sebastiano Toffaletti holds a Master Degree in Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering from the University of Bologna. He has authored several articles and position papers on topics such as Intellectual Property Rights, Standards, e-Skills, Net Neutrality and Cloud Computing. He is chairman of the Working Group on SMEs at the European Cybersecurity Organisation (ECSO), is a member of the board of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), and serves on the EU Multi-stakeholder Platform on ICT Standardisation. He has headed the secretariat of the European DIGITAL SME Alliance since 2008.

In her address, Aoife Barry discusses her book Social Capital: Life Online in the Shadow of Ireland's Tech Boom, which focuses on what she discovered while interviewing people in Ireland about their online behaviour and how they have been treated online, and what this illustrates about the regulatory and legal challenges facing both social media users and tech owners. Aoife discusses how developments since the book’s publication demonstrate how issues around social media and misinformation have only grown, pointing to an uncertain and troubling future for the internet. About the Speaker: Aoife Barry is a freelance journalist and broadcaster. Her essays and fiction have been published by Banshee journal, ThiWurd, and Visual Verse, and broadcast on RTÉ’s Sunday Miscellany. Her bylines include The Sunday Times, The Irish Times, The Irish Independent, the Business Post, The Journal and the Irish Examiner. Aoife features regularly on RTÉ and Today FM and has received Agility Award Funding from the Arts Council for a novel in progress and was selected by the Irish Writers Centre for its Evolution Programme 2023.

In this IIEA panel, three experts discusses the conflict in Gaza and its broader implications for the regional stability of the Greater Middle East. As the conflict continues, regional actors in the Arab Gulf and the Levant, have stepped up their activities threatening a widening of the conflict beyond the present battlespace. Meanwhile, global powers have increased their own military activities in the region. Throughout the discussion, this panel explores what the conflict means not only for the Middle East, but also for global politics. Speakers in this panel include Rita Sakr, Assistant Professor at Maynooth University Raphael S. Cohen, Director of the Strategy and Doctrine Program at RAND’s Project AIR FORCE Marwan Muasher, Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

In Minister Adlercreutz’s view, the long-term success of Europe is being decided now, and Europe must act now. Against the backdrop of a more challenging world, the European elections are fast approaching. As part of the Future-Proofing Europe project, Minister Adlercreutz’s address outlines how Finland seeks to meet these challenges as well as the country’s key priorities: strategic competitiveness, comprehensive security, and promoting a clean ecological transition. About the Speaker: Anders Adlercreutz has been the Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering of Finland since June 2023. Minister Adlercreutz represents Finland in the EU General Affairs Council and is responsible for the country's Ownership Steering Policy for state-owned companies. First elected to Parliament in 2015, he served as Chair of the Swedish Parliamentary Group from 2019 until 2023. Minister Adlercreutz is an architect by profession and is a partner in an architecture firm in Helsinki.

In his address to the IIEA, Professor Treisman discusses his recent book Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century. He discusses how a new type of authoritarian regime has emerged which is better adapted to ruling sophisticated, globally-connected societies. These authoritarian regimes rely less on violent repression and instead rely more heavily on the manipulation of information. Professor Treisman discusses how strongman leaders use spin and information manipulation to cement their rule – and also explains why they sometimes revert to harsher methods. About the Speaker: Daniel Treisman is a Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles, Acting Director of the UCLA Center for European and Russian Studies, and Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. He is a former editor of The American Political Science Review and he has been a consultant for the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and USAID. His latest book, co-authored with Sergei Guriev, is Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century. The book was listed as one of the “Best Books of 2022” (The New Yorker, Foreign Affairs), “Best Political Books of 2022” (Financial Times), and “Books That Made Us Think in 2022” (The Atlantic, Moment).

The fiscal theory of the price level states that inflation results from more government debt than people believe will be repaid. In his remarks to the IIEA, Dr Cochrane explains the idea, and uses it to understand the surge of inflation in 2021-2022, why that inflation went away without restrictive monetary policy and a recession, the strange quiet of the zero bound era, and the rise and fall during the 1970s and 1980s. Dr Cochrane also discusses his new book, The Fiscal Theory of Price Level. About the Speaker: John H. Cochrane is the Rose-Marie and Jack Anderson Senior Fellow of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. His publications include the book The Fiscal Theory of the Price Level and Asset Pricing. He has written articles on monetary policy, inflation, asset markets, macroeconomics, health insurance, time-series econometrics, financial regulation, and other topics. He writes Op-eds in the Wall Street Journal, blogs as “the Grumpy Economist”, and is part of the Hoover Goodfellows podcast with H.R. McMaster and Niall Ferguson.

In this address to the IIEA, Lutz Güllner, Head of Division for Strategic Communications and Information Analysis at the European External Action Service, discusses the issue of disinformation and foreign information manipulation and their implications for the EU’s democratic resilience. Mr Güllner also focuses on the ways in which the EU is responding to foreign disinformation and provides his expert opinion on the further steps the EU could take in this domain. About the Speaker: Lutz Güllner is Head of Division for Strategic Communications and Information Analysis in the European External Action Service. As part of his work, he focuses on how to address disinformation threats and foreign manipulative interference targeting the EU and for the EU's neighbourhood region. Prior to his current position he served as Head of the EEAS's foreign and security policy communication team (2017-2019) and as Head of the European Commission's Directorate General for Trade's communication team (2013-17). He was also Deputy Head of the Trade Strategy Unit and responsible for the coordination of EU-US trade and economic relations.

'Is Ireland getting it right on Gaza?' Eoin O'Malley and Dr Michael O'Sullivan, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist

In her address to the IIEA, Nadia Calviño, who was appointed as President of the EIB on 1 January 2024, outlines her priorities for her term as EIB President. President Calviño discusses how the EIB and Ireland have been working together to invest in a sustainable future for all and outlines her vision for how Ireland and the EIB can develop closer cooperation in the coming decade. About the Speaker: Nadia Calviño is a Spanish economist and lawyer with a career spanning over 30 years in public policy, economics and finance. Ms Calviño served as First Vice-President of Spain and Minister of Economy, Trade and Enterprise until December 2023. Prior to that role, she held various positions, including Second Vice-President and Minister for Economy and Digitalization (March-July 2021), Third Vice-President and Minister for Economy and Digitalization (2020-2021) and Minister for Economy and Business (2018-2020). Additionally, she chaired the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 2022 to 2023.

In this IIEA panel event, three expert speakers discuss the present state of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda. The panel reflects upon how, as the global security environment continues to deteriorate, Security Council Resolution 1325 and its emphasis of on the specific challenges which conflict poses to women in conflict settings has grown only more important. Moreover, the panel explores the role of women in conflict resolution, their role in UN peacekeeping, and conflict prevention. Speakers in this panel include: Major-General (Ret.) Maureen O’Brien, Former Deputy Military Advisor in the United Nations Office of Military Affairs, Department of Peace Operations; Dr Sally-Anne Corcoran served with UN for nearly two decades. An Irish Research Council Scholar, she received her PhD in Law from the University of Galway in 2022. She is an international expert and advisor on Gender and Human Rights; Sophie McGuirk, Peace and Stability Unit at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

'Britain, Ireland and Europe: where we are and where we’re going' The United Kingdom’s relations with its neighbour have been in some flux since British voters voted to leave the European Union in 2016. The protracted upheaval of Brexit strained relations with both Ireland and the EU, and a new, fully stable equilibrium has yet to emerge. Sir Ivan Rogers - advisor to two British prime ministers, among numerous other roles - will discuss the current and future state of the UK’s relations with its neighbours and how relations might change after the upcoming British general election. He will also assess the security implications for Britain and Europe of Russia’s war with Ukraine. About the Speaker Sir Ivan Rogers has spent most of his career to date in the British civil servant and foreign corps. He has advised two British Prime Ministers (Tony Blair and David Cameron), one Chancellor of the Exchequer (Ken Clark), and served as Chief of Staff in Brussels to a European Commissioner (Leon Brittan). He has also held senior positions in the private sector. Since resigning as the UK’s Permanent Representative to the EU in 2017, he has been one of the leading public analysts of Brexit and related matters.

In her address to the IIEA, Dr Sabine Weyand presents how geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges are affecting international trade, and their implications for the EU’s trade policy. Furthermore, Dr Weyand assesses the role that trade plays in strengthening competitiveness of EU businesses and advancing the EU’s economic security interests, while supporting the EU’s green transition. This event is part of the Future Proofing Europe project, supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs. About the Speaker: Dr Sabine Weyand is Director-General for Trade at the European Commission. Prior to her current role, Dr Weyand was Deputy Chief Negotiator of the Commission Task Force for the Preparation and Conduct of the Negotiations with the United Kingdom under Article 50 of the TEU from October 2016 to May 2019. She was Director in the Secretariat-General of the Commission in charge of policy coordination on economic, social and environmental policies before joining DG Trade in 2016 as Deputy Director-General covering multilateral trade policy, trade relations with North America and European neighbourhood countries, as well as trade defence. She holds degrees from Freiburg University and the College of Europe and a PhD from Tübingen University.

As the United States faces into a number of consequential elections including the Presidential Election in 2024, along with elections to Congress as well as several gubernatorial elections, the shape of the political landscape in the United States both during the election campaigns and after the political dust has settled will be highly significant for the future of the country’s democracy. In her address to the IIEA, Vanessa Williamson, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, assesses the possible consequences of the 2024 elections for the resilience of the institutions which underpin the US’ democracy. About the Speaker: Vanessa Williamson is a Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at Brookings, and a Senior Fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. She studies taxation, redistribution, democracy, and political participation. She is the author, with Theda Skocpol, of The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism.

In her speech, Andreja Metelko-Zgombić, State Secretary for Europe in the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, focuses on Croatia’s perspective on the forthcoming EU enlargement process, the institutional changes required to prepare the EU for enlargement, and the range of reforms to be implemented by the Western Balkan countries before accession, including the resolution of historical disputes. She also addresses the proposal of a so-called confidence clause for the region in the accession treaties, which would prevent a newly joined Member State from blocking the accession of another candidate country. Finally, she provides an assessment, ten years on, of how both Croatia and the EU have benefitted from the 2013 enlargement. About the Speaker: Andreja Metelko-Zgombić is the State Secretary for Europe at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia and holds a law degree. Prior to assuming this position in 2017, she held several prominent posts at the Ministry, including Chief Legal Adviser and Assistant Minister for European Law, International Law and Consular Affairs. Metelko-Zgombić is also the Senior Representative of the Republic of Croatia on the Standing Joint Committee on Succession Issues and the President of the Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Borders.

The EU has recently been placing greater weight on economic security as a distinct policy objective. How does this differ from past attempts to increase resilience and prevent crises? There is also a widespread view that increasing economic security should take the form of “de-risking” that preserves trade integrations as much as possible. But how do we determine exactly what needs de-risking? This lecture seeks to answer these questions and use the answers to the diagnose EU’s policy agenda on economic security. What has been achieved, where are the blind spots, and how can the chances of unintended consequences be minimised? About the Speaker: Jeromin Zettelmeyer has been Director of Bruegel since September 2022. Born in Madrid in 1964, Jeromin was previously a Deputy Director of the Strategy and Policy Review Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prior to that, he was Dennis Weatherstone Senior Fellow (2019) and Senior Fellow (2016-19) at the Peterson Institute for International Economics; Director-General for Economic Policy at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (2014-16); Director of Research and Deputy Chief Economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (2008-2014); and an IMF staff member, where he worked in the Research, Western Hemisphere, and European II Departments (1994-2008).

According to Denis Staunton, a troubled economy at home and rising trade tensions abroad has seen China drop its aggressive Wolf Warrior diplomacy in favour of dialogue with the United States and a charm offensive towards the European Union. But can Beijing rescue the domestic economy from deflationary pressures without provoking a trade war over the export of goods such as electric vehicles and other green energy products? And how will the latest tightening of control in Hong Kong and continuing tensions over Taiwan and in the South China Sea affect China’s relations with the rest of the world? Irish Times journalist Denis Staunton, the only correspondent for an Irish news organisation in China, joins the IIEA from Beijing with an update. About the Speaker: Denis Staunton has been China Correspondent for The Irish Times based in Beijing since October 2022. He was London Editor from 2015 to 2022 and has previously been the newspaper’s correspondent in Washington, Brussels and Berlin and served as Foreign Editor and Deputy Editor.

This discussion at the IIEA touches on issues such as the ongoing update of the national energy and climate plans (NECPs), the Commission’s analysis and recommendation for the EU’s 2040 emissions reduction target, published on 6 February, and the first-ever European Climate Risk Assessment published on 11 March. The event takes place as part of the European Commission’s ‘roadshow’ about the future of EU climate and energy policy, which aims to discuss the actions needed to reinforce competitiveness while staying the course on the net-zero transition and to strengthen societal preparedness for, and resilience to, the unavoidable impacts of climate change.  Matthew Baldwin is Deputy Director-General at DG ENER, the European Commission’s energy department, where he leads the Energy Platform Task Force focused on ending EU dependence on Russian gas; and Jacob Werksman is Principal Adviser to the European Commission for Climate Action, specialising in international climate policy and environmental law, with extensive experience in multilateral negotiations and legal advisory roles.

In this address to the IIEA, Nicolai von Ondarza, Head of the EU/Europe Research Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), and Pervenche Berès, Board Member of Fondation Jean Jaurès, and former Member of the European Parliament for France (1994-2019), discusses the recently published Report of the Franco-German Working Group on EU Institutional Reform. The Report’s recommendations centre on three goals: strengthening the rule of law and the EU’s democratic legitimacy, increasing the EU’s capacity to act, and getting the EU ready for enlargement. About the Speakers: Pervenche Berѐs is a Board Member of Fondation Jean Jaurès, President of Association Europe-Finances-Régulation, a Member of the Ethic and Audit Committees of the ECB, and a Member of the AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) Committee on Climate and Sustainable Finance. She was previously a Member of the European Parliament from 1994 to 2019, chairing the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, and the Employment and Social Affairs Committee. Ms Berѐs also acted as Rapporteur of the Temporary Committee on the Financial, Economic, and Social Crisis, Vice-President of the European Parliament delegation to the Convention in charge of the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights and Member of the European Convention in charge of drafting a Constitution for Europe. Dr Nicolai von Ondarza is Head of the EU/Europe Research Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), a position he has held since 2020. From 2016 to 2020, he served as Deputy Head of the EU/Europe Research Division, and has worked in various positions at the SWP since 2010. Since 2013, Dr von Ondarza has been Organiser of the British-German Outlook Group, a yearly exchange between the SWP, Chatham House, the German Federal Foreign Office and the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). From 2012 to 2015, he was a Lecturer at Europa-Universität Viadrina.

Professor Larry M. Bartels discusses his new book Democracy Erodes from the Top: Leaders, Citizens and the Challenge of Populism in Europe. Professor Bartels challenges the narrative of a populist “wave” in contemporary European public opinion. He argues that electoral support for right-wing populist parties has increased only modestly, driven by populist entrepreneurs, the failures of mainstream parties, and media hype. He argues that Europe’s democratic backsliding reflects the ambitions of political leaders rather than public opinion. Professor Bartels concludes that the bottom-up interpretation of Europe’s political crisis needs to be turned upside down. About the speaker: Larry M. Bartels is May Werthan Shayne Chair of Public Policy and Social Science and University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Law at Vanderbilt University. His books include Democracy Erodes from the Top: Leaders, Citizens, and the Challenge of Populism in Europe; Unequal Democracy: The Political Economy of the New Gilded Age (2nd ed); and Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government (with Christopher Achen). He is an elected member of the American National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.

In her address, Renate Schroeder, Director of the European Federation of Journalists, discusses developments in media freedom and pluralism over Europe in recent years, including some examples of unprecedented attacks against media freedom and pluralism that threaten democracy. She assesses the lessons that can be learnt by the media sector, civil society, policymakers, and other stakeholders in this regard. Ms Schroeder focuses part of her discussion on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) as well as other regulatory opportunities and challenges for the media sector. Renate Schroeder is the Director of the European Federation of Journalists. In 1993 she joined the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and she has worked at the United Nations, New York, and the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation in Brussels. She joined the EFJ in 2003. Renate studied International Relations and Political Science at Boston University (Bachelor’s Degree in 1988) and in Berlin at the Free University (Masters in 1992).

According to Dr Dunkelberg, the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has long been premised from the perspective of Israel as the established state and Palestine as the non-state entity. In this keynote, he discusses a different possible reading of international legal history. A reading which revisits the traditional histories of Mandatory Palestine and the creation of a Palestinian State in full awareness of their coloniality in order to offer new understandings that challenge the hegemonic consensus. About the Speaker: Dr. Alonso Gurmendi Dunkelberg is a Lecturer in International Relations at King's College London's Department of War Studies. He specialises in history of international law, from a postcolonial and Global-South-centred approach. He is a contributing editor at the international law blog Opinio Juris.

According to Casey Michel, for years, Western foreign lobbyists have worked as foot-soldiers for the most authoritarian regimes around the planet. In the U.S. alone, the foreign lobbying industry is now worth billions of dollars. And it's no longer just PR shops or traditional lobbying shops. Instead, the industry now encompasses former officials, consultancies, law firms, think tanks, and even universities - all working on behalf of foreign dictatorships. In his address to the IIEA, Casey Michel discusses how this industry grew so quickly, and with so few paying attention? What kinds of threats does it present to democracy and what can be done? About the Speaker: Casey Michel is the Director of the Combating Kleptocracy Program at the Human Rights Foundation. He is the author of American Kleptocracy: How the U.S. Created the World's Greatest Money Laundering Scheme in History, and the forthcoming Foreign Agents: How American Lobbyists and Lawmakers Threaten Democracy Around the World, both published by St. Martin's Press. His writing has appeared in Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, and Foreign Policy, among many more outlets. He currently lives in New York.

'The multiple implications of population decline and aging' Claus Vistesen, Chief Eurozone Economist for Pantheon Macroeconomics, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist.

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) aims to make digital markets fairer and more contestable, and to provide new opportunities for startups and investors in the EU. Eoghan O’Neill, Senior Policy Officer in the Platforms Policy and Enforcement Directorate of the European Commission presents the new DMA obligations for the world’s largest digital platforms. He outlines how these obligations may translate into opportunities for startups and investors. Amongst other features of the DMA, he examines the DMA’s implications for the interoperability of messaging apps, third party app stores, and how it empowers users to take advantage of data portability.

Ireland has over recent years become an increasingly important international financial centre. Trillions of euros of assets from overseas are either administered or domiciled in Ireland, often using complex financial structures involving multiple jurisdictions. Yet while successive Irish governments have been keen to reap the benefits of this ever more prominent role in the global financial system, far less attention has been paid to the multifaceted risks that accompany such significant flows of international capital. This keynote address to the IIEA considers the security threat from illicit finance, the extent to which existing responses are able to counter that threat, and what measures are required to make Ireland a genuinely hostile environment for money linked to criminal, corrupt and malign actors overseas. About the Speaker: Dr Alexander Chance is Head of Policy and Research at Transparency International (TI) Ireland, where he runs its programmes on anti-corruption and anti-money laundering. He is also a Senior Fellow with the Azure Forum for Contemporary Security Strategy and an Associate Fellow with RUSI’s Organised Crime and Policing Group. Alexander previously served in the UK National Crime Agency in operational, strategy and management roles focused on transnational organised crime, including five years working in South America, and has consulted for the UN and various other organisations. He obtained his PhD from Trinity College Dublin, where his research examined the relationship between organised crime, high-level corruption and peacebuilding in post-war Mozambique.

On 13 January 2024, Taiwanese voters went to the polls and elected Lai Ching-Te of the Democratic Progressive Party. Amongst the key points of contention in this election was Taiwan’s future relations with China and how to navigate an increasingly contested geopolitical environment. This expert panel reflects on Taiwan’s election and explores the potential implications its result may have for Taiwan, for the Indo-Pacific, and for the globe. About the Speaker: Nick Marro is the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Lead Analyst for global trade. Based in Hong Kong, he has spent over a decade in Asia analysing trade policy. Nick also concurrently helps to lead the EIU’s award-winning coverage of China and Taiwan. In that role, he shapes the EIU’s view on China-Taiwan relations, including how to prepare for and mitigate the risks attached to cross-Strait tensions. Nick previously conducted trade research in Beijing with the US-China Business Council. He graduated from the University of Virginia with degrees in Foreign Affairs and Chinese and holds graduate certification from the Johns Hopkins-Nanjing University Centre for Chinese and American Studies. Dr. Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy is Affiliated Scholar at the Department of Political Science of Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Associated Research Fellow at the Institute for Security & Development Policy (ISDP Stockholm), Head of the Associates Network at 9DASHLINE and Consultant at Human Rights Without Frontiers in Brussels. Based in Taiwan, Zsuzsa is Adjunct Assistant Professor at the National Dong Hwa University in Hualien. Between 2008 and 2020 Zsuzsa worked as a political advisor in the European Parliament. In May 2019 she published her book, Europe, China, and the Limits of Normative Power. Zsuzsa is a regular commentator in international media outlets.

Traditionally, in the UK, women have been more likely than men to vote Conservative, whilst men have been more likely than women to vote Labour. Yet in recent general elections, this gender gap in voting behaviour has reversed, with women now leaning to the left of men in their vote choice. As the gender gap has shifted, parties have increasingly recognised the importance of women voters and have competed for their votes. The lead up to the 2024 General Election is no exception and has seen women voters at the fore of the election campaign, with the ‘Stevenage Woman’ – a fictional key voter – at the centre of Labour Party strategy. In this presentation, Anna Sanders explores the key issues in the run-up to the 2024 UK General Election, and their implications for gender differences in voting behaviour. About the Speaker: Anna Sanders is an Assistant Professor in British Politics at the University of York. Her research brings together the areas of gender, policies and voting behaviour, with a core interest in how policy offers shape gender gaps in vote choice. She has published on these themes in the Journal of European Public Policy, the Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties, and the British Journal of Politics and International Relations. She is currently working on a monograph, ‘Winning Women’s Votes: Gendered Policies and Campaigns in Britain’.

The 1949 Statute of the Council of Europe requires Member States to accept the principles of the rule of law and of the enjoyment by all persons within its jurisdiction of human rights and fundamental freedoms, on pain, in cases of serious violations, of expulsion. One of the principal means for achieving greater unity and safeguarding the signatory States’ common heritage was and is the European Convention on Human Rights and its innovative mechanism for the collective enforcement of individual rights. 75 years on, President O’Leary discusses what sort of challenges the European Court of Human Rights is facing as it seeks to uphold democracy, the protection of human rights, and the rule of law across 46 States. Further, President O’Leary addresses what challenges the Court’s judicial work poses for national systems and why, despite some legitimate criticism of the Convention system, we in Europe should not lose sight, at this critical point in history, of what that system was established to do: namely, to monitor compliance with the minimum standards necessary for a democratic society operating within the rule of law. About the Speaker: Síofra O’Leary has been a Justice of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), elected in respect of Ireland, since 2015. Having served as a Section President and Vice-President since 2020, she was elected President of the Court in 2022. Prior to the ECtHR, President O’Leary worked for many years at the Court of Justice of the European Union. She is a Visiting Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges and was previously Assistant Director of the Centre of European Law at the University of Cambridge and a fellow of Emmanuel College.

'War in Europe: how threatened are Russia’s neighbours?' With full-scale war in Europe now into its third year, the continent’s security environment has been transformed since February 24, 2022. This is most obviously the case for the primary victim of Russia’s aggression – Ukraine – but also for many of its near neighbours. In this edition of IIEA Insights, how the Russian threat is perceived is assessed by a Ukrainian living in Ireland since just after the invasion, an Irishman based in Helsinki and a Polish security expert in Warsaw. Eoin McNamara is a research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs specialising in transatlantic relations; NATO; and security in northern and eastern Europe. He has published in the NATO Review, the Revue Militaire Suisse, the Defence Forces Review and has commented on security, defence and international affairs in outlets such as BBC World, Euronews, the Times of London, the New York Times, El Pais and the Irish Times. Robert Pszczel is a senior fellow at the security and defence department of the Centre for Eastern Studies in Warsaw. A former diplomat with many years of service in the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both in Warsaw and in Brussels, he was a member of the national team for accession talks with NATO in 1997. From 1999 (until his retirement in 2020) he served on NATO’s International Staff in Brussels and as the director of the NATO Information Office in Moscow. Olena Tregub heads the secretariat of The Independent Defence Anti-Corruption Committee. The Committee, which is a joint initiative of Transparency International Defence and Security and Transparency International Ukraine, aims to reduce corruption and increase accountability in the Ukrainian defence sector. She has previously worked for Ukraine's Ministry of Economic Development, at UN Headquarters in New York and as a lecturer in international relations.

The European Union is often depicted as a cradle of judicial activism and a polity built by courts. In a keynote address based on his award-winning book, The Ghostwriters, Dr Tommaso Pavone shows how this judge-centric narrative conceals a crucial arena for political action. He argues that, beneath the radar, European integration unfolded as a struggle between judges who resisted European law and lawyers who pushed them to embrace change. About the Speaker: Dr Tommaso Pavone is Assistant Professor of European Politics at the University of Toronto and Visiting Researcher at the ARENA Centre for European Studies at the University of Oslo. His research traces how interactions between lawyers, courts, and policymakers impact political development, social change, and the rule of law in Europe. He received his PhD in 2019 from Princeton University.

In his address to the IIEA, F. Gregory Gause III discusses how while the Gaza War has its own unique history and immediate causes, it is also representative of a broader crisis in the Middle East. This crisis has its roots in the weakening of state authority in the Arab world. He also discusses how state collapse has empowered non-state actors to challenge state authority and struggle with their domestic rivals for control over the fallen Arab regimes. The political vacuums created by the collapse of state authority invited outside interventions, as local groups sought allies. In Prof Gause’s view, the long-term solution to the crisis is the reconstitution of central authority in these weakened states. However, this process will be long, difficult, and violent. About the Speaker: F. Gregory Gause III is Professor of International Affairs and John H. Lindsey ’44 Chair at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University. His research focuses on the international politics of the Middle East, with a particular focus on the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf. He has published three books, most recently The International Relations of the Persian Gulf (Cambridge University Press, 2010).

In this IIEA event, which has been organised to mark International Women's Day, an expert panel shares their perspectives on the recently agreed EU Directive to combat Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence. The panel discusses the various measures contained within the Directive and assesses whether the Directive goes far enough in placing enough onus on EU Member States to tackle violence against women. Speakers at this event include:  •   Frances Fitzgerald MEP, Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur for the Directive •    Sarah Benson, CEO, Women’s Aid •    Rachel Morrogh, CEO, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre

Professor Anu Bradford discuss her new book, Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology, which analyses the struggle between the US, China, and the EU in shaping the realm of digital technologies and in influencing digital policy regulation worldwide. Professor Bradford assesses how this contest interacts with the concentration of economic and political power within a small number of technology companies and explains how this competition may have profound implications for society and the future of democracy. About the Speaker: Anu Bradford is Henry L. Moses Professor of Law and International Organizations at Columbia Law School and director for Columbia’s European Legal Studies Center. Bradford is the author of The Brussels Effect: How the European Union Rules the World which was named one of the Best Books of 2020 by Foreign Affairs. Her most recent book: Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology was published in September 2023, and listed as one of the Best Books of 2023 by the Financial Times.

In his remarks to the IIEA, Dr Declan Downey discusses how since the promulgation of its Constitution in 1947, Japan has forsworn war and the use of nuclear weapons, maintained military neutrality, and pursued a pacifist foreign policy. Yet, it has not adopted ‘the ostrich pose’ regarding recent and emerging challenges to international stability. Over the past decade, successive governments have augmented national defence capabilities, and most recently, on 16 December 2022, the current government of Premier Kishida launched its new national defence policy,  ‘The Three Strategic Documents’, which has received considerable public support. This presentation explores how this transformation has occurred, how it may be implemented, and the challenges that it would face. Further, Dr Downey also discusses how Japan may provide pointers as to how another pacifist and neutral island nation off the coast of a major continental world power might learn how to meet the same challenges of current global realpolitik. This event has been organised in conjunction with the Embassy of Japan, Ireland. About the Speaker: Declan M. Downey was awarded the Ph.D. in Legal & Diplomatic History from the University of Cambridge in 1993. Since 1995, he has been lecturing in European and Japanese Diplomatic History at University College Dublin, where he coordinates the BCL degree programme in Law with History. In 1995, he initiated the first ever Japanese History course at degree level in Ireland at UCD. He also supervised the first ever doctoral dissertation in Japanese Studies in Ireland. A former trustee of the Chester Beatty Library (2012-2017), he is closely involved with Japanese cultural and academic events in Ireland. In 2009, he was the first Irish citizen to be elected to membership of the Spanish Royal Academy of History. Since 2018, he has been an Assessor for the Publications Board of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna. His extensive publications and leading role in major international research projects have been recognised with international distinctions and awards, including Austrian and Spanish state honours, and the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation in 2020. In Autumn 2022, Dr Downey was the first Irish academic to be awarded the prestigious Gaimushō Visiting Scholarship, which he took up in Tokyo during his semestral research leave from UCD last Spring.

Great Yarmouth in Norfolk is probably a town you have never heard of, but it has a large population of EU migrant workers who came to the UK before Brexit to work in chicken factories and on farms. We wanted to know about their lives especially their working conditions. The working conditions were not good, and harassment and bullying were common. We were interested to know what they did about this, did they actually enforce any of their employment rights and if not, why not? In her address to the IIEA, Professor Barnard answers the question: “What Happens When Enforcement Doesn’t Happen: The Implications for the Individuals, for Other Employers and for The State.” About the Speaker: Catherine Barnard is Professor of EU law and Employment Law and senior tutor and fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. She is the author of EU Employment Law, The Substantive Law of the EU: The Four Freedoms, and European Union. She is a member of the European Commission funded European Labour Law Network (ELLN). She is also a Senior Fellow of the UK in a Changing Europe (UKCE). Her work focuses on the legal issues around migration, together with the legal and constitutional issues associated with Brexit, in particular examining the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

In his address to the IIEA, the Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs discusses the impacts of the upcoming enlargement(s) on the functioning of the EU and how the EU must reform itself in order to prepare for such enlargement(s). Secretary of State Antunes focuses on the challenges and opportunities of an enlarged EU, with a particular emphasis on the timing, the scope, the content and the processes of internal reform, as well as potential mechanisms to accommodate existing and prospective Members States’ participation in the European project. Tiago Antunes is the Secretary of State for European Affairs of Portugal, a position that he has held since March 2022. Prior to his current role, he was Secretary of State for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers between from 2017 to 2019, in charge of the Portuguese Government’s law-making process, and Secretary of State Assistant to the Prime Minister from 2019 to 2022, responsible for the internal coordination of the Government and its communication. Tiago Antunes holds a PhD in Law from the University of Lisbon, where is a member of the faculty since 2001. Besides being Assistant Professor at the School of Law, he is also a lead researcher at CIDP – Research Centre for Public Law. Along with his academic career, Tiago Antunes has a long and diverse professional experience in the fields of law and policy, having practiced law from 2001 to 2005. He also worked at the cabinet of the Secretary of State Assistant to the Prime-Minister, first as an advisor from 2005 to 2009 and then as its Chief of Staff from 2009 to 2011.

Paschal Donohoe TD, President of the Eurogroup and Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform of Ireland,participates in a fireside chat with Daire Lawler, IIEA Senior Economics Researcher and Chair of the YPN, and a question-and-answer session with members. In his capacity as President of the Eurogroup, the grouping of euro area finance ministers, Minister Donohoe discusses the challenges and opportunities for the economy of the euro area in 2024, as well as the Eurogroup’s work programme for the first half of the year which is focused on strengthening the 4 C’s: coordination; capital markets; competitiveness; and the common currency.

International tensions, proliferating security threats and talk of global conflict have become more common in recent years after decades of relative stability following the end of the Cold War. The rise of a more assertive China and intensifying cyber security threats are among two of the issues Nigel Inkster, formerly of MI6, has highlighted in his recent writings. In his presentation to the IIEA, he focuses on these matters along with the wider geopolitical climate. About the Speaker: Nigel Inkster CMG is Senior Advisor at the International Institute for Strategic Studies and a Director of Geopolitical and Intelligence Analysis at Enodo Economics. Previously, he served as Director of Operations and Intelligence for MI6 and served on the Board of MI6 for seven years. In 2017, Inkster was appointed to the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace, participating in the drafting of its eight norms related to non-aggression in cyberspace. The author of The Great Decoupling: China, America and the Struggle for Technological Supremacy and China's Cyber Power, his lifelong fascination with China started when he studied the language and culture at Oxford.

'What looms for the Greater Middle East?' Great power competition is intensifying and democracy has lost its allure. Nowhere are these trends more evident than in what Robert D Kaplan calls the 'Greater Middle East'. In this IIEA Insights discussion he highlights some of the key points made in his magisterial survey of the region in 'The Loom of Time: Between Empire and Anarchy from the Mediterranean to China', his latest book published in 2023. He also discusses the future of Israel/Palestine, and that conflict’s wider implications in the post October 7 era.

In his speech, Dr David Nabarro reflects on local and national priorities regarding food systems transformation, an area where Ireland is an acknowledged leader. He also focuses on interconnected challenges such as climate action and sustainable development. Dr Nabarro presents his experience of the catalysing effect of systems thinking and adopting a people-centred approach when tackling inter-connected challenges, such as food systems transformation. He argues that such an approach must be adapted to the interests of people of the lowest incomes and with the least agency. Dr Nabarro concludes that this novel way of thinking and working together will have the greatest likelihood of long-term success. About the Speaker: Dr David Nabarro is Strategic Director of 4SD Foundation, Geneva; Professor of Global Health at Imperial College, London; and Special Envoy on COVID-19 for the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO). Dr Nabarro has served as Senior UN System Coordinator for Avian and Pandemic Influenza (2005-2014). He was Coordinator of the UN system’s High-Level Task Force on the Food Security Crisis 2009-2014 and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Food Security and Nutrition and Coordinator of the Scale-up Nutrition Movement (2010-2014). In his early career, he served as Director for Human Development in the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

According to Admiral Rob Bauer, as the world faces unprecedented conflict, NATO is entering into a new era of collective defence. The Alliance is moving from an era in which everything was plannable, foreseeable, and predictable to an era in which anything can happen at any time, in any domain. In his address to the IIEA, Admiral Bauer argues that addressing this challenge will require a whole-of-society approach and a deep cooperation with Partners. We all need to be able to expect the unexpected, together. About the Speaker: Admiral Rob Bauer (Royal Netherlands Navy) is the 33rd Chair of the Military Committee of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). As the Military Adviser to the Secretary General and the North Atlantic Council, Admiral Bauer is NATO’s most senior military officer. Previously, Admiral Bauer has served as Chief of Defence of the Netherlands Armed Forces from 2017-2021. Admiral Bauer was Commissioned as an officer in the Royal Netherland’s Navy in 1984.

The Building Common Ground series was established by The John and Pat Hume Foundation with the aim of creating genuine and inclusive opportunities for dialogue and discussion which will enhance relationships in Northern Ireland, on the island and between Ireland and Britain. This discussion was hosted by the IIEA in Dublin, Thursday 22 February 2024 on the theme of ‘Reconciling Relations: Belfast, Dublin, London’. About the Speakers: Jarlath Kearney is a strategy advisor. Over the past decade, he has served as an independently appointed Equality Commissioner for Northern Ireland, a Parole Commissioner for Northern Ireland, a senior manager in the health service, an advisor on democratic reform projects sponsored by the European Commission and UK FCDO in the Balkans, and as a media contributor and regular columnist with The Irish News. Between 2007 and 2014, Jarlath was a ministerial policy advisor and special advisor in the Northern Ireland Executive, after which he ended any associations with party politics. Prior to that, he had spent 15 years in media, latterly as a daily political correspondent. Senator Emer Currie is the Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson for Special Education and Inclusion & Northern Ireland. She serves on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement Committee and is the Chair of Sovereign Matters on the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly. David Graham is a former DUP Special Adviser and Belfast City Councillor. He also worked as Director of Communications and Media Relations at Glasgow Rangers FC. David now runs his own property and hospitality businesses with his wife.

In his address to the IIEA, George Monbiot discusses how humanity is living within an increasingly tight space, one in which 8 billion people and more need to be fed, within an Earth system whose planetary boundaries have already been breached, to a large extent as a result of food production. How do we maintain high yields, while radically reducing environmental impacts? In his address, Mr Monbiot shares some of his answers to this question. These answers are complex, taking into account social, political, economic, organisational and technological factors, and might not be what you would expect. About the Speaker: George Monbiot is an author, columnist at The Guardian, and environmental activist, whose current research focus is on the global food system. His best-selling books include Feral: Rewilding the land, sea and human life, Heat: how to stop the planet burning, and Out of the Wreckage: a new politics for an age of crisis. George was awarded the Orwell Prize for Journalism in 2022. His latest book, Regenesis: Feeding the World without Devouring the Planet, draws on astonishing advances in soil ecology to explore pioneering ways to grow more food with less farming.

In his address to the IIEA, Alberto Alemanno shares his views on the state of the European Union and the major political, legal and public policy trends in advance of the European Parliament elections and the new legislature. About the Speaker: Alberto Alemanno is the Jean Monnet Professor of European Union Law & Policy at HEC Paris. Alberto’s research has been centered on how the law may be used to improve people’s lives, in particular through the adoption of power-shifting reforms countering social, health, economic, and political disparities of access within society. He’s the author of more than sixty scientific articles and a dozen books, including ‘Lobbying for Change: Find Your Voice to Create a Better Society’. Alberto is also a permanent visiting professor at the University of Tokyo School of Public Policy, the College of Europe, in Bruges and a scholar at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law as well as fellow at The Rutgers Institute for Corporate Social Innovation at Rutgers University.

In his address, Mr Moledo gives an overview of the findings of the European Disability Forum’s 6th Human Rights Report, which is entitled: political participation of persons with disabilities. The report outlines the legal and practical barriers that persons with disabilities face when exercising their electoral rights in the EU elections across the 27 EU Member States. This includes the right to vote, the right to stand as candidate, the accessibility of the elections’ proceedings, facilities, or materials, and accommodations for independent and secret voting. About the Speaker: Alejandro Moledo is the Deputy Director of the European Disability Forum (EDF) and he leads and coordinates EDF’s advocacy and policy work at EU level. He also supports the work of the European Parliament Disability Intergroup. Mr Moledo is also member of the Spanish Blind Organisation (ONCE), for which he previously worked as a journalist and regional representative of young visually impaired people. Mr. Moledo holds a Bachelor's degree with honours in Journalism from University of Valencia and a Master's degree in political and corporate communication from University of Navarra and George Washington University.

This event was organised in conjunction with Gas Networks Ireland Expert speakers discuss how Ireland can harness the potential of renewable gas production and anaerobic digestion to decarbonise the national gas network. As Ireland seeks to meet its green transition obligations, biomethane and other renewable gases could not only enable Ireland's decarbonisation, but also provide opportunities for exporting energy. At present, Ireland's national modern network can already transport biomethane and hydrogen and could be adapted to transport 100 percent green hydrogen in the future. This panel discusses the opportunities that renewable gas production and anaerobic digestion could provide for Ireland and how to remove obstacles to their use. About the Speakers: David Kelly is the Director of Customer and Business Development at Gas Networks Ireland. David has over twenty years of executive-level experience having worked extensively in both the private and public sectors throughout his career. Prior to being appointed to his current role, David was the Group Head of Customer Operations and Public Affairs for Ervia. JJ Lenehan is a Building Officer with Teagasc, the national body providing integrated research, advisory and training services to the agriculture and food industry and rural communities. Together with two colleagues he looks after technical property related issues at the 55 locations the organisation operates from across the country. He is an engineer by profession and has a special interest in energy use in Teagasc where the Built Environment accounts for the largest proportion of energy consumed at over 80% of the total. Teresa O’Flynn is a partner at Ara Partners and co-leads their infrastructure strategy. She has more than twenty years of sustainable investing expertise with extensive renewable power energy infrastructure experience, both in the fund management sector and at the operating company level. Teresa joined BlackRock in 2011 as a founding member of its Global Renewable Power Infrastructure business. In 2019, she became Global Head of Sustainable Investing for BlackRock’s Alternatives investment platform. Prior to joining BlackRock, Teresa worked for NTR plc, a private infrastructure developer, across several of the group’s European and US wind development subsidiaries. Christian Bendrup Faurholt is a project manager for the annual report of security of supply in the Danish gas system. He is also Energinet’s Associated Activities country lead for projects in India, Vietnam, and Poland and a project manager for Energinet’s Long Term Development Plan for the Danish gas and electricity systems. Christian holds a degree in international relations and is specialised in climate diplomacy and the Paris Agreement. Caoimhe Giblin is Managing Director, Commercial at ElectroRoute. There, she is a member of the senior management team and leads ElectroRoute’s commercial origination and trading operation teams. Caoimhe has worked in the energy sector for over 15 years and sits on the Council of Wind Energy Ireland. She was formerly Director of Finance at SSE Renewables where she had responsibility for the financial activities of SSE plc’s extensive on and off-shore wind development and construction portfolio. A qualified Chartered Accountant, Caoimhe spent 6 years working with KPMG in Dublin and New Zealand. Caoimhe is a graduate Dublin City University, where she obtained a Degree and Masters in Accountancy.

In her speech, Dr Annette Weber, EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, focuses on the political dynamics in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region. She discusses the Civil War in Sudan, tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia, and other issues in a simmering Red Sea arena. She also addresses the role of regional organisations, the increased influence of Gulf States in the region, and the impact of geopolitics on the Western as well as the Eastern shores of the Red Sea. Apart from her responsibility for the Horn of Africa, Dr Weber's mandate covers important and highly topical issues for the European Union, such as trade, new markets, and maritime security. About the Speaker: Dr Annette Weber was appointed as the EU Special Representative to the Horn of Africa in July 2021. With more than 25 years of experience in the regions, she is a leading expert on the Horn of Africa. She was engaged in mediation in Sudan and Ethiopia as Senior Advisor for the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (2019-2021).

Following Russia’s illegal and brutal invasion of Ukraine almost two years ago, the EU, together with partners from the G7+ coalition, has adopted several packages of unprecedented sanctions against Russia. The main objective of these sanctions is threefold: 1) to provide Ukraine with a key military advantage by depleting Russia from accessing dual-use and advanced technology to manufacture cutting-edge weapons, 2) to degrade Russia’s ability to finance its war of aggression, and,  3) to cripple the Russian industrial complex in the medium-to-long-term. In this context, the EU Sanctions Envoy was appointed in January 2023 to reach out to third countries and maximise the impact of EU sanctions against Russia by ensuring that sanctions are implemented fully and effectively. In his address to the IIEA, David O’Sullivan reflects on the objectives of these sanctions and his role as EU Sanctions Envoy so far. About the Speaker: David O’Sullivan took up his role as EU Sanctions Envoy in January 2023. Prior to this, he was Director General of the IIEA. Before working at the IIEA, he joined the Brussels office of the law firm of Steptoe and Johnson LLP as a Senior Counsellor (2019-2022). David O’Sullivan served as Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to the United States from November 2014 until February 2019. Prior to his appointment as Ambassador, he was the Chief Operating Officer of the EU's diplomatic service, the European External Action Service (EEAS). He previously held a number of senior positions within the European Commission, including Director General for Trade (2005-2010); Secretary-General of the European Commission (2000-2005); and Chief of Staff to Commission President, Romano Prodi (1999-2000). Before joining the Commission, he started his career with the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs (1977-1979).

According to Dr Benjamin Tallis, the Zeitenwende, Germany’s security transformation, remains incomplete. On its current track, it is also dangerously inadequate. Despite the manufactured budgetary crisis, the Scholz government needs to finish the task it started. This requires the courage to be honest with the German people about the state of the world – and of Germany. To prepare for the future, however, the country’s leaders need to think bigger and define a vision for Germany and the world it wants to shape. This will be difficult as German leaders have long been reluctant to discuss, let alone set, grand strategy. But now, with the world in flux and the old ways no longer working, Berlin needs to clearly lay out what it wants—and how it plans to get it. About the Speaker: Dr Benjamin Tallis is a Senior Research Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) where he leads the ‘Action Group Zeitenwende’ as well as the DGAP Grand Strategy Group & co-hosts the podcast BerlinsideOut. He is the author of the concepts of Neo-Idealism and Team Power and of the books To Ukraine With Love: Essays on Russia’s War and Europe’s Future and Identities, Borderscapes, Orders: (Im)Mobility, (In)Security and Crisis in the EU and Ukraine. Benjamin Tallis worked on EU security missions in the Balkans and Ukraine and has researched, analysed, advised on and practiced European security for 20 years. He was recently awarded the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Medal of Honour – the Star of Lithuanian Diplomacy.

In his address to the IIEA, three years after the UK-EU Brexit deal came into force, Financial Times journalist, Peter Foster, examines how the UK’s 2016 vote to leave the EU roiled British politics and led to the limited deal that currently governs relations between London and Brussels. In a year of big elections, Mr Foster reflects on how a Labour-led government, under Sir Keir Starmer, might look to promote more constructive relations between the UK and the EU. About the Speaker: Peter Foster is a journalist, author, and public policy editor of the Financial Times. In a career spanning almost 30 years, he has reported from across Europe, Asia, and the US. His current brief covers all aspects of UK policy, including skills, investment, and the implementation of Brexit. His book, ‘What Went Wrong with Brexit - and what we can do about it’, was published by Canongate on 7 September 2023. He joined the Financial Times in April 2020 from the Daily Telegraph, where he had held the position of Europe editor since 2015, focusing on the Brexit negotiations.

A month on from COP28, the question remains: did the COP signal a sufficient commitment by countries and stakeholders to adequately address the issue of our age?  Catherine Stewart, Canada’s Ambassador for Climate Change, and Sinéad Walsh, Climate Director at Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs, have been at the forefront of their respective governments’ approaches to addressing climate change globally and have been in the ‘room where it happens’ at various UNFCCC COPs. Though traditionally like-minded on most international issues, Ireland and Canada come to the issue of climate change facing very different challenges and opportunities. Ambassador Stewart and Director Walsh offer their views on what came out of COP28 and how Canada, Ireland, and others might pursue their efforts to address global climate challenges, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and accelerate the green transition. About the speakers: Catherine Stewart was appointed as Canada’s Ambassador for Climate Change in August 2022. With over 25 years in the federal government, Ambassador Stewart’s most recent role was Assistant Deputy Minister of International Affairs at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Since 2014, she has served in senior executive roles at ECCC including as Canada’s Chief Negotiator for Climate Change, Director General Multilateral Affairs and Climate Change, and Director General for the Americas.  Dr Sinead Walsh is Climate Director in the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Ireland. Prior to this she served as the EU Ambassador to South Sudan. Dr Walsh has worked for Ireland’s DFA since 2009, and previously served as the Ambassador of Ireland to Sierra Leone and Liberia and was the Head of Irish Aid in the two countries. Before joining the DFA, Dr Walsh spent ten years working in the NGO sector and is the co-author of Getting to Zero: A Doctor and A Diplomat on the Ebola Frontline.

It has been observed repeatedly that the forthcoming presidential election in the United States may test American democracy to an unprecedented extent and prove pivotal in terms of the future role of the US in international affairs. In his address to the IIEA, Larry Donnelly examines several of the key topics that will soon be to the fore: the likely nominees on the Republican and Democratic sides; the potential impact of third-party candidates; the means by which a President of the United States is actually elected and criticisms thereof. He also discusses the issues that will be crucial and the states that will be decisive in November; and an early assessment as to what might flow from the outcome. About the Speaker: Larry Donnelly is a Boston born and educated attorney who has lived and worked in Ireland since 2001. He is a Lecturer and Director of Clinical Legal Education in the School of Law at the University of Galway. Active in politics and local government in his native Massachusetts, Larry is a regular media commentator on politics, current affairs and law in Ireland and the United States. He is a bi-weekly political columnist with TheJournal.ie and has been a featured analyst on RTÉ’s overnight US presidential election coverage in every election since 2008.

The European Union is currently debating the two inextricably connected issues of EU enlargement and reform. These discussions are taking place against the background of a challenging geopolitical situation with wars in the centre of Europe and in the Middle East. In her address to the IIEA as part of the Future Proofing Europe project supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Dr Anna Lührmann, Minister of State for Europe and Climate of Germany, presents her views on these questions and challenges facing Europe in a moment of global tumult. About the Speaker: Dr Anna Lührmann has been Minister of State for Europe and Climate at the German Federal Foreign Office and a Member of the Bundestag since 2021. Prior to her current role, she was Deputy Director of the Varieties of Democracy Institute and Junior Professor at the University of Gothenburg and was a consultant to the United Nations Development Programme. She holds a PhD in politics from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

At this, the next event of the IIEA YPN, Dr Patricia Scanlon, Ireland’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ambassador, and Founder and Executive Chair of SoapBox Labs, considers the future of AI and its implications for our economies and societies. Dr Scanlon discusses the challenges and opportunities of AI in the fields of education, healthcare, and climate, noting that the biggest challenge with AI is bias, both algorithmic and societal.

Ahead of the US Presidential Election, a new European Commission, European Parliament and President of the European Council, as well as the potential election of a Labour-led Government in the UK, a panel of experts looks ahead to the 2024 political year in the US, the EU, and the UK respectively. The panel also considers how each jurisdiction’s political landscape is likely to impact its place in the world in what is set to be a defining year for international affairs. Speakers at this event will include: Caitríona Perry, Chief Presenter, BBC News Washington Bobby McDonagh, Ambassador of Ireland to the United Kingdom (2009-2013), Columnist for The Irish Times Dylan Casey Marshall, Researcher, EU Affairs, The Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA)

In her remarks to the IIEA, Dr Emmanuelle Schon-Quinlivan reflects on France's 2023, and discuss possibilities for 2024. She reflects on President Macron's second term, the challenges posed by civil unrest in France, and the country’s experience with migration. Looking to 2024, Dr Schon-Quinlivan discusses France's preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, France's European Parliamentary elections as well as the possibility of a referendum on EU enlargement. About the Speaker: Dr Emmanuelle Schon-Quinlivan is a lecturer in European politics in the Department of Government, UCC. She was awarded a Jean Monnet Chair in Active European Citizenship in 2021 and a Jean Monnet Teacher Training grant, one of only 20 Europe-wide, in 2022. She teaches European policy-making and institutional politics as well as French politics. She is the Director of UCC's Hub in Active European Citizenship.

The single market is at the heart of the EU economy and is the foundation upon which many of the EU’s economic objectives are built. Yet the EU’s efforts to meaningfully deepen, reinvigorate and adapt the Single Market in recent years have, at times, fallen short of those lofty ambitions. Enrico Letta was recently tasked by the European Council with a report on the future of the Single Market, and as part of this work has undertaken fact-finding missions to the Member State capitals. At this IIEA event he will provide insights from his work to-date and provide a perspective on what the future of the Single Market might look like ahead of the publication of his findings in 2024. The event opens with a keynote address by Enrico Letta, former Prime Minister of Italy. A panel discussion follows, featuring contributions from Brigid Laffan, Chancellor of the University of Limerick; and Russell Grandinetti, Senior Vice President for International Stores at Amazon, whose business model encompasses the worlds of both physical and digital commerce. The event is chaired by Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist.

In his address to the IIEA, Paul Cunningham talks about his experience of reporting from Israel, which was under rocket attack by Hamas, and from within a few kilometers of Gaza rather than from that conflict zone. He outlines the difficulties this presents in getting to the truth and informing the audiences. In contrast to wars which he covered in Bosnia Hercegovina and Darfur, this war is being played out in real-time on social media platforms which can both inform and confuse. Paul also gives his analysis of the likely course of the conflict and on the Irish government's developing position. About the Speaker: Paul Cunningham is a Political Correspondent for RTÉ News. Previously he was Europe Correspondent, based in Brussels, and Environment Correspondent. Paul has reported from more than 50 countries around the world, including from war zones and natural disasters. A documentary-maker and author, he has won multiple awards for his work. In 2023, he has reported from Ukraine, Israel, and the West Bank. He is married, has 3 children, and lives in Dublin.

The third and final seminar of the IIEA’s inaugural disability programme will celebrate the recent International Day for Persons with Disabilities (3 December) by discussing the theme "United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities". It will hear from Dr James Casey, Independent Living Movement, Ireland, a disabled persons' organisation (DPO) on the barriers and enablers that exist to achieving full implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and how disabled people can be better supported to contribute to the process. About the Speaker: Dr James Casey currently works for ILMI as a policy advisor. He previously worked on the Onside Project. He holds a PhD in Critical Disability Studies from the University of Galway where he was the recipient of a Doctoral Teaching Fellowship. He is a disabled person and has worked as a lecturer, disability equality consultant and communications worker in addition to his continued role as a peer reviewer with several international journals.

In 2013, William D. Nordhaus, Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, published his acclaimed book The Climate Casino. In the book, Professor Nordhaus argued that the world had entered the climate casino and was rolling the global warming dice in the absence of effective policies to tackle climate change. A decade on from the book’s release, and following his important recent research on the 'climate club' and the release of his 2021 book, The Spirit of Green, Professor Nordhaus considers whether the world still has an opportunity to exit the climate casino and implement policies that will reverse the tide of global warming. This lecture forms part of the Environmental Resilience lecture series, which is co-organised by the IIEA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). About the Speaker: William Nordhaus is Sterling Professor of Economics at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. His major work focuses on the economics of climate change, developing models that integrated the science, economics, and policies necessary to slow warming. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2018 "for integrating climate change into long-run macroeconomic analysis." From 1977 to 1979, Professor Nordhaus served as a Member of President Carter's Council of Economic Advisers. From 1986 to 1988, he served as the Provost of Yale University and was President of the American Economic Association from 2015 to 2016. Professor Nordhaus completed his undergraduate work at Yale University in 1963 and received his Ph.D. in Economics in 1967 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The next address of the IIEA's Development Matters series, which is supported by Irish Aid, will be given by Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In her speech, entitled Polyglobalisation: Debt, Trade and Geopolitics, she explores the links between development and trade and the place of developing countries in the complex world of international trade. Against the background of geopolitical shifts and competing visions of multilateralism, she explains the important role of UNCTAD in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and in amplifying the voices of least developed countries in multilateral fora. She also discusses reform of the international financial architecture which is urgently needed to ensure that the debt crisis does not become a development crisis. About the Speaker: Rebeca Grynspan is an economist and politician from Costa Rica who has been the Secretary General of UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) since 2021. As the Secretary General of UNCTAD, Ms Grynspan has focused the world’s attention on relevant issues such as the reduction of inequality and poverty, gender equality, South–South cooperation as a tool for development and achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the need for international financial architectural reform. She is also coordinator of the task team of the Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance, set up by the United Nations Secretary-General to help support developed and developing countries face the economic shocks related to the war in Ukraine. Additionally, she is currently a member of the Group of 20 High-level Independent Panel on Financing the Global Commons for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. Prior to her appointment at UNCTAD, she was the Secretary-General of the Ibero-American Conference from 2014 to 2021. She is also a former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as well as former Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to joining the United Nations, she served as Vice-President of Costa Rica from 1994 to 1998.

According to Derek Scally, 2023 was an eventful year in German politics with almost constant infighting between the parties in the incumbent coalition government, the introduction of the country's first National Security Strategy against the backdrop of escalating conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, several important state elections, the rapid rise of the Alternative für Deutschland, the official exit of Sahra Wagenknecht from Die Linke to form a new party, and a bombshell constitutional court ruling that has endangered the coalition’s fiscal and political foundations. In his address to the IIEA, Derek Scally breaks down the major events that took place in Berlin this past year as well as what to expect in 2024. About the Speaker: Derek Scally is a native Dubliner, who studied at Dublin City University and Humboldt University in Berlin. He has been Irish Times correspondent in Berlin since 2001. Covering politics, business and culture, he is a regular contributor to German news outlets, including Die Zeit weekly and Deutschlandfunk/WDR radio. He reports regularly from northern and central Europe and is also author of “The Best Catholics in the World”, published by Penguin.

In this IIEA webinar, hosted live from COP28 in Dubai, Alex White, Director General of the IIEA, and a panel of experts assess the progress of COP28 towards achieving global climate change mitigation and adaptation objectives. With the Summit due to conclude on 12 December, Mr White and the panel assess the state of play of ongoing discussions and negotiations, and if the Summit is likely to be successful in keeping hopes of a 1.5 degrees Celsius limit to global warming alive. About the Speaker: Alex White is the Director General of the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA), and a Senior Counsel at the Irish Bar. He was a TD from 2011 to 2016, during which time he held the positions of Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources (2014 – 2016), Minister for Primary Care (2012 – 2014) and Committee Chair of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure & Reform (2011 – 2012). Prior to serving as a TD, Alex was a member of Seanad Eireann (2007 – 2011), a councillor with South Dublin County Council (2004 – 2007) and a radio producer with RTÉ (1984 – 1994). He is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and of the King’s Inns.

The current trajectory of European policy towards China stands at a crucial juncture. In recent years, China has evolved from a long-term geopolitical challenge to a pivotal factor influencing the competitiveness of the European economy, the security of its citizens, and the EU's ability to fulfill its ambitious climate and digitalization goals. This shift poses a distinctive challenge for Germany, as its dependencies on the Chinese market are more pronounced compared to other EU member states. To address the challenges posed by today's China and establish a forward-looking vision, Berlin unveiled its first-ever China strategy in July 2023. In her address to the IIEA, Dr Janka Oertel, discusses how the implementation of this strategy is now essential at both the national level and as part of a broader European approach to China. About the Speaker: Dr Janka Oertel is director of the Asia programme and a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Oertel previously worked as a senior fellow in the Asia programme at the German Marshall Fund of the United States’ Berlin office, where she focused on transatlantic China policy including on emerging technologies, Chinese foreign policy, and security in east Asia. Dr Oertel has published widely on topics related to EU-China relations, US-China relations, security in the Asia-Pacific region, Chinese foreign policy, 5G and emerging technologies, as well as climate cooperation. Her new book The end of Germany’s China Illusion: How We Must Deal with Beijing’s Claim to Power was published in German by Piper in 2023.

As the frequency of natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves increase, the impact of climate change is becoming ever more apparent. Climate change will likely continue to threaten energy systems, augmenting the need to accelerate the green transition and position global energy systems to meet the risks posed by a changed climate. In her address to the IIEA, Katherine Hayhoe, author of Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, discusses how we can fight climate change together through dialogue, talking, and honesty. Her remarks reflect on how using these tools to build consensus may provide a pathway towards tackling the mounting challenges which climate change poses to the world. This event is part of the IIEA’s ReThink Energy lecture series which is supported by the ESB. About the Speaker: Katherine Hayhoe is the Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy and a Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor and the Political Science Endowed Chair in Public Policy and Public Law at Texas Tech University. She also serves as a principal investigator for the US Department of Interior’s South-Central Climate Adaptation Science Center. In 1997, she founded ATMOS Research, an institution bridging the gap between scientists and stakeholders on the effects of climate change on human populations. She is the Author of Saving Us: A Climate Scientists Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2021.

In his address to the IIEA, Hans Leijtens, Executive Director of Frontex, discusses challenges of integrating the management of the EU's borders. He discusses Frontex's work in facilitating legal migration, preventing illegal crossings and returning those who are not eligible for protection in the EU. Finally, his remarks also reflect upon the agency's work in fighting cross-border crime and countering terrorism. About the Speaker: Hans Leijtens has served as Frontex’s Executive Director since 1 March 2023. Before becoming Executive Director of Frontex, Dr Leijtens held positions as Commander of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee and Governor of The Hague. At the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, he has worked in several leading positions at the highest management level. Among others, he was a Director-General in the Netherlands Tax and Customs Administration, a Quartermaster of the Integrity Chamber in Sint Maarten, a Programme Director-General of the reconstruction of the Windward Islands, and a member of the International Board of Auditors (NATO). Mr Leijtens studied sociology and psychology at the Royal Military Academy in Breda from 1981 to 1985 and earned his doctorate in public administration from Leiden University in 2008.

The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) was forced to recently stress that the rule of law 'forms part of the very foundations of the European Union and its legal order' and is 'given concrete expression in principles containing legally binding obligations for the Member States'. The Court’s renewed emphasis on the importance of the rule of law might surprise considering that access to and continuing membership of the EU formally require, inter alia, compliance with the rule of law. The explanation lies in the unprecedented and repeated violations of EU rule of law requirements originating from some national actors at Member State level in the past decade. In the absence of prompt and forceful reactions by EU political institutions, the CJEU President was forced to warn in 2023 against 'authoritarian drifts' which could lead to the rule of law being replaced with 'rule of lawlessness'. In his address to the IIEA, Professor Pech outlines the reality of the authoritarian drifts mentioned by the CJEU President before focusing on the EU’s (in)action to date in the face of emerging legal black holes within the EU itself. About the Speaker: Laurent Pech is Full Professor of Law, Dean of Law and Head of the Sutherland School of Law. He is also a Visiting Professor of Law at Bordeaux University, a Senior Research Fellow at the CEU Democracy Institute in Budapest, and the co-director of The Good Lobby Profs which he co-founded in 2021.

The EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), which was first agreed amid the COVID-19 crisis, serves as temporary instrument designed to swiftly and substantially support the economic recovery of Member States. Financed through the issuance of bonds, the RRF offers an innovative approach to EU funding, disbursing funds based on the progress in achieving reforms and investments. In his address to the IIEA, Tony Murphy, President of the European Court of Auditors, provides insights into the RRF's implementation progress, which encompasses grants and loans with a maximum total value of €723 billion. He addresses the associated challenges and risks from an auditor's perspective as we approach the instrument’s midway point. About the Speaker: A native of Cabra, Tony Murphy currently serves as Irish Member and President of the European Court Auditors (ECA), the EU’s independent external auditor based in Luxembourg. He has served as Irish Member since March 2018 and was elected to lead the Institution in October 2022 for a three-year term. With over 40 years of experience in public sector auditing, Mr Murphy began his career with the Office of Comptroller Auditor General (OCAG) in Dublin in the late 1970s. After two decades with OCAG, he took up a role with the European Commission in Luxembourg. In 2013, he joined the ECA where he served as Head of the Private Office of an ECA Member and as Director prior to his nomination as Member by the Irish Government.

After five years from its first application, the landmark General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) continues to be the topic of extensive debate. Helen Dixon, the Data Protection Commissioner, provides a tour through recent trends in complaints, breaches, regulatory decisions and court judgements. Commissioner Dixon also discusses the future of data protection and assesses what may be in store over the next 5 years of GDPR enforcement. About the Speaker: Helen Dixon was appointed as Data Protection Commissioner for Ireland in September 2014. In this role she is responsible for upholding the rights of individuals regarding how data about them is used, which includes the regulation of a large number of US internet multinationals with European bases in Ireland. Previously, at the Irish Registrar of Companies, she led regulatory enforcement of compliance with the filing provisions of the Companies Acts. Helen has also held senior roles in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and spent the first ten years of her career in the IT industry.

In his address to the IIEA, Timur Gül, Chief Energy Technology Officer of the International Energy Agency (IEA), discusses the role of energy technology and innovation in the clean energy transition. Dr Gül outlines the challenges and opportunities arising from the new clean energy economy, with a focus on clean energy supply chains. About the Speaker: Timur Gül, a German national, was appointed Chief Energy Technology Officer of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in September 2023. In this capacity, he oversees the analysis of innovative new and emerging clean energy technologies and their supply chains across a range of sectors. Mr. Gül is also Head of the Energy Technology Policy Division, with responsibility for the IEA’s technology flagship publication Energy Technology Perspectives and the IEA’s Technology Collaboration network. Having joined the IEA in 2009, Mr. Gül previously was a lead author of the IEA’s World Energy Outlook (WEO). Prior to his time at the IEA, he was a researcher at Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland.

'War in Europe and the role of the United States' Fiona Hill ,Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington DC., in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist

As many African states have experienced increased political influence on the global stage, rapid development, and sustained economic growth; many have noted that France’s position on the continent has diminished and continues to be challenged by other geo-political actors. Against this backdrop, Emmanuel Macron has recently outlined his new Africa-France Partnership to recast development, economic, fiscal, military, and political relations between Africa and France. In their addresses to the IIEA, Dr Catherine Gegout and Dr Ndongo Samba Sylla share their perspectives on the current state of economic and political relations between Africa and France, as well as an analysis of Macron’s new Africa-France Partnership. About the Speakers: Dr Catherine Gegout is Associate Professor in International Relations at the University of Nottingham. She was Visiting Professor at Harvard Kennedy School in 2019. She is completing a manuscript on The EU and Sustainable Development in the Global South. She wrote the books Why Europe Intervenes in Africa and European Foreign and Security Policy. Dr Ndongo Samba Sylla is Senegalese Development Economist, currently the Research and Policy Director for Africa with the International Development Economics Associates in Dakar. He authored Africa’s Last Colonial Currency: The CFA Franc Story and co-edited Economic and Monetary Sovereignty for 21st century Africa.

In the wake of the publication of the Enlargement Package Report by the European Commission, Peter Burke TD, Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs and Defence, will look at the potential benefits and tests that enlargement will bring for the EU. About the Speaker: Peter Burke TD is the Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs and Defence, a post which he has held since December 2022. He has been a TD for Longford-Westmeath since 2016. Prior to his current role, he served as Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning from July 2020 to December 2022.

Following the adoption of the Enlargement Package Report by the European Commission, Lawrence Meredith, Director of Neighbourhood East and Institution Building in DG NEAR, discusses the main conclusions and the next steps, looking at the challenges and opportunities both for the enlargement countries involved and for the EU Member States. About the Speaker: Mr Meredith has been Director for Neighbourhood East and Institution Building in DG NEAR in the European Commission since December 2015. In 2015, he was Head of Strategy in DG NEAR, and led work on the European Neighbourhood Policy Review. Previously, he worked for 10 years on Enlargement Policy, both as Head of Strategy and Head of the Kosovo Issues Unit. He worked in the Cabinet of Commissioner Louis Michel on Southern Africa and the Pacific. Mr Meredith studied Russian & French at Oxford University.

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, EU enlargement has regained pertinence. With eight candidate countries and two applicant countries, many have noted the need for reforms in how the EU operates before there can be a 37 Member State Union. In her address to the IIEA, Jessika Roswall, Minister for EU Affairs of Sweden, gives a timely survey of the Swedish government’s view on the topics of EU enlargement and the future of the EU. About the Speaker: Jessika Roswall is the incumbent Minister of EU Affairs and Nordic Cooperation, having held that role since 2022. She has been a member of the Riksdag (the Swedish Parliament) since 2010. Prior to her current ministerial role, Ms Roswall was Chair of the Moderate Party in Uppsala County. She also served as a member of the advisory councils of the Swedish Agency for Work Environment Expertise, the Uppsala County Administrative Board, and the Swedish Consumer Agency. Prior to entering politics, Ms Roswall was a practising lawyer for many years.

In recent years, the world has been beset by a series of interlinked challenges, including humanitarian crises, mounting global debt, and the impact of the nexus of climate change, conflict, and hunger. Simultaneously, the imperative of addressing the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires a shared sense of responsibility. In his address to the IIEA, Carsten Staur will discuss the need for balancing urgent needs against long-term development priorities, and will offer his reflections on the role of the DAC in navigating an evolving development cooperation landscape. About the Speaker: Carsten Staur is the Chair of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC). Prior to taking up this role in March 2023, he was Denmark’s Ambassador to the OECD and UNESCO in Paris from 2018 to 2023. During a career of more than forty years in international diplomacy and development, Ambassador Staur has served as Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations in Geneva from 2013 to 2018 and New York from 2007 to 2013, and as State Secretary for International Development Cooperation from 2001 to 2007. He has also been Director for Development Policy and Planning in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador of Denmark to Israel, Under Secretary for Administrative Affairs, and Under Secretary for Bilateral Development Cooperation. Among many other achievements, Ambassador Staur has co-facilitated negotiations on the outcome of the UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals in 2010 as well as of the UN High-Level Meeting on the Rule of Law in 2012. He holds a degree in History and Literature from the University of Copenhagen and has written extensively about globalisation, multilateral affairs, and the United Nations, as well as about Danish foreign and development policy.

In the first half of 2024, Ireland will assume the rotating chair of the D9+ (or ‘Digital Nine+) - a group of digitally advanced European states which are at the forefront of Europe’s digital economy. In this IIEA event, which is supported by Amazon, an expert panel of speakers assesses what Ireland’s presidency of the group could contribute to the D9+’s long-term development; how the D9+ can link in with the priorities of the Presidencies of the Council of the EU; and how this group of digital frontrunners can contribute positively to EU digital policymaking in the coming years. The event opens with a keynote address by Dara Calleary TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation. A panel discussion follows, featuring contributions from: Alberto Gago Fernandez, Advisor to the Secretary of State for Digital and AI of Spain; Lucinda Creighton, CEO of Vulcan Consulting and former Minister of State for Europe; Alexander Hoefmans, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary of State for Digitization, Belgium, whose country will take the Presidency of the Council of the EU for the first half of 2024. This event is chaired by Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the most hyped and most important technology of the century to date. Over the past decade there has been an endless series of breathless announcements about advances in AI – and attendant fears. In his address, Professor Michael Wooldridge assesses the nature of this technology, distinguish between hype and reality, and explore the implications of AI for society. He also discusses the risks posed by AI and how they should be addressed. About the Speaker: Michael Wooldridge is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Oxford, and a programme director for AI at the Alan Turing Institute. He has been an AI researcher for more than 30 years and has published more than 400 scientific articles on the subject, including nine books. From 2014-16, he was President of the European Association for AI, and from 2015-17 he was President of the International Joint Conference on AI (IJCAI).

Ditte Juul Jørgensen has been the European Commission’s Director-General for Energy since 2019. In the intervening years, Europe has witnessed a pandemic, a war, and a panoply of economic and social crises, but the EU has nonetheless introduced its most far-reaching measures in the field of energy. This includes the introduction of the EU’s Fit for 55 package - its plan for a green transition, the RePowerEU plan for saving energy, and more. In the fifth event of the 2023 REthink Energy series, co-organised by the IIEA and ESB, Ditte Juul Jørgensen reflects on these major initiatives and what might lay ahead for the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy. About the Speaker: Ms Ditte Juul Jørgensen became the Director-General for Energy at the European Commission on 1 August 2019. In this capacity, she leads the Directorate-General and its efforts to ensure access to affordable, secure, reliable, and clean energy for all Europeans; to promote efficient production and use of energy; and to drive the process of becoming the first climate-neutral continent whilst contributing to Europe’s sustainable growth and job creation. Before assuming this role, Ms Juul Jørgensen served in a wide variety of roles at the Commission, including Head of Cabinet for Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. She also held Head of Unit and Director positions in the Directorate-General for Trade.

In her address, SDLP MP Claire Hanna reflects on the prospects of achieving reconciliation through a New Ireland. About the Speaker: Claire Hanna is an SDLP Member of Parliament for South Belfast, elected in December 2019. Claire has been representing South Belfast since 2011 as a Belfast City Councillor, then as an MLA in the NI Assembly until her election to Parliament in 2019. She chaired Assembly All Party Groups on International Development and the Arts. In Westminster, Claire serves as a member on the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. She is the SDLP's Spokesperson for Europe and International Affairs. In 2021 she was elected Chair of the Performer’s Alliance APPG (All-party Parliamentary Group). Her professional background is in international development, latterly in a policy and education role.

In his address to the IIEA, Professor Chris Llewellyn Smith discusses the need to complement wind and solar-generated electricity with the ability to store such electricity. He argues that as many countries replace fossil fuels with electricity generated from wind and solar, the volatility of these sources of energy will require storage solutions to be developed to meet a variable demand. Finally, his remarks explore the potential options available to various countries to meet these storage requirements. About the speaker: Chris Llewellyn Smith, who is a theoretical physicist, is currently interested in all aspects of energy supply and demand, especially electricity storage. He led the recently launched study by the Royal Society on Large-Scale Energy Storage. Chris has, inter alia, served as Director of Energy Research, University of Oxford (2011-17); President of the Council of Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (2008-17); and Director General of CERN (1994-1998), when the Large Hadron Collider was approved and construction started. He has written and spoken widely on science funding, international scientific collaboration and energy issues, and served on many advisory bodies nationally and internationally, including the UK Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on Science and Technology (1989-92). Professor Llewellyn Smith’s contributions to theoretical particle physics and leadership have been recognised by awards and honours worldwide, including election to the Royal Society (1984), which awarded him a Royal Medal in 2015.

Europe is facing numerous challenges, from the changing global geo-economic conditions to the enormity of tackling the climate crisis. Trade unions have, since their inception during the industrial revolution, sought to shape policy in times of tumult to ensure that the interests of workers are secured. In her address to the IIEA, Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, discusses her views on how European green industrial policy can shape Europe’s success, the state of play of EU social dialogue, and how reaching the EU target of 80 per cent of workers covered by a collective agreement can lead to successful outcomes for all. About the Speaker: Esther Lynch is the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation. Previously, Ms Lynch was Deputy General Secretary at the ETUC from 2019 to 2022, following four years as Confederal Secretary. She led on social dialogue, collective bargaining and wage policy, trade union rights, gender equality. Ms Lynch has extensive trade union experience at Irish, European and international levels, starting with her election as a shop steward in the 1980s. Before coming to the ETUC, she was the Legislation and Social Affairs Officer with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), where she took part in negotiations on Ireland’s National Social Partner Agreements.

This event is the third and final instalment in the Ireland and the EU Health Union discussion series, which is supported by Janssen Sciences Ireland. This event focuses on the role of the EU in promoting better cancer care and outcomes across the Union, through various initiatives contained within the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan. As part of the new Health Union, the EU has identified cancer as a health priority. The EU is pursuing a number of major initiatives to improve care and reduce inequalities across the Union in areas such as medicines access, pharmaceutical legislation, genetic testing and diagnosis, and data sharing and research. In this session, experts, clinicians and patient representatives discuss the EU’s efforts to achieve these objectives and assess the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan. This panel also considers how Ireland compares to our European peers both in terms of levels of care and outcomes, and what lessons we can learn to improve care for Irish cancer patients. The panel for this event consists of: Senator Annie Hoey Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society Barry Andrews, Member of the European Parliament Professor Ray McDermott, Consultant Medical Oncologist Dr Thorsten Giesecke, General Manager, Commercial Business, Janssen Sciences Ireland

In her address to the IIEA, renowned economist, Dr Linda Yueh, discusses her new book, The Great Crashes: Lessons from Global Meltdowns and How to Prevent Them. Dr Yueh extracts a three-step framework to help recognise the early signs of an economic crash and mitigate the effects – all with the hope of preventing the worst mistakes of the past from being repeated in the next inevitable financial crisis. She warns about where the next one might come from and shows how her framework could contain it. About the Speaker: Linda Yueh CBE is Fellow in Economics at St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford and Adjunct Professor of Economics at London Business School. She was Visiting Professor at LSE IDEAS and Visiting Professor of Economics at Peking University. The former Economics Editor at Bloomberg TV, she also hosted Talking Business with Linda Yueh as Chief Business Correspondent for BBC News. She writes for The Times, The New York Times, and the Financial Times and has advised the World Economic Forum in Davos, the World Bank, the European Commission and the Asian Development Bank.

Europe’s landmark Digital Services Act (DSA) heralds a new era of regulation to counter online disinformation and illegal and harmful online content. Jacob Mchangama, Director of the think tank Justitia, has praised several features of the DSA but he has also warned that the DSA could give rise to wide-ranging censorship. In this event, Mr Mchangama explores the implications of the DSA for online freedom of expression and compares Europe’s policies with those of its international peers. About the Speaker: Jacob Mchangama is the CEO of the think tank Justitia and directs Justitia´s Future of Free Speech Project. Jacob has written and commented extensively in international media outlets providing expert commentary on issues related to free speech, technology and human rights. Jacob is the producer and narrator of the podcast “Clear and Present Danger: A History of Free Speech” and author of the critically acclaimed book “Free Speech: A History From Socrates to Social Media” published by Basic Books in 2022.

Seven years after the original Brexit vote, the IIEA welcomes two leading Irish voices on the EU to a panel discussion on Prof Brigid Laffan's recent book 'The EU's Response to Brexit'. About the Speakers: Brigid Laffan is Emeritus Professor at the European University Institute in Florence and was Director at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies until her retirement in August 2021. Previously, Prof Laffan was Professor of European Politics at UCD’s School of Politics and International Relations and was Vice-President of UCD and Principal of the College of Human Sciences from 2004 to 2011. Prof Laffan was the founding director of the Dublin European Institute at UCD from 1999 and in March 2004 she was elected as a member of the Royal Irish Academy. Paul Gillespie directs the “Constitutional Futures after Brexit” Project in UCD's Centre for Peace and Conflict Research (formerly the Institute for British-Irish Studies). Dr Gillespie is also a columnist, and a former foreign-policy editor, with The Irish Times. He has published widely on British-Irish relations, European integration issues, Irish foreign policy, and Europe-Asia relations, and he is co-editor of “Britain and Europe: The Endgame: An Irish Perspective”. Dr Gillespie is also a longstanding member of the IIEA’s UK Group.

In this, the second of the IIEA’s mini-series of webinars on the subject of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), Chris Calabia, Head of CBDC Programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Digital Currency Initiative, shares recent research on the opportunities and challenges presented by the potential introduction of a CBDC like a ‘digital dollar’. Mr Calabia addresses practical and policy questions that this digital asset could raise for our economies and societies, including whether CBDCs could promote greater financial inclusion and how to safeguard privacy while mitigating other risks like fraud and money laundering. About the Speaker: F. Christopher Calabia, CAMS, is Head of Central Bank Digital Currency Programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Digital Currency Initiative, which he joined in October 2022. His 30-year career in central banking and regulation included senior leadership roles at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Dubai Financial Services Authority; secondments to the Bank for International Settlements (Switzerland) and the International Monetary Fund; and a Senior Advisor role at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Financial Services for the Poor Initiative. Mr Calabia is a certified anti-money laundering specialist and graduated from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy (MALD) and the University of Virginia (BA).

'More war: explaining conflict proliferation' Barrie Robinson, former Irish diplomat, and Dr Domitilla Sagramoso, expert on Russian foreign and security policy, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist.

Launched in 2023, the IIEA Disability Policy Programme explores Ireland’s obligations, strengths, and shortcomings in the area of disability policy. The programme has been designed in consultation with leading experts in the field of disability policy in Ireland and seeks to explore and understand the lived experience of persons with disabilities in Ireland and across Europe including in relation to fundamental rights, political participation, education, employment, and more. The focus of this event is education, specifically persons with a disability right to education under UNCRPD Article 24, of which the EU is a party too. Speakers share their personal lived experience, insights, perspectives, and knowledge regarding the barriers to educational access and the pathways to education being created. Speakers also share their thoughts on what policymakers and the education system in Europe should do to support greater inclusivity for persons with disabilities within all parts of our education system. About the Speakers: Keynote Address: Sadbh Feehan is a graduate of the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID) in the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin. Sadbh graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a Certificate in Arts, Science, and Inclusive Applied Practice in June 2020. She completed a graduate internship in A&L Goodbody where she worked until July 2022. Sadbh began working as a graduate intern in the TCPID in September 2022 and was offered a permanent contract there in June 2023. Sadbh is a constant advocate for people with disabilities and has presented at a number of high-profile conferences and events, including most recently at a conference in Salzburg, Austria. Panelists: Delia Ferri is a Professor of Law at Maynooth University (MU) School of Law and Criminology and Co-Director of the MU Assisting Living & Learning (ALL) Institute. Prof. Ferri is also affiliated researcher at the DIRPOLIS Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (Italy) within the research cluster on disability, and a fellow at the Burton Blatt Institute of Syracuse University (USA). She is a senior member of the European Disability Expertise network funded by the European Commission, and, since June 2023, a member of the Scientific Committee of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency. Michael Shevlin is Professor in Inclusive Education and Director of the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities in Trinity College Dublin. His teaching and research have focused on facilitating the inclusion of children and young people with special educational needs within mainstream schools, promoting the voice of marginalised people within decision making processes that affect their lives, and addressing access issues for young people with disabilities within compulsory and higher education. As Director of the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities, he manages the delivery of an accredited education into employment transition programme for young people with intellectual disabilities. Michael Teutsch is Head of Unit, Schools and Multilingualism, in the European Commission’s Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC). The unit is a policy and programme unit contributing to the building of a European Education Area. He joined the European Commission in 2001, where he worked on labour mobility issues in the Commission’s Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL). Before that, he worked in the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, and in research projects in Germany and Italy on the European structural funds, and on transport and environment policy.

The importance of space for the global communications, finance, technology and daily life continues to grow. In this context, commercial organisations are increasingly developing upon the new opportunities which commercial space flight now provides. This panel discusses how Ireland, with its advanced technology sector and capabilities, could be well-placed to develop its space industry and make the most of this emerging sector. About the Speakers: Neale Richmond TD is Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with responsibility for Business, Employment and Retail, a position which he has held since January 2023. Prior to his role as Minister of State, he was elected as a TD for Dublin Rathdown in the 2020 General Election. In April 2016, he was elected to Seanad Eireann, on the Labour Panel, where he was the Fine Gael Spokesperson on European Affairs and Chair of the Seanad Special Select Committee on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU. Sinéad O’Sullivan leads strategy at Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness with Prof. Michael Porter. Additionally, she is a Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology. Formerly a Research Fellow at MIT’s College of Computing and MIT Sloan as well as a Human Spaceflight mission designer for NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, her work focuses on the intersection of technology, innovation, geopolitics, and defense. She is on the Board of the European Space Policy Institute and has advised over $1 billion of space technology investment and M&A transactions. Rory Fitzpatrick is CEO of National Space Centre, a world-class carrier-grade commercial teleport and centre for space research and development. A 20-year veteran of the satellite communications industry, Rory is a strong proponent of Ireland’s enterprise culture and the ability of the Irish space sector to stimulate economic growth and lead development of space technologies with both space and terrestrial applications. Peter Smyth is Commercial Director at Tyndall, responsible for industry engagement strategy and operations, and based at the national institute's Dublin office. He is a Chief Executive of thirty years' experience in the business of technology, translating customer needs into commercial return. Before joining Tyndall, he was founder and CEO of a number of technology start-ups and was an executive of technology IP firm Ceva at the time of its IPO (NASDAQ:CEVA, previously Parthus). An Electronic Engineering graduate of Dublin City University, Peter has held senior sales and product management positions while living in Ireland, the UK, the US and Germany.

'Outlook for the Irish and Transatlantic economies' Conall Mac Coille, Chief Economist of Davy Stockbrokers and Chief Economist designate of Bank of Ireland, in conversation with Dan O'Brien, IIEA Chief Economist

In the past decade, the European Union has faced unprecedented challenges; the first withdrawal of a Member State from the Union, increased irregular migration flows, and international conflict on European soil. These events pose legal, as well as political, challenges which the legal services of the EU institutions must navigate. The Council Legal Service assists the European Council, the Council, and its preparatory bodies in ensuring the legality and the drafting quality of acts and contributes to identifying legally correct and politically acceptable solutions to the challenges faced by the EU. In her address to the IIEA, Emer Finnegan, Director General of the Council Legal Service, discusses how European law has been used to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and how the Legal Service assists the institutions in responding to other major political challenges for the EU. About the Speaker: Emer Finnegan is the Director-General of the Council Legal Service and the Legal Counsel of the European Council. She is the first Irish national and the second woman to hold these posts. Ms Finnegan has worked in the Council Legal Service since 1999 and was made a Director in the Service in 2015. As a Director, she was responsible for legal issues in the Competitiveness, Environment, and Transport, Telecom, and Energy Councils, and for legal issues concerning Employment, Social Affairs, Education, Agriculture and Fisheries. Ms Finnegan was closely involved with the negotiations on the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the UK, and she has extensive experience representing the Council before the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Colombia is in the midst of a change, the development of a new focus on life, human rights, dignity and peace. Its foreign policy reflects that. In his address to the IIEA, Vice-Minister Coy discusses the Colombian Government’s foreign policy approach and priorities, especially regarding shared experiences and lessons on Peace implementation between Colombia and Ireland. He also discusses the unique ethnic, territorial, and gender-based approach required to achieve Total Peace through international cooperation and dialogue.  Francisco Coy is the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Colombia, a position he has held since 2022. Vice-Minister Coy joined the Colombian Foreign Service in 1988 and has previously served as Advisor to the Foreign Minister from 2020 to 2022. He has also served as Deputy Chief of Mission of Colombia to Belgium, Luxembourg and to the European Union and NATO from 2015 until 2020. He has also been a Professor of Colombian Foreign Policy, Comparative Foreign Policies, and Foreign Policy of the United States at the Javeriana University, Andes University, Rosario University, Externado University of Colombia, the Military University, and Jorge Tadeo Lozano University.

Václav Bartuška is Ambassador-at-Large for Energy Security at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czechia. Policies to enhance energy security formed an important component of the Czech Presidency of the European Union which concluded at the end of 2022. Ambassador Bartuška has also served as a plenipotentiary of the Czech Government for the expansion of Temelin Nuclear Power Plant. He teaches security studies and modern history at New York University as well as a course on energy diplomacy at the College of Europe. During the 1989 Revolution, Ambassador Bartuška was a student leader and was subsequently elected by the Czech Parliament to the Commission investigating the secret police, where he played a role in disbanding it. This event has been organised in conjunction with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Ireland.

Whistleblowing is a relatively new concept, with the term only being popularised in the 1970s. Until recently, protection for whistleblowers remained fragmented, precarious, and unequal across countries and economic sectors. In 2016, the French Parliament first defined a whistleblower in legislation. Later, in 2019, the Whistleblower Protection Directive was passed by the EU Institutions and has been largely hailed as a global standard setter in this field. In her address to the IIEA, Maureen Kearney discusses her experiences as a whistleblower, the current state of whistleblower protection in France and the EU, the role of trade unions in whistleblowing procedures, and areas where whistleblower protection can be improved. About the Speaker: A native of Castlebar, Maureen Kearney moved to Paris in the mid-1980s to work as a teacher in the nuclear industry for a subsidiary of what would later become Areva. She joined the trade union, Confédération française démocratique du travail (CFDT), in the 1990s after seeing her students threatened with redundancy and progressively became a leading trade union activist within the company. In 2004, she was unanimously elected General Secretary of the Areva European Works Council by trade unionists across 14 countries. In 2012, she gained notoriety for blowing the whistle on Areva's planned technology transfers to China. Her experiences as a whistleblower were subsequently documented in a book and film, both called La Syndicaliste (released in English as The Sitting Duck), released in 2019 and 2023, respectively.

Central banks around the world are exploring the case for a central bank digital currency (CBDC) – essentially a digital version of cash. In the same manner as cash, a CBDC would allow citizens to directly hold central bank money but in a digital format. In the first of the IIEA’s mini-series of webinars exploring the future of CBDCs, Dr Katrin Assenmacher, Head of the Monetary Policy Strategy Division of the European Central Bank (ECB), outlines the economic forces that shape the rise of digital money and motivate the current debate. Dr Assenmacher also looks at the implications of a ‘digital euro’ for monetary policy and financial stability before discussing policy issues and challenges. About the Speaker: Katrin Assenmacher has been Head of the Monetary Policy Strategy Division at the European Central Bank (ECB) since November 2016. From 2010 to 2016 she led the Monetary Policy Analysis unit at the Swiss National Bank (SNB). She has published various articles in international academic journals in the areas of monetary policy and time-series econometrics. Dr Assenmacher holds a Doctorate and a Diploma in economics from the University of Bonn, where she also received her Habilitation.

According to Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg, former Chief Economist of the World Bank Group, the recent retreat from globalisation has been triggered by a perception that increased competition from global trade is not fair and leads to increased inequality within countries. Is this phenomenon a small hiccup in the overall wave of globalisation, or are we at the beginning of a new era of deglobalisation? In her address to the IIEA, Professor Goldberg argues that the answer depends on the policy choices we make, and in her latest book, The Unequal Effects of Globalization, she calls for exploring alternative policy approaches including place-based policies, while sustaining international cooperation. About the Speaker: Pinelopi (Penny) Koujianou Goldberg is the Elihu Professor of Economics and an Affiliate of the Economic Growth Center at Yale University. From November 2018 to March 2020, she was the Chief Economist of the World Bank Group. Professor Goldberg was President of the Econometric Society in 2021 and has previously served as Vice-President of the American Economic Association. From 2011 to 2017, she was Editor-in-Chief of the American Economic Review. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, recipient of Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and Sloan Research Fellowships, and recipient of the Bodossaki Prize in Social Sciences.

In his address to the IIEA, Professor Gearty reflects upon the divergence between British law and EU law in the aftermath of Brexit, particularly in the field of human rights, and what this may mean (if anything) for Ireland as one of the few remaining common law jurisdictions in the European Union and the Council of Europe. Professor Gearty also reflects on Britain’s future relationship with, and membership of, the Council of Europe and in particular, the UK’s continued participation in the European Convention on Human Rights, and the European Court of Human Rights that oversees that Convention. Professor Gearty also offers his perspective on the future of the UK Human Rights Act. About the Speaker: Conor Gearty is Professor of Human Rights Law at LSE and also a barrister at Matrix Chambers. He published On Fantasy Island. Britain, Europe and Human Rights in 2016.His next book, Homeland Insecurity. The Rise and Rise of Global Anti-terrorism Law will be published by Polity in Spring 2024. Professor Gearty is Vice-President for Social Sciences at the British Academy and a Member of the Royal Irish Academy. He is an Honorary King’s Counsel and Bencher of Middle Temple (London) and the King’s Inn (Dublin).

General Birame Diop is the Military Advisor to the Department of Peace Operations at the United Nations. General Diop has over 30 years of military experience, previously serving as Chief of the Defence Staff of the Senegalese Armed Forces. He has also served as National Security Advisor to the President of Senegal and Air Force Chief of Staff. He has also served as Deputy and Chief Air operations with United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) from 2002 to 2003. General Diop is a graduate of the Royal Air Academy in Morocco, of the Air University in the United States of America, and from the French War College.

On the back of the publication of the 2023 African Economic Outlook report by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in May 2023, Professor Kevin Chika Urama, Vice President and Chief Economist of the African Development Bank, and Mette Knudsen, the Executive Director who represents Ireland’s constituency on the Board of the African Development Bank, are doing a tour of several of the AfDB’s donor countries – including Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. During their stop in Ireland, the IIEA hosted Prof Urama for a keynote address where he discusses the recently published 2023 African Economic Outlook, the work of the AfDB, and the wider economic challenges and opportunities facing Africa. Additionally, Ms Knudsen provides opening remarks at the event and an interactive Q&A session follows the keynote address where both distinguished guests share their unique insights. About the Speaker: Kevin Chika Urama is currently the Chief Economist and Vice-President for Economic Governance & Knowledge Management at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB). Prof Urama is an elected Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS); a Distinguished Professor of the University of Nigeria; an Extra-Ordinary Professor in the School of Public Leadership, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; an Adjunct Professor at the Sir Walter Murdoch School of Public Policy and International Affairs, Western Australia; and a Member of the Global Council on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the term 2021-2023. Prior to joining the AfDB, Kevin Urama was the inaugural Managing Director of the Quantum Global Research Lab, Switzerland; Executive Director of the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS); and Senior Research Fellow at the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Scotland. Kevin holds an MPhil and a PhD in Land Economy from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. Mette Knudsen is currently Executive Director in the Board of the African Development Bank in Abidjan, representing Denmark, Finland, India, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden. She has previously served as the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General for Political Affairs (DSRSG/P) in UNAMA, the UN mission in Afghanistan from 2021 to 2022. Before that she was Denmark’s Ambassador to Afghanistan from 2020 to 2021 and was Denmark’s Ambassador to Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea, and the Seychelles 2015-2020. Earlier in her career she has served as Danish Ambassador to Greece and Cyprus (2012-2015), Ethiopia, the African Union, and ECOWAS (2004-2007). She has been head of the Africa Department in the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2007-2012) and has also had postings in Zambia (2002-2004) and Tanzania (1995-1998).

Sinn Féin is the most popular political party in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The local government elections in Northern Ireland in May 2023 cemented Sinn Féin’s status as the largest party north of the border, while polling indicates that Mary Lou McDonald could lead the party into government in the Republic at the next General Election. Questions therefore arise as to what a Sinn Féin government would mean for Ireland’s role in the European Union, Irish unity, and military neutrality, amongst other issues. In her keynote address to the IIEA, award-winning journalist Aoife Moore discusses her new book, The Long Game: Inside Sinn Féin, including what can be expected from Sinn Féin as a party of government and how a Sinn Féin-led Northern Ireland Executive may impact post-Brexit politics. In the 25th anniversary year of the Good Friday Agreement, Ms Moore also discusses the state of play in Northern Irish politics.  About the Speaker:  Aoife Moore is an award-winning journalist and the author of The Long Game: Inside Sinn Féin. She is a former political correspondent for the Sunday Times and the Irish Examiner and spent two years working as a journalist for Press Association. In 2020, she broke the “Golfgate” story on the Oireachtas Golf Society scandal along with her colleague Paul Hosford, for which they were jointly awarded Journalist of the Year at the 2021 Newsbrands Irish Journalism Awards. A Derry native, Ms Moore has written and commented extensively on Northern Ireland, Irish and Northern Irish politics, the legacy of the Troubles, and the Good Friday Agreement, as well as the unique challenges faced by women in Irish journalism and more widely in Irish society.

The global security environment is in a state of flux. Not only is Europe contending with the kinetic threat posed by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, but emerging threats – including climate change, AI, cyber, quantum computing, food and water shortages, and advanced robotics – are increasingly becoming threat multipliers. In this context, strategic foresight has become an important capability for governments and government institutions to enable informed and better decision-making. This panel discussion, which is jointly hosted by the IIEA and Deloitte, aims to provoke an open discussion about the present and future threat environments and to reflect on how organisations can best develop and utilise strategic foresight capabilities to navigate a changing, contested, and challenging security context. About the Speakers: Dr Raluca Csernatoni is a Fellow at Carnegie Europe where she specialises in European security and defence, as well as emerging disruptive technologies. Csernatoni is currently a guest professor on European security and counterterrorism at the Brussels School of Governance and its Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy, at Vrije Universiteit Brussels in Brussels, Belgium; Dr Florian Klein founded and leads the Centre for the Long View (CLV) network, which is Deloitte’s global centre of excellence for scenario planning and AI-enabled sensing. Florian has authored several books on mega trends and on designing strategic decision systems; Dr Eamonn Noonan of the EPRS Policy Foresight Unit has been involved in the inter-institutional ESPAS network (European Strategy and Policy Analysis System) since 2015. He recently returned from an EU Fellowship at St. Antony’s College Oxford. As an Irish diplomat, he had postings to Luxemburg and Norway. He has studied in Florence, Mainz and Cork.

In this address to the IIEA, Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment delivers a keynote address discussing the recently published White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030 and its implications for SMEs and multinationals based in Ireland. Following this, the event features a panel discussion during which Martina Fitzgerald, CEO of Scale Ireland, and Dr Frances Ruane, Chair of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council, who respond to the Minister's presentation and share their perspectives on the White Paper. The event will be chaired by Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist. About the Speakers: Simon Coveney TD is the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, appointed in December 2022. He is also the Deputy Leader of Fine Gael. He has served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2017 to 2022 and Minister for Defence from 2020 to 2022. Between November 2017 and June 2020, he also held the office of Tánaiste. He has previously served as Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government from 2016 to 2017, Minister for Defence from 2014 to 2016, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine from 2011 to 2016. Martina Fitzgerald is CEO of Scale Ireland, the independent not-for-profit organisation representing Irish tech start-up and scaling companies. There are currently more than 2,200 tech start-up companies in Ireland, employing more than 50,000 people around the country. Martina is also actively involved in the global and European networks of start-up organisations and has contributed to many of the pan-European initiatives. Martina is also a board member of Dóchas, the Irish association of international development and humanitarian organisations. Prior to 2019, Martina was a leading national journalist, including as Political Correspondent with Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTÉ, and the author of a critically acclaimed best-selling book, Madam Politician, on the subject of Irish female government ministers. Dan O'Brien is Chief Economist of the Institute of International and European Affairs. He is also Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at University College Dublin’s Geary Institute and a regular media commentator on economic and public policy issues. For three years, from mid-2010, Dan was economics editor of The Irish Times, analysing and commenting on a wide range of Irish, European and global issues. Prior to that, he spent a dozen years, based in London and Geneva, as senior economist and editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit, an arm of The Economist Newspaper Group. Dan has also worked for the European Commission and as a consultant for the United Nations and Forfás, an Irish government in-house think tank. Frances Ruane is an Honorary Fellow at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and a Research Affiliate at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). She is Chair of the National Competitiveness Council and represents Ireland on the European Productivity Network. An economist, she held academic and senior administrative positions at TCD between 1977 and 2006, and was Director of the ESRI from 2006 to 2015. Her research interests are in economic development, international economics and public policy, and she has published widely in these areas. Frances was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2003 and served as President of the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland from 2016-2019.

Artificial intelligence (AI) already plays a role in deciding what unemployment benefits someone gets, where a burglary is likely to take place, whether someone is at risk of cancer, or who sees an advertisement for low mortgage rates. Its use keeps growing, presenting seemingly endless possibilities. However, AI also poses major challenges to upholding fundamental rights standards in Europe. In his address to the IIEA, Michael O’Flaherty, the Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, discusses the implications of AI for human rights, the new AI Act, as well as the wider challenges facing human rights standards in an age of rapid digitalisation. About the Speaker: Michael O’Flaherty is Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights. Previously, Michael O'Flaherty was Established Professor of Human Rights Law and Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland, Galway. He has served as Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, Member of the UN Human Rights Committee, and head of a number of UN Human Rights Field Operations.

The UK has seen significant levels of industrial action taken by many public sector trades union over the past 18 months. Just three years after the COVID-19 pandemic led to an outpouring of public support for the NHS, major strike action has been taken by nursing staff across the UK to fight for better pay and patient safety. In her keynote address to the IIEA, Director of Nursing of the Royal College of Nursing, Nicola Ranger, discusses the current challenges faced by nursing staff in both the NHS and independent health care settings, and the role of the RCN in influencing political change in the UK. About the Speaker: Professor Nicola Ranger joined the RCN in December 2022. She was previously Chief Nurse and Executive Director of Midwifery at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London. Before that, she held Chief Nurse posts at both Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust and Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust. She has also held a number of senior nursing roles at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. Earlier in her career, she worked at America’s George Washington University Hospital in Washington and at Mount Sinai Medical Centre in New York.

Professor Eftimiades contends that The People’s Republic of China's massive ‘whole-of-society’ approach to espionage is creating a new paradigm on how intelligence activities are conducted, viewed, and addressed by nations and businesses. In his address, Professor Nicholas Eftimiades discusses how specific espionage and covert action tradecraft is used by China's intelligence services, State Owned Enterprises, universities, and private companies to target companies, governments, and even citizens worldwide. About the Speaker: Nicholas Eftimiades is a professor at Penn State University. He is a member of the graduate faculty teaching homeland security, intelligence, and national security policy. He conducts research on China’s economic espionage, intelligence, and emerging threats/disruptive technologies. Mr. Eftimiades retired from a 34 year government career in intelligence and diplomacy. He has extensive experience and has published widely on China and the national security space. Mr. Eftimiades held senior appointments to the Department of Defence Defence Science Board, the Department of Homeland Security's Advisory Council and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence National Intelligence Council. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, and Auburn University, McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security.

'EU policy outlook: what, how and when?' Professor Desmond Dinan, Jean Monnet Professor at the George Mason School of Public Policy in Arlington Virginia, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist

In his remarks, Dr Bassuener focuses on the EU’s relationship with the Western Balkans in advance of the country reports which will be published in October 2023. Dr Bassuener’s contention is that, writ broadly, the political elites of the region have demonstrated that they do not want to do the heavy lifting regarding EU accession. Yet, according to Dr Bassuener, the EU’s interest in the region remains its desire to demonstrate its transformative power and geopolitical potency. Overall, in his discussion, Dr Bassuener argues that enlargement should not be abandoned, but rather there should be a reassessment of who the primary EU partners need to be – the citizens of the region. About the Speaker: Kurt Bassuener is a Co-Founder and Senior Associate of the Democratization Policy Council, a Berlin-based think-tank established in 2005. He received his PhD in 2021 from the University of St. Andrews’ Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence. Dr Bassuener is co-author and research director for the Diplomat’s Handbook for Democracy Development Support. Prior to studying at St. Andrews, he lived for 11 years in Sarajevo, starting in 2005 as a strategist for then-High Representative, Paddy Ashdown. He was a political and campaign analyst for the OSCE-ODIHR election observation mission in Ukraine in 2004–2005, and previously conducted analysis-based advocacy in Washington D.C. for the Balkan Institute, the Balkan Action Council, the U.S. Institute of Peace, and the International Rescue Committee.

What are the pros and cons of Putin’s regime maintaining its grip on power after the Prigozhin mutiny? Does the Kremlin have a war strategy in Ukraine and if so, what is it? How are Western sanctions impacting Russia? Will China distance itself from Russia? And is there a chance of negotiations beginning between Moscow and Kyiv in 2024? DW’s Russian affairs analyst Konstantin Eggert, who recently travelled to Ukraine, addresses these issues in a webinar hosted by IIEA. About the Speaker: Konstantin Eggert (also known as Konstantin von Eggert) is an independent journalist, political analyst and communications consultant. He is a Baltic States correspondent and commentator on Russian affairs for DW (Deutsche Welle), Germany’s international broadcaster. From 1998 until 2009, Eggert was Senior Correspondent, then Editor-in-Chief of the BBC Russian Service Moscow bureau. In 2008, Mr Eggert was honoured with an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II and was also awarded with the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Lithuania by President Valdas Adamkus.

Panel 2 The question of how to ensure the Russian Federation, and its political and military leadership, are held to account for serious breaches of international law in and Ukraine, including its war of aggression, has been an important aspect of the international response since the onset of Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ireland has taken a strong position on the topic of ensuring accountability, having had it as one of the priorities for its latest term on the UN Security Council in 2021-2022. This symposium will hear the views of senior diplomats from Ukraine and Ireland, academics, and practitioners including from the field of international criminal law and accountability regarding this vital subject. Speakers at this session include: Ms Oleksandra Matviychuk, Ukrainian human rights lawyer and civil society leader, Head of Center for Civil Liberties, 2022 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and renowned human rights defender;  Ms Iryna Mudra, Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine; Günter Schirmer, Head Of Department of Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly · Council of Europe Dr Anton Moiseienko, Lecturer, Australian National University College of Law.

Panel 1 The question of how to ensure the Russian Federation, and its political and military leadership, are held to account for serious breaches of international law in and Ukraine, including its war of aggression, has been an important aspect of the international response since the onset of Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ireland has taken a strong position on the topic of ensuring accountability, having had it as one of the priorities for its latest term on the UN Security Council in 2021-2022. This symposium will hear the views of senior diplomats from Ukraine and Ireland, academics, and practitioners including from the field of international criminal law and accountability regarding this vital subject. Following opening remarks from Michael Clausen (Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Mission Ireland), Ms Larysa Gerasko (Ambassador of Ukraine to Ireland), Ms Sonja Hyland (Deputy Secretary General & Political Director, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland) and Mr Alex White (Director General, Institute for International and European Affairs/IIEA), Speakers at this session include: Dr Anton Korynevych, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; Prof Claus Kreß, Director of the Institute of International Peace and Security Law, University of Cologne; Dr Carrie Mc Dougall, Senior Lecturer, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne; Margarita Šniutytė-Daugėlienė, Vice-President of Eurojust.

Marking European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s 2023 State of the Union address, the European Commission Representation in Ireland, the European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland and the IIEA will host a live stream of the address, followed by a hybrid panel discussion assessing the key themes explored and President von der Leyen’s outlook and priorities for the future of Europe. Speakers will include: • Senator Lisa Chambers, Leader of Seanad Éireann and Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on European and Foreign Affairs; • Catherine Day, Former Secretary-General of the European Commission • Dan O’Brien, Chief Economist of the IIEA The panel will be moderated by Professor John O’Brennan, Jean Monnet Chair at Maynooth University.

Join Eliot Higgins, the founder of Bellingcat, as he delves into the significant role of open-source investigation in comprehending the Ukrainian conflict. This lecture covers the role open-source intelligence played in the tracking of the conflict's build-up, the swift debunking of misinformation, an analysis of open-source evidence to comprehend the war's impact on civilians, and an exploration of the online communities that formed in response to the conflict. About the Speaker: Eliot Higgins is a renowned British journalist and founder of Bellingcat, an investigative journalism platform that uses open-source intelligence to solve critical international cases. Born in 1979, Higgins' contributions, including MH17 investigation and exposure of Syrian Civil War atrocities, have revolutionised journalism. His work on the Salisbury poisonings won the prestigious 2019 European Press Prize Investigation Award. In 2020, he was also awarded the Machiavelli Prize for his role in enhancing digital investigative journalism. Recognized as a trailblazer, Higgins continues to catalyse transformative changes in how the world understands news, truth, and fact-checking in the digital age.

Northern Ireland’s governing institutions have been at a political impasse since the DUP collapsed Stormont in February 2022, and the Windsor Framework has, thus far, failed to bring about the restoration of the Assembly and Executive as both London and Brussels had hoped. Since the most recent collapse of Stormont, the Alliance Party has made electoral gains at both Assembly and local government level, and is now firmly established as the third largest party in Northern Irish politics. In her keynote address to the IIEA, Naomi Long, leader of the Alliance Party, discusses her party’s perspective on the Windsor Framework, the political stalemate at Stormont, and the need for reform of the structures set up in the Good Friday Agreement to allow parties designated “other” (neither unionist nor nationalist) to play a more equal role in Northern Irish politics. About the Speaker: Naomi Long MLA first joined Belfast City Council as an Alliance Party councillor in 2001 and was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2003. After serving as Lord Mayor of Belfast, she became the first Alliance MP elected to Westminster, as the MP for East Belfast in 2010. In 2016, Ms Long returned to the Northern Ireland Assembly as MLA for East Belfast and shortly afterwards she became Leader of Alliance. She has presided over Alliance’s most successful elections, with the 2022 Assembly election seeing the party’s representation more than double, and the 2019 European poll seeing her elected as Alliance’s first MEP. Following Brexit and the collapse of devolution, Ms Long returned to the Assembly in January 2020, serving as Justice Minister.

In this third installment of the 2023 REthink Energy series, co-organised by the IIEA and ESB, Laura Sandys, CBE, describes the architecture of the new, decarbonised energy system: distributed in nature, disruptive in character, and requiring a new way of delivering stability, resilience and cost reductions for consumers. She speaks about the digitalisation that lies at the heart of the new energy system, and what this means for system operators, generators, networks, and retailers. She also focuses on a new player in the modern energy system, which she says is its most important component: the customer. About the Speaker: Laura Sandys, CBE, is the former Chair of the UK Government’s Energy Digitalisation Taskforce, and the current Chair of both the Green Alliance and the British Standards Institute Advisory Board on Net Zero. She is also on the board of the Energy Systems Catapult, Ohme Global and Highview Power. She was Chair of the Northern Ireland Expert Panel on Energy Transition and was a member of the Advisory Panel for the Government’s Cost of Energy Review, and is on the Ministerial Council for Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage. She is the founder of the Food Foundation, co-founder of POWERful Women, and former Deputy Chair of the Food Standards Agency. She was previously a Member of Parliament for South Thanet, and was described by The Times as ‘one of the sanest of all MPs’ and as ‘lateral-minded, original and free-thinking’.

'Woke: historical origins and political implication' Susan Neiman, American Philosopher, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist

According to Dr Kaim, strategies are tricky things: flowery words describe the big picture and in the end, no one really knows what these words actually mean in practice. This is how many of the 76 pages of the first German National Security Strategy read. The Scholz government has not developed any fundamentally new guidelines for its foreign and security policy – it has written down what it has already planned and what is already reality. Much of the Strategy remains vague so that all parties of the coalition can rally behind it, with the Chancellor and four ministers using the presentation of the strategy to send a signal of unity. Nevertheless, the National Security Strategy expands the conception of "security" beyond just diplomacy and the Bundeswehr to also encompass electricity and water resources, pharmaceutical supplies, and the supply chains for raw materials that industry relies upon. But whether this is more than just words is something the German Government must now show in its implementation of the strategy. About the Speaker: Dr Markus Kaim is Senior Fellow in the International Security Research Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). He was Helmut Schmidt Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Washington 2019-2020. He has taught as a Visiting Scholar at the Institute of European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at Carleton University, Ottawa, as DAAD Professor for German and European Studies at the University of Toronto, and as Adjunct Professor of Foreign Policy and International Relations at the University of Konstanz. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Zurich, at the Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, and at the Bucerius Law School, Hamburg.

In this interview, IIEA Researcher, Leanne Digney, talks to Ireland’s United Nations Youth Delegates, David Giles and Jessica Gill, about their experience of writing the first standalone youth chapter in a Voluntary National Review, which was included in Ireland’s 2023 VNR report at the UN High-level Political Forum in July 2023. This interview is part of the Global Europe UN podcast series which is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs

In his remarks, Mehmet Öğütçü reflects upon Turkey’s elections on 14 and 28 May 2023 and the implications which Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s winning yet another mandate to run the country for the next five years may have for Europe. He examines whether there is any prospect of resetting EU-Turkey relations and what could be done to improve the dialogue between Brussels and Ankara on key issues such as energy, climate change, migration and tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. Mr Öğütçü discusses whether Turkey’s new government will be able to change course from its current approach to relations with Moscow, as well as Turkey’s role in NATO enlargement. About the Speaker: Mehmet Öğütçü is the Chair of the London Energy Club. He is a former advisor to the Prime Minister, and diplomat in China, Belgium, France and the UK. Previously, Öğütçü served as a principal administrator for Asia-Pacific and Latin America at International Energy Agency and head of investment outreach for the OECD. He was director for BG Group (now part of Shell) and Chair of the advisory board of Invensys plc and the Middle East Institute, Washington DC. He was also a board member of Genel Energy plc, Şişecam, Yasar Holding. He is now Chair of the London Energy Club, the Bosphorus Energy Club and Global Resources Partners, UK.

Prof. Gerard Quinn, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, discusses Ireland’s obligations, strengths, and shortcomings, under international human rights treaties, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which was adopted by the United Nations in 2006. The UNCRPD is the first international, legally binding instrument setting minimum standards for the rights of people with disabilities. The Convention followed decades of work by the United Nations to change attitudes and approaches to persons with disabilities. It is a human rights instrument with an explicit, social development dimension which adopts a broad categorisation of persons with disabilities and reaffirms that all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Irish Government signed the Convention in 2007 and in March 2018 the Convention was ratified. About the Speaker: Professor Gerard Quinn was appointed the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities by the Human Rights Council in October 2020. A graduate of Harvard Law School, the King's Inns and the National University of Ireland, Professor Quinn formerly held a chair at the National University of Ireland where he founded and directed the Centre on Disability Law & Policy. In Ireland, he also served as a member of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities (1992-1996) which was composed of a majority of persons with disabilities. He has received three awards for his work on international disability Law - from Rehabilitation International (RI), the US International Council on Disability (USICD), and the European Association of Service Providers (EASPD).

In this interview, IIEA Researcher, Leanne Digney, talks to the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, Ms Siobhán Mullally, about the mandate of her office and the major challenges in the fight against human trafficking today. This interview is part of the Global Europe UN podcast series which is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs

In his address to the IIEA, Charles Dunst discusses his new book, Defeating the Dictators: How Democracy Can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman. Mr Dunst explores the dangers of rising authoritarianism and outlines the steps that democracies can take to rebuild trust, restore accountability, improve governance, and build a better future for generations to come. He also outlines how democracies can engage with autocratic partners elsewhere in the world. About the Speaker: Charles Dunst is Deputy Director of Research & Analytics at The Asia Group and an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Telegraph, and Foreign Policy, among other outlets. An erstwhile foreign correspondent, Charles Dunst has reported from Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Hungary, and Romania.

Asylum and Migration policy has been at the forefront of the EU agenda as negotiations have commenced on some key aspects of the new Asylum and Migration Pact. Since the proposal was tabled, in September 2020, considerable progress has been made, although discussions at the recent European Council Meeting were inconclusive. The desire for a rational fact-based approach to the topic can only be achieved by building on a spirit of trust and cooperation between Member States. It has reinforced the belief that the scale and scope of migration management in the EU is best addressed collectively, rather than at Member State by Member State level. In her address to the IIEA as part of the Global Europe project, which is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson outlines the progress made on migration policy, the crises and challenges to overcome, the outreach to third country partners, and on the type of debate needed to continue to make progress if the Pact is to be agreed before the European Elections in June 2024. About the Speaker: Ylva Johansson was appointed European Commissioner for Home Affairs in December 2019. She previously served as Minister for Employment in the Swedish Government from 2014 to 2019, Minister for Welfare and Elderly Healthcare from 2004 to 2006 and Minister for Schools from 1994 to 1998. Ms. Johansson was educated at Lund University and the Stockholm Institute of Education.

In her address, Anne Bajart discusses the European Commission’s activities and initiatives to promote digital skills. She focuses the Commission’s plans to promote skills for key areas such as AI (artificial intelligence), data, cybersecurity, semi-conductors and AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) technologies. Ms Bajart also discusses the role of the European Jobs and Skills Coalition, and the European Digital Jobs and Skills Platform, in promoting skills and the importance of grassroots initiatives such as EU Code Week. About the Speaker: Anne Bajart is Deputy Head of Unit for Interactive Technologies, Digital for Culture and Education at DG CONNECT. She previously was Head of Sector for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in DG CONNECT. She has a PhD in Electrical engineering and has worked as a researcher, lecturer and project manager.

Lord Paul Bew, Member of the House of Lords; Ben Lowry, Editor-in-chief of the Belfast Newsletter, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist.

Military neutrality has long held an important place in the Irish national psyche with polls consistently showing strong support for the concept. This support has remained solid even in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, an invasion which caused some other neutral EU countries to seriously evaluate their security stances. In his remarks, Conor Gallagher shares his view that today, the Irish version of neutrality seems uniquely narrow and appears, in the eyes of the Government at least, to comprise of simply staying out of NATO or an EU common defence pact. However, Mr Gallagher believes that many Irish people view neutrality as encompassing something complex and ambitious, but there is little agreement on what that is. About the Speaker: Conor Gallagher is the Crime and Security Correspondent for The Irish Times where he reports on issues concerning defence and state security, including developments in the Defence Forces and the rise of hybrid threats. He joined the newspaper in 2017. He recently published Is Ireland Neutral?, a book examining the evolving definitions of Irish neutrality in the decades since independence and its future in an increasingly uncertain world. He is a graduate of the DCU journalism program and has a Master’s Degree in Political Communications.

Around the world, governments, communities and individuals are struggling to come to terms with one of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change. In the second installment of the 2023 REthink Energy lecture series, which is co-organised by the IIEA and ESB, renowned environmentalist and prolific author, Bill McKibben, shares his insights into how the negative impacts of anthropocentric climate change can be mitigated. In particular, he speaks about the opportunities and obstacles presented by what he refers to as the “next great human adventure”: ending large-scale combustion on our planet. About the Speaker: Bill McKibben is a contributing writer to The New Yorker, and a founder of Third Act, which organizes people over the age of 60 to work on climate and racial justice. He founded the first global grassroots climate campaign, 350.org, and serves as the Schumann Distinguished Professor in Residence at Middlebury College in Vermont. In 2014 he was awarded the Right Livelihood Prize, sometimes called the ‘alternative Nobel,’ in the Swedish Parliament. He's also won the Gandhi Peace Award, and honorary degrees from 19 colleges and universities. He has written over a dozen books about the environment, including his first, The End of Nature, published in 1989, and his latest book is The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at his Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened.

For centuries, indigenous peoples around the world have been the guardians of the world’s bio and cultural diversity with their wisdom and unique knowledge. Today, they care for more than 20% of the planet’s land and 80% of its biodiversity. In her address to the IIEA, United Nations SDG Advocate and Environment and Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Activist, Hindou Ibrahim, will discuss the indispensable role that indigenous communities play in protecting the environment and fostering a diverse range of ecosystems. She addresses the enormous challenges posed by climate change and by drawing on her experience as an SDG Advocate and her extensive knowledge of indigenous peoples’ practices she shares her valuable insights into how a just transition can be achieved; one in which everyone’s voice matters and to ensure no one is left behind. About the Speaker: Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim is a Chadian environmentalist and geographer, and an expert in Indigenous Peoples’ adaption to climate change. As an indigenous woman from the Mbororo pastoralist people in Chad, Ms Ibrahim founded the Association of Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad (AFPAT) and has worked on a 2D and 3D participatory mapping initiative in Chad’s Sahel region. In 2019, Ms Ibrahim became one of the 17 people to be appointed as an advocate of Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations Secretary General. She is the Coordinator of the AFPAT and has served as the co-director of the pavilion of the World Indigenous Peoples’ Initiative and Pavilion at COP21, COP22, COP23 and COP27, and now co-chair of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change.

As a founding member of the United Nations, Canada’s commitment to multilateralism is the cornerstone of that country’s foreign policy. As the globe faces a confluence of multiple crises, UN member states, such as Canada and Ireland, have called for a recommitment to the UN Charter, and for necessary UN reforms to achieve a United Nations that is effective, efficient, relevant and accountable. As a founding member of the United Nations, Canada’s commitment to multilateralism is the cornerstone of that country’s foreign policy. As the globe faces a confluence of multiple crises, UN member states, such as Canada and Ireland, have called for a recommitment to the UN Charter, and for necessary UN reforms to achieve a United Nations that is effective, efficient, relevant and accountable. With a distinguished career at the UN and at the highest levels of Canadian politics, Ambassador Rae discusses how countries, like Canada and Ireland, can bring a strong voice on human rights, advancing peace and security and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals to the world stage through their engagement at the United Nations at this roundtable event. About the Speaker: Mr. Robert Rae is the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York. He served as Premier of Ontario from 1990–1995, interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2011–2013, and was appointed as Canada’s Special Envoy to Myanmar (2017) and Canada’s Special Envoy on Humanitarian and Refugee Issues (2020). From 1996 to 2008, he was a partner at Goodmans LLP and wrote government reports on the Air India bombing and higher education in Ontario. Mr. Rae also served as Chair of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Conservatory of Music, the Institute for Research in Public Policy, and the Forum of Federations. Mr. Rae taught law and public policy at the University of Toronto and in the VicOne programme at Victoria College, and was a partner and senior counsel to the law firm OKT LLP from 2014 to 2020, specialising in indigenous law and constitutional issues. Mr. Rae is a Privy Councillor, a Companion of the Order of Canada, and a member of the Order of Ontario.

In this podcast, IIEA Director of Research, Dr. Barry Colfer, interviews Marion Jammet, member of the IIEA’s Climate and Energy Working Group and Head of Policy and Advocacy at the Irish Green Building Council. They discuss her recent IIEA paper ‘The Co-Benefits of an Energy Efficiency in an Irish Context’ which provides an analysis of the wide range of direct and indirect co-benefits of energy efficiency upgrades in the residential and non-residential building sectors, it also examines the next steps that should be taken by policymakers to support quality energy efficiency upgrades at scale.

A united Ireland is among the most contentious issues in Irish and Northern Irish politics. At times during the past century, the idea united Ireland has seemed impossible or been dismissed as romantic but unrealistic. However, in recent years, the outcome of the Brexit referendum, changing demographics in Northern Ireland, and the electoral success of nationalism in Northern Ireland’s most recent elections have reinvigorated the debate around Irish unity, and whether, how, and when it should happen. In his most recent book, Making Sense of a United Ireland, Professor Brendan O’Leary, a global expert on the politics of divided places, explains how unification could happen, sets out potential models of a united Ireland, and analyses the economics and politics of Irish unity. In this keynote address to the IIEA, Professor O’Leary addresses questions of preparation and strategy in the light of public opinion North and South. About the Speaker: Brendan O'Leary is the Lauder Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania and a Visiting Professor of Political Science at Queen’s University, Belfast. He is the author, co-author, and co-editor of thirty books and collections, and he has written extensively on the Northern Ireland conflict. Professor O’Leary also is a founding member of ARINS (Analysing and Researching Ireland North and South) programme at the Royal Irish Academy. Professor O’Leary’s three-volume study, A Treatise on Northern Ireland, received the James S. Donnelly Sr. best book prize of the American Conference on Irish Studies in 2020, and he is the inaugural winner of the Juan Linz prize of the International Political Science Association for contributions to the study of multinational societies, federalism and powersharing. Professor O’Leary has also been a political and constitutional advisor to the United Nations, the European Union, the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, the Governments of the UK and Ireland, and to the British.

Drawing on IFAD’s 45 years of hands-on experience in agriculture and rural development, IFAD President Alvaro Lario outlines how reshaping food systems around small-scale producers can limit global warming, regenerate ecosystems, and end poverty and hunger. While food production generates one-third of all greenhouse gases, drives biodiversity losses, and uses about 70 per cent of the world’s freshwater and President Lario contends that sustainable food systems hold the potential to generate US$4.5 trillion in new business opportunities every year and to create more than 120 million rural jobs. He argues that decades of under-investment in food systems and glaring inequalities have left many farmers and other rural people cut off from economic opportunities. He reflects on the current global food crisis, which is worsening as more than 700 million people go to bed hungry every night. Ending poverty and hunger are fundamental to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals and President Lario demonstrates that reshaping food systems could end poverty and hunger and limit the impacts of climate change on the world’s most vulnerable. About the Speaker: Alvaro Lario is President of the International Fund of Agricultural Development (IFAD). A seasoned international development finance leader, he has more than 20 years of experience across private sector asset management, World Bank Group and the United Nations, including as Associate Vice-President of Financial Operations at IFAD. Under his stewardship, IFAD became the first United Nations Fund to enter the capital markets and obtain a credit rating, enabling the IFAD to expand resource mobilisation efforts to the private sector. President Lario received a PhD in Financial Economics from the Complutense University of Madrid after completing a Master of Research in Economics at the London Business School and a Master of Finance from Princeton University.

In this interview, IIEA Researcher, Leanne Digney, talks to the UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, about the mandate of her office and the major challenges in this sphere today. This interview is part of the Global Europe UN podcast series which is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs. Please note that due to the virtual nature of this interview, there may be some slight audio irregularities.

Maintaining competitiveness is vital for a highly open economy such as Ireland’s. In his first public address since stepping down as CEO of IDA Ireland, Martin Shanahan discusses Ireland’s current environment as a location in which to do business and its future outlook. He also discusses key trends in global foreign direct investment, and the opportunities and threats these trends present for the Irish economy and Ireland’s economic model. About the Speaker: Martin Shanahan joined Grant Thornton as Partner and Head of Industry and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in June 2023. Prior to that he was CEO of IDA Ireland for almost a decade, leading a large expansion in investment, employment, and economic impact from the FDI sector in Ireland during that period. From 2010 to 2014, Martin was CEO of Forfás, the Irish Government’s policy advisory board for enterprise, trade, science, technology, and innovation. He has been to the forefront of the development of enterprise, innovation, and labour market policy in Ireland, including leading at official level, the development of the Irish Government’s Action Plan for Jobs after the global financial crisis.

'World Trade Disorder?' Keith Rockwell, Former Director of Information and External Relations at the World Trade Organisation, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist.

According to David Henig, after the turmoil of Brexit culminating in the short period of Liz Truss as Prime Minister, UK politics appears to have stabilised to a degree under Rishi Sunak, with the Windsor Framework and likely accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) being clear successes. Underlying issues around the Brexit settlement are however far from settled, poor economic performance being the backdrop for continued arguments over EU-UK relations that easily come to the surface, such as recently with Boris Johnson's resignation statement as an MP. Viewing a General Election as being likely during 2024, David Henig assesses what the current Conservative Government is likely to be able to achieve, and the priorities of a potential future Labour Government. About the Speaker: David Henig is Director of the UK Trade Policy Project at the think-tank, European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE), writing extensively on the trade implications of Brexit and what comes next for UK trade policy. For ECIPE, he has also written a series of short papers on globalisation and modern trade, and writes about broader trade issues in a weekly column for specialist trade news service Borderlex. David serves as Expert Adviser to the UK Trade and Business Commission and House of Lords International Agreements Committee. Prior to joining ECIPE in March 2018, he worked for the UK Government including on Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks between the US and the EU, in establishing the Department for International Trade after the referendum, and on issues around inward investments from China.

On 27 June, the European Parliament’s ENVI Committee will vote on a hugely significant piece of legislation, which will have far-reaching implications for Irish farming, agriculture and land use. The Nature Restoration Regulation, which aims to restore Europe’s degraded ecosystems, could also have major political implications for Ireland. In this keynote address, Senator Pippa Hackett, Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Land Use and Biodiversity, discusses the overarching aims of the Nature Restoration Regulation, the challenges facing Europe with regard to the restoration of land and sea areas, and the significance of the legislation in an Irish context. About the Speaker: Senator Pippa Hackett has served as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine since June 2020, where she is responsible for the Land Use and Biodiversity portfolio. Minister Hackett is an organic farmer and holds an undergraduate degree in agricultural science, and a PhD in equine science. Minister Hackett was first elected as a Senator for the Agricultural Panel in a by-election in 2019, and was re-elected to Seanad Éireann in 2020. Upon the formation of the current coalition Government, she was appointed Minister of State with Responsibility for Land Use and Biodiversity. Minister Hackett is the first Senator to have been appointed as Minister of State and is one of three Ministers of State attending Cabinet.

As a close aide to Michel Barnier, Stefaan de Rynck had a ringside seat to the Brexit negotiations. His new book, Inside the Deal: How the EU Got Brexit Done (Agenda Publishing), tells the story of Brexit from a Brussels perspective and charts the changing negotiating positions and obstacles that shaped the final deal. Mr de Rynck argues that the EU controlled the Brexit process from the outset. In his keynote address to the IIEA, which is taking place almost 7 years to the day since the original Brexit vote, Stefaan de Rynck explains his view that it was the EU, not Boris Johnson's Britain, that got Brexit done. About the Speaker: Stefaan De Rynck is a former Senior Adviser to Michel Barnier, who was the European Union's Chief Negotiator for Brexit. Previously, he was also a Head of Unit in various departments of the European Commission, where he has worked on financial service regulation, economic integration in the single market, regulatory standard-setting, and regional and urban development. He is now head of the European Commission's Representation in Belgium, and a visiting professor in European Politics at KU Leuven. He will speak as author of the book in a personal capacity.

'Ireland’s Public Finances: Issues and Challenges' Sebastian Barnes, Chair of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist

A decade ago, the eyes of the world watched as the ‘Euromaidan’ protests – which centred around the subject of Ukrainian integration into the European Union (EU) – were followed by Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. Putin’s subsequent invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has led to the largest war on European soil since World War II. In this virtual keynote address, Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, will assess the state of play on the ground in Ukraine, and share her valuable insights into the prospects for victory, integration with the EU, and ultimately, for a more peaceful Europe. The address was held live in the IIEA headquarters, with the Ambassador of Ukraine to Ireland, Larysa Gerasko, joining in person to make opening remarks. About the Speaker Olga Stefanishyna has been a Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine since June 2020. In this role, she is tasked with overseeing Ukrainian integration into the EU and NATO, as well as coordination of gender equality policies and the Green Deal. A professional lawyer, Deputy Prime Minister Stefanishyna started her career in the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, where she worked on the reforms that led to granting Ukraine the visa-free regime within the EU, and took part in negotiations on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. From 2017 to 2019, she served as a Director-General in the Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, and in 2022, she led Ukraine’s EU membership bid that resulted in granting EU candidate status to Ukraine. She is a member of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine and chairs Ukraine’s Commission for Equal Rights for Women and Men. Her Excellency Ms Larysa Gerasko served in a wide range of positions for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, before being appointed Ambassador to Ireland in 2021. Her work as Ambassador has focused on fostering political, economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries, and her persuasive advocacy on human rights issues has raised awareness of, and garnered support for, the Ukrainian cause since the Russian invasion in 2022.

In 2023, the UN Human Rights Office is running a year-long initiative to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. While the Declaration is a milestone document in the history of human rights, today the world is facing a multitude of intersecting crises which threaten the universal enjoyment of human rights, even as human rights offer powerful tools to address and overcome these challenges. High Commissioner Türk discusses the need to rejuvenate a worldwide consensus on human rights in the context of major challenges such as increasing restrictions on civil society and civic space, the climate crisis, new and emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, and threats to peace and security. About the Speaker: Volker Türk was appointed as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2022. Prior to this, Mr. Türk was the Under-Secretary-General for Policy in the Executive Office of the United Nations Secretary-General. Over the course of his career, he held a number of key positions including as Assistant High Commissioner for Protection in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva (2015-2019), during which time he played a key role in the development of the landmark Global Compact on Refugees. Mr. Türk holds a doctorate in international law from the University of Vienna and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Linz, Austria.

In this event, an expert panel explores how media pluralism and independence can be maintained amidst the digital transformation and against the background of deteriorating media freedom across Europe. This panel examines how the European Commission’s European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) might help to protect media independence and pluralism amidst the digital transformation and assesses the EMFA’s implications for the digitalisation of media in both Ireland and Europe. The panel also considers how the EMFA may interact with other digital policies such as the EU’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), the Digital Services Act (DSA), and the Code of Practice on Disinformation. The panel also considers the implications of these issues for Ireland. This event is organised in collaboration with the Economic Regulators Network (ERN), a cross-sectoral group of economic regulators in Ireland. The ERN is composed of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), Coimisiún na Meán, the Central Bank of Ireland, the National Transport Authority (NTA), and the Commission for Aviation Regulation. For more information about the ERN, please visit the ERN website at https://www.econreg.ie/ This panel includes: Anna Herold, Head of the Audiovisual and Media Policy Unit in DG CONNECT, European Commission; Renate Schroeder, Director of the European Federation of Journalists; Dr Eileen Culloty, Assistant Professor in the School of Communications, Dublin City University (DCU), Deputy Director of the Institute for Media, Democracy and Society (FUJO); Celene Craig, Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán (the Media Commission)

It is well documented that women’s participation in democratic transitions improves the likelihood of peace negotiations arriving at settlements and parties reaching sustainable agreements. While there have been landmark achievements since the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda was established through the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000, there is a need for honest reflection on remaining challenges and the way ahead. Major General O’Brien discusses the essential next steps that the international community must take to advance the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, both on the ground and in international policy. About the Speaker: A native of Galway city, Major General Maureen O’Brien graduated from University College Galway (UCG) with B.Sc. and H.Dip.Ed before being awarded a cadetship in Óglaigh na hÉireann in 1981. In 2021, Major General O’Brien was appointed to her current role as Deputy Military Advisor to the UN Under Secretary General for Peace Operations. She is Ireland’s first female officer to reach the rank of Brigadier General. During her career, Maj-Gen O’Brien has amassed extensive overseas service, most recently as Deputy Force Commander in UNDOR in Syria, and prior to that, peacekeeping experience in Chad and Lebanon.

Ireland stands at a critical juncture on the path toward a cleaner, greener economy, as policymakers strive to simultaneously meet climate commitments, protect energy security, and deliver a just transition for consumers. In the first lecture of the 2023 REthink Energy lecture series, which is co-organised by the IIEA and ESB, Professor David Newbery delivers an address on the subject of Electricity in Ireland: transition and the energy crisis, when he assesses the state of play of Ireland’s electricity sector, identifies the core challenges facing the electricity market and shares his insights on how best to overcome them. Professor Newbery is an Emeritus Professor in Economics at the University of Cambridge, where he also serves as Director of The Energy Policy Research Group (EPRG). Along with his stellar academic work on commodity price stabilisation – which saw him co-author a book with Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz – Professor Newbery specialises in energy economics and has written extensively on the regulation of electricity markets. His CV also includes time spent as a member of the Environmental Economics academic panel for the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA); an occasional role as a consultant to the World Bank; and a 10-year stint on Ireland’s Single Electricity Market Committee.

According to José Manuel Campa, Chairperson of the EBA, the increase in interest rates and uncertain macroeconomic environment have resulted in the materialisation of some risks impacting the banking sector. After years of increased resilience, the ability of the EU banking sector to weather these challenges is paramount to ensure economic resilience. A strong banking system will also provide support to the transition to a sustainable European economy. In his address to the IIEA, Mr Campa argues that regulation and supervision have contributed to strengthening the sector and the EU needs to continue to pursue a banking sector that supports the economy for the challenges ahead. About the Speaker: José Manuel Campa is the current Chairperson of the European Banking Authority. After studying law and economics at the University of Oviedo and earning his PhD in economics from Harvard University, Mr Campa taught finance at New York University and the IESE Business School and consulted for a number of international organisations including the World Bank, the IMF, the Bank for International Settlements, and the European Commission. He then served as the 10th Secretary of State for Economy of the Spanish Government and was most recently Director of Regulatory Affairs of Santander Bank.

In this third event in a series of webinars, co-organised by the IIEA and the European Parliament Liaison Office (EPLO) in Ireland, an expert panel of speakers discusses the future of work and the effects that digitalisation will have on the working lives of citizens throughout the Union and its Member States. The panel also discusses the crucial role that the European Parliament can, and is, playing in shaping this future. Speakers at this event include: Deirdre Clune, Member of the European Parliament, EPP Group, Ireland Jorge Cabrita, Research Manager in Working Life Unit, Eurofound Barry Colfer, Director of Research, IIEA

Social protection is a set of policies and programmes designed to reduce and prevent poverty and vulnerability over a lifetime and has consistently proved to be an indispensable policy tool for realising multiple human rights. It ensures that people can navigate everyday life challenges with equanimity and economic security and equips societies to deal with crises. In his keynote address to the IIEA, ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo outlines how social protection is a precondition for achieving inclusive and sustainable development and is an engine of development itself. He will discuss how the ILO’s strategy for building social protection systems, guided by international labour standards, can ensure that all countries build and maintain systems such as access to essential health care and to basic income security. He explores how pursuing the objective of universal social protection is both an ethical and rational choice and one that paves the way for social justice for all. Despite laudable progress made in expanding social protection in recent years, today, some 4 billion people are totally unprotected due to significant underinvestment. While closing this 'financing gap' is a challenge, it is not unsurmountable. About the Speaker: Gilbert F. Houngbo was elected by the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) as its 11th Director-General, the first African to hold the position. Prior to this, Mr Houngbo was the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). He previously served as Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships at the ILO. A former Prime Minister of Togo, he also held several posts at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and as Director of Finance at the International Bank of Mali. Mr Houngbo is also Chair of UN-Water and Chair of the Board of the Natural Resource Governance Institute.

Othon Anastasakis, Director of South East European Studies at Oxford; Fiona Mullen, founder of Sapienta Economics; and Kenneth Thompson, former Irish ambassador to Turkey, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist

A strong role for private financing through deep and liquid capital markets will be essential for meeting the EU’s economic and social policy objectives. In his address to the IIEA, John Berrigan, Director-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union at the European Commission, outlines the importance of moving ahead on the Capital Markets Union (CMU) and assesses the state of play of the implementation of the CMU Action Plan. Mr Berrigan also discusses associated opportunities and challenges during the remainder of the von der Leyen Commission’s term. About the Speaker: John Berrigan is the Director-General in DG FISMA (Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union) of the European Commission. DG FISMA is responsible for EU-level policy making and legislative initiatives with respect to the financial sector, including Banking Union, Capital Markets Union, sustainable finance, digital finance, anti-money laundering, and sanctions. In this context, John represents the European Commission on the Economic and Financial Committee and the Financial Services Committee, which each report to EU Finance Ministers. John also represents the Commission on the Financial Stability Board, which reports to G20 Finance Ministers. He attends the European Systemic Risk Board and is a permanent observer on the Single Resolution Board.

Politics in the US has become ever more polarised and opinion polls show that American societal values are undergoing a period of accelerating change. Leading pollster, political consultant and commentator, Frank Luntz, discusses these changes and what is driving them. He also assesses the prospects of the political centre-ground in the US being rebuilt. Finally, he considers the possible candidates in next year’s presidential election and offers predictions on the likely victor. About the Speaker: Frank Luntz is among the highest profile political pollsters and commentators in the United States. His "Instant Response" focus group technique has been profiled on 60 Minutes, Good Morning America (on Election Day), and on PBS's award-winning Frontline. He has been a guest on most of the United States’ leading talk shows and he has written for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Financial Times, The Times of London, and The Washington Post. Frank has also worked for more than 50 Fortune 500 companies and CEOs and is a past winner of The Washington Post's coveted "Crystal Ball" award for being the most accurate pundit.

Timothy Garton Ash’s Homelands: A Personal History of Europe (The Bodley Head - Penguin Books) charts events in recent European history from the end of the Second World War in 1945 to the Brexit referendum of 2016, with personal insights and anecdotes from the memories of the author. Homelands explores “Europe” beyond the borders of the EU, navigating the continent’s accomplishments and crises over the past 80 years. As a European expert, and a Briton who feels that Europe is home, Timothy Garton Ash speaks to the IIEA about the personal, as well as the political, effects of Brexit as well as the wider state of play in European politics. Timothy Garton Ash is Professor of European Studies in the University of Oxford, Isaiah Berlin Professorial Fellow at St Antony's College, Oxford, and a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is the author of ten books of political writing, most recently Homelands: A Personal History of Europe. Mr Garton Ash also writes a column on international affairs in the Guardian, and is a regular contributor to the New York Review of Books, amongst other journals. Awards he has received for his writing include the Somerset Maugham Award, Prix Européen de l'Essai and George Orwell Prize.

As the world grapples with the impact of overlapping crises, in September 2023, at the United Nations, political leaders will gather to take stock of their collective progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. While great progress has been made on a number of fronts, this has stalled in recent years, with new challenges reversing gains made towards achieving Agenda 2030. The pronounced increase in food prices, the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the devastation caused by climate change and the spread of conflict are wreaking havoc on the lives and livelihoods of the world’s poorest people. There has been a huge impact on levels of hunger and malnutrition, on levels of sexual violence, on access to education, and on women and girls in particular. In his address, Minister of State for International Development and the Diaspora, Seán Fleming, T.D. sets out Ireland’s response to these interlinked challenges. The Irish Government is implementing an ambitious and targeted response in 2023, underpinned by its largest ever allocation for Official Development Assistance. This response remains guided by the principles and priorities of A Better World – Ireland’s Policy for International Development- across its diplomacy, humanitarian response and development interventions – while recognising that for people in Africa and around the world, bearing the weight of these burdens is proving unsustainable.

In the lead up to and since the invasion of Ukraine over a year ago, the critical energy infrastructure of Ukraine and its allies has been targeted through both cyber and kinetic means. Emerging and disruptive technology, such as drones and hypersonic missiles, have been used on the battlefield, and cyber-attacks and disinformation campaigns against partner states are on the rise. In her remarks, Dr Lohmann discusses the emerging methods and media being used against Ukraine and its European allies, and what remains to be done to keep critical infrastructure and publics safe in this hybrid warfare environment. About the Speaker: Dr. Sarah Lohmann is an Acting Assistant Professor in the Henry M. Jackson School for International Studies. Her two new books: What Ukraine Taught NATO about Hybrid Warfare (Nov. 2022) and Countering Terrorism on Tomorrow’s Battlefield (Dec. 2022) were published by the US Army War College Press during her visiting professorship there at the end of 2022. Her current teaching and research focus on cyber and energy security and NATO policy. Previously, she served as the Senior Cyber Fellow with the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies at Johns Hopkins University, where she managed projects which aimed to increase agreement between Germany and the United States on improving cybersecurity and creating cybernorms. She has also served as a press spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of State, a Fulbright scholar and journalist.

In this interview, IIEA Researcher, Leanne Digney, speaks to UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, about the mandate of her office and the current challenges being faced by human rights defenders worldwide. This interview is part of the Global Europe UN podcast series which is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Joseph Quinlan, Managing Director and Head of Market Strategy for the Chief Investment Office at Bank of America & Michael O’Sullivan, Managing Partner at Harvest Innovation Advisory and a Senior Adviser at LandFall Strategy and WestExec Advisers, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist

From a shared Celtic past, to their politically and economically developed present, there is much that links Scotland and Ireland. The cultural and historical ties between Scotland and Northern Ireland are particularly close. In the past 10 years, and recently accelerated by Brexit, discussion and debate around the UK’s constitutional future have intensified. In particular, questions arise as to the impact that Scottish constitutional change would have on its relationship with Ireland, and what the implications of any such change would be for Northern Ireland. In this panel discussion, leading politicians and academics from Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland discuss the Scotland-Ireland relationship, and the likely implications of Scottish constitutional change for Northern Ireland. About the Speakers: Mhairi Black is the SNP Member of Parliament for Paisley and Renfrewshire South. Since December 2022 she has also been the SNP Deputy Leader in the House of Commons. Ms Black was first elected as a Member of Parliament in the 2015 General Election while she was still completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Glasgow. At 20 years old, she was the youngest MP to be elected since the 1832 Reform Act and she remained the “Baby of the House” until 2019. Ms Black was reelected as a Member of Parliament in both the 2017 and 2019 General Elections. Mike Nesbitt is the UUP Member of the Legislative Assembly for Strangford. He was first elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2011, following a successful career in broadcasting for the BBC and UTV. Mr Nesbitt was elected as leader of the UUP in 2012. His time as leader coincided with several significant events in Northern Irish politics, including the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, the 2016 centenaries of the Battle of the Somme and the Easter Rising, and the collapse of Stormont over the RHI scandal. Mr Nesbitt’s leadership of the UUP was notable for his engagement with political nationalism and with Irish culture and heritage in Northern Ireland. Nicola McEwen is the Professor of Public Policy in the University of Glasgow. Between 2001 and 2022, she taught politics at the University of Edinburgh, where she became Professor of Territorial Politics in 2014. She was also a founding co-director at the Centre for Constitutional Change, a leading Centre for the study of research the United Kingdom’s changing constitutional relationships. From 2019-2022, she led a major research project at the Centre, titled “A Family of Nations? Brexit, Devolution and the Union”. Professor McEwen has published widely on territorial politics, Scottish politics, devolution, identity politics, and nationalism. Graham Walker is an Emeritus Professor at the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics at Queen’s University Belfast. His research interests include the political history and contemporary politics of Scotland and Northern Ireland, particularly the politics of Unionism, religious identity in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the history and contemporary role of the Labour movement in the United Kingdom. He has published extensively on Scottish and Northern Irish politics, and most recently co-authored “Ties that Bind? Scotland, NI and the Union”, which examines the interaction and interdependence of politics in the devolved jurisdictions of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Dr Paul Gillespie directs the “Constitutional Futures after Brexit” Project in UCD's Centre for Peace and Conflict Research (formerly the Institute for British-Irish Studies). Dr Gillespie is also a columnist, and a former foreign-policy editor, with The Irish Times. He has published widely on British-Irish relations, European integration issues, Irish foreign policy, and Europe-Asia relations, and he is co-editor of “Britain and Europe: The Endgame: An Irish Perspective”. Dr Gillespie is also a longstanding member of the IIEA’s UK Group.

Sudan is in the grip of escalating armed conflict and on teetering on the edge of civil war. Two rival armed forces, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are fighting in the capital, Khartoum and in regional cities and towns across the country. Both are heavily armed and have regional backers. The crisis has its origins in Sudan’s failed internationally-backed political transition since the revolutionary events that led to the ousting of President Omar al-Bashir in 2019. In his remarks, Professor Srinivasan discusses how did the RSF, and its entrepreneurial leader Mohamed "Hemedti" Hamdan Dagalo, come to play a central role in Sudanese politics? How does this conflict play out regionally with Egypt, Libya, Chad, Ethiopia, and Gulf countries having clear interest and what role did western and international peacemaking play in precipitating Sudan’s violent unravelling? About the Speaker: Sharath Srinivasan is David and Elaine Potter Associate Professor at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Politics and International Studies, a Fellow of King’s College Cambridge, and Co-Director of the University’s Centre of Governance & Human Rights (CGHR). He lived and worked in Sudan in the early 2000s and has been researching on the region since then. His book, When Peace Kills Politics: International Intervention and Unending Wars in the Sudans, was published in 2021 (Hurst/OUP). He also co-edited Making and Breaking Peace in Sudan and South Sudan: The Comprehensive Peace Agreement and Beyond (British Academy/OUP, 2020). Sharath is a Fellow of the Rift Valley Institute and a Trustee of the British Institute in Eastern Africa. Alongside longstanding work on Sudan, his current research focuses on communication technology and politics and peaceful assembly. He co-edited Publics in Africa in a Digital Age (Routledge, 2021) and is co-founder of non-profit digital social research spinout, Africa’s Voices (www.africasvoices.org).

In his address to the IIEA, Amandeep Singh Gill, the United Nations (UN) Envoy on Technology, discusses the UN’s work in relation to the digital transformation and how digital technologies can affect peace and security, human rights and sustainable development. Mr Gill also discusses plans to create a Global Digital Compact at the UN Summit of the Future that is scheduled to take place in September 2024, which would outline shared principles for an open, free, and secure digital future for all. About the Speaker: Mr. Amandeep Singh Gill was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General as his Envoy on Technology in June 2022, and he joined the Secretary-General’s senior leadership team as Under-Secretary General in mid-July 2022. Before this, Mr. Gill was the Chief Executive Officer of the International Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Research Collaborative (I-DAIR) project, based at the Graduate Institute, Geneva. In 2018-2019, Mr. Gill was Executive Director and co-lead of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation. Between 2016 and 2018, he was India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

In this second event in a series of webinars co-organised by the IIEA and the European Parliament Liaison Office (EPLO) in Ireland, an expert panel of speakers discusses how the EU can help to deliver a sustainable and just energy transition for the Union and its Member States and citizens. The panel also discusses the crucial role that the European Parliament is playing in this transition. Speakers at this event will include: Ciarán Cuffe MEP, Member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFA Group, Ireland Claudia Gamon MEP, Member of the European Parliament, Renew Europe, Austria Professor Lisa Ryan, Professor in Energy Economics, University College Dublin

Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine has drastically changed the European security equation, prompting many European countries to re-prioritise security and defence policy. Poland has been among the EU's largest contributors of support to Ukraine in its defence against Russia's unprovoked war of aggression. Furthermore, as one of Europe's top military spenders in terms of its GDP, Poland is playing a growing role in European security dynamics at both EU and NATO level. In his address to the IIEA, Adam Bugajski discusses the impact of Russia’s war on European security from the perspective of Poland. About the Speaker: Adam Bugajski was appointed the Security Policy Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland in November 2019. In this position he deals with Polish security policy with regard to NATO, the EU, the OSCE and other international organisations as well as bilateral cooperation in security and defence. Prior to his current assignment, Adam Bugajski was Permanent Representative of Poland to the UN Office and the International Organisations in Vienna. His previous roles include Security Policy Director at the MFA (2011-2015), Deputy Director of the Department of Strategy and Foreign Policy Planning (2010-2011), and Deputy Permanent Representative of Poland to NATO (2008-2010).

In his address to the IIEA, Jón Danielsson discusses the ideas contained within his new book, The Illusion of Control: Why Financial Crises Happen, and What We Can (and Can’t) Do About It. Prof. Danielsson challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding financial risk, and share his belief that easy solutions to control the financial system are doomed to fail. Instead of the buffers against shocks, it would be better, in his view, to increase shock absorption by diversifying the types of financial institutions we have, a policy that could result in more economic growth and a more stable financial system. He will apply his ideas to the lessons learned from the failure of the Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse. About the Speaker: Jón Danielsson is one of the two Directors of the Systemic Risk Centre and Reader in Finance at the LSE. Since receiving his PhD in the economics of financial markets from Duke University in 1991, his work has focused on how economic policy can lead to prosperity or disaster. He is an authority on both the technical aspects of risk forecasting and the optimal policies that governments and regulators should pursue in this area. He has written three highly regarded books: The Illusion of Control (Yale University Press, 2022), which was included on the Financial Times “Best books of 2022” list; Financial Risk Forecasting (Wiley, 2011); and Global Financial Systems: Stability and Risk (Pearson, 2013). He has also contributed numerous academic papers on systemic risk, artificial intelligence, financial risk forecasting, financial regulation and related topics to leading academic journals, including Review of Financial Studies and the Journal of Econometrics. At the LSE, he teaches courses in technical risk forecasting and on how the global financial system operates. He has also worked for the Bank of Japan and the International Monetary Fund.

Russia and Ukraine have followed very different approaches to command during the course of their war. Drawing on his new book, Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine, Lawrence Freedman compares these approaches, looking at the respective role of Presidents Putin and Zelensky, along with the development and implementation of their military strategies. About the Speaker: Sir Lawrence Freedman is Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College London. He was Professor of War Studies at King's College London from 1982 to 2014, and was Vice-Principal from 2003 to 2013. Before joining King's he held research appointments at Nuffield College Oxford, IISS and the Royal Institute of International Affairs. Elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1995, he was appointed Official Historian of the Falklands Campaign in 1997. In June 2009 he was appointed to serve as a member of the official inquiry into Britain and the 2003 Iraq War. Professor Freedman has written extensively on nuclear strategy and the Cold War, as well as commentating regularly on contemporary security issues. His new book is Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine.

Eoin Drea,Senior Researcher in the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, Hélène Conway-Mouret, member of the French Senate and Laurence Norman, reporter at The Wall Street Journal, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist.

In her address to the IIEA, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Leader of the Belarusian Democratic Movement, discusses the current threats to the future of Belarus and Europe, including human rights violations, the impact of economic sanctions against Belarus, and Lukashenka's acceptance of a plan to place Russian nuclear arms in Belarus. In March of 2023, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights published a report on the Situation of human rights in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath. The report details systematic and widespread human rights violations as a direct result of the policies employed by the current Government of Belarus. This event is part of the IIEA’s Global Europe Project, which is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs. About the Speaker Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is the Leader of the Belarusian Democratic Movement, who contested the 2020 Belarusian presidential election as the main opposition candidate, following the detention of her husband Siarhei Tsikhanouski. Following the disputed result of the Presidential Election, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya has been based in Lithuania as the official representative of the Belarusian democratic opposition in exile where she heads the Coordination Council to facilitate the peaceful democratic transfer of power in Belarus. In March 2023, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya was convicted in absentia by a court in Minsk and found guilty of high treason, inciting social hatred, attempts to seize power, forming an “extremist” group and harming national security. Before running for President, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya was an English teacher and interpreter, and has since been awarded the Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament.

The second instalment of the IIEA’s Ireland and the European Health Union discussion series, supported by Janssen Sciences Ireland, features contributions by expert speakers who will discuss the role that the EU can play in improving care for patients with rare diseases in Ireland and across the EU. Many of the 6,000 to 8,000 different rare diseases are life threatening and are often lacking in accurate diagnosis and, oftentimes, only limited treatment options exist. Meanwhile, major inequalities in standards of care and outcomes for people with rare diseases prevail across Europe. As part of its new Health Union, the EU has identified rare diseases as a health priority and is pursuing a number of initiatives that are designed to improve care and access to medicines across the EU, and regarding drug and treatment development, genetic testing and diagnosis, data sharing, and research activities. At this event, speakers discuss what these developments could mean for national healthcare in Ireland and across the EU and consider how Ireland compares to European peers in the care of rare diseases. Speakers also reflect on what the future may hold for rare diseases, including the potential impact of the upcoming EU package of pharma legislation as well as other expected policy developments. Our guest speakers include:   Billy Kelleher, MEP Vicky McGrath, CEO at Rare Diseases Ireland Prof. Sean Gaine, Consultant Respiratory Physician at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital Jennifer Lee, Therapy Area Market Access Leader at Janssen

Medical facilities have been increasingly targeted in conflict settings to inflict terror on civilian populations as well as maximise disruption to critical lifesaving services. Though protected under international law, medical facilities around the world in places such as Syria and Ukraine continue to be attacked. In their remarks, Waad Al-Kateab and Dr Hamza al-Kateab discuss how their Stop Bombing Hospitals campaign is working to build a movement to protect healthcare in conflict and seek accountability. About the Speakers: Waad Al-Kateab is the director of For Sama (2019), winner of a BAFTA and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary, in which she introduced global audiences to the unimaginable lived realities of civilians and medical personnel under attack in Syria. Dr. Hamza al-Kateab was the director of the last remaining hospital in East Aleppo, Al-Quds, during continued attacks by the Syrian and Russian regimes. He was responsible for the healthcare of the entire population in the area during the besiegement of the city and for the medical evacuation during the forced displacement in 2016. Together, Hamza and Waad Al-Kateab founded Action for Sama and have since led the Stop Bombing Hospitals campaign, with the aim to shed light on the attacks perpetrated against healthcare facilities, seeking accountability for such crimes and amplifying the voices of healthcare professionals on the ground.

As Xi Jinping's third term as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party gets under way in earnest after a series of top-level appointments in March, China faces formidable challenges at home and abroad. After three years of COVID restrictions, parts of the economy are rebounding but important sectors including real estate are troubled and foreign investors have been unnerved by a crackdown on high-profile entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, as relations with the United States become more tense, the war in Ukraine has complicated Beijing's relationship with Europe. Irish Times China Correspondent Denis Staunton, the only correspondent for an Irish news organisation based in China, offers an update from Beijing. About the Speaker: Denis Staunton has been China Correspondent for The Irish Times since October 2022. He was previously London Editor from 2015 to 2022 and has also served as the newspaper's correspondent in Washington, Brussels and Berlin, as Foreign Editor, and as Deputy Editor.

The European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles was signed in December 2022. In his address, Thibaut Kleiner, Director for Policy, Strategy and Outreach in DG CONNECT in the European Commission, outlines the Declaration’s underpinning vision of a human-centred, secure, and sustainable digital transformation, in which no one is left behind. Mr Kleiner also explains how the Declaration may help to provide a framework to shape the future of EU digital policy and Europe’s digital transformation. About the Speaker: Thibaut Kleiner is the Director for Policy, Strategy, and Outreach at the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT) in the European Commission. He has worked in the European Commission since 2001, including in areas such as competition policy and state aid. He has also previously supervised internet policies relating to internet governance, cybersecurity, cloud and data. From January 2014 to June 2016, he was head of unit in charge of network technologies such as 5G and the Internet of Things. An economist by training, Mr Kleiner holds a Master’s degree from HEC Paris and a PhD from the London School of Economics.

Greyzone aggression refers to acts of aggression which are below the threshold of armed military violence causing harm to another country. Often these means are even legal. That makes defence against greyzone aggression an enormous challenge for the targeted countries, and that also means the armed forces are not best placed to drive the defence. In her remarks, Elisabeth Braw argues that defence against greyzone aggression instead requires the involvement of all parts of society: the government, the private sector, the third sector, and the public, with people taking on responsibilities that can be as basic as knowing what to do when power goes out. About the Speaker: Elisabeth Braw is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on defence against greyzone threats. She is also a columnist with Foreign Policy and Politico Europe and the author of The Defender’s Dilemma: Identifying and Deterring Grayzone Aggression (2022). Elisabeth is writing a book about globalisation and geopolitics for Yale University Press. She is a member of GALLOS Technologies’ advisory board, a member of the UK National Preparedness Commission and a member of the steering committee of the Aurora Forum. She is also the author of God’s Spies, about the Stasi (2019).

According to General Brieger, the response to the Russian criminal posture by EU Member States has been massive and unanimous, cemented ties, and strengthened the credibility of the EU security and defence agenda.   In the first year since its signing, the EU has made significant progress in all 4 interlinked areas of the Strategic Compass: ACT, SECURE, INVEST and PARTNER. Each chapter, strictly interwoven with the others, contains actionable items, with strict deadlines. Though much has been done, there remains much to do. Member states must now continue to mobilize their resources to meet the commitments and ambitions outlined in the Strategic Compass. What is at stake is nothing less than the security and well-being of future EU (and non-EU) generations.    About the Speaker:  General Robert Brieger is the Chairperson of the European Union Military Committee, a committee comprised of the Chiefs of Staff of Europe’s 27 Member State Militaries. General Brieger joined the Austrian Armed Forces in 1975 and graduated from the Theresian Military Academy as an Armour Officer in 1979. He became Chief of Staff of the Austrian Armed Forces in 2018. He has served as Commander of the Austrian Contingent of KFOR, Kosovo from 2001-2002; Force Commander of Operation Althea, Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2011-12.

At the IIEA’s first in-person student event, ‘Fresh Perspectives: A guide to your career in public service and international affairs’, a panel of young people from diplomacy and public service reflect on their experiences in middle management leadership roles. The panellists offer practical perspectives on how to forge and sustain a career in public life and will also discuss how changes in the geopolitical order are impacting their industries and affect their roles in the future. Geared towards students and young professionals, we hope this panel discussion will inspire young people who are hoping to pursue a career in government and/or international affairs. Panellists include: Luke O Callaghan-White, Programme Manager for Climate, Energy & Sustainability at Friends of Europe (based in Brussels) Amy Stapleton, Policy Officer, European Migration Network Ireland, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) Kevin Culligan, Desk Officer, International Security Policy Unit (EU Common Security and Defence Policy), Political Division, Irish Department of Foreign Affairs Aine Earley, Administrative Officer at Department of Finance

According to Pat Cox, the war in Ukraine is set to intensify in the coming months. Its duration and outcome are indeterminate. Neither the Russian aggressor nor the Ukrainian defender is yet prepared to take any decisive step towards a cessation of hostilities. For both sides, establishing a premature peace would carry significant risks. Making peace would be infused with politically sensitive complexity, not only for Ukraine and Russia but also for Ukraine’s allies, and especially for the EU. In his address to the IIEA, Pat Cox suggests that underpinning a sustainable and just peace for the EU is a geo-strategic investment which is in the interest of both the EU and Ukraine. About the Speaker: Pat Cox serves as the President of the Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is also the leader of the European Parliament’s Needs Assessment and Implementation Mission on Parliamentary Reform of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Previously, Pat Cox served as President of the European Parliament from 2002 to 2004, President of the ELDR Group in the European Parliament from 1998 to 2001, and President of European Movement International from 2005 to 2011.

At the first IIEA Young Professionals Network (YPN) event of 2023, the IIEA will welcome Bertie Ahern, former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland. According to a poll by The Sunday Times in November 2022, 50% of young people in the Republic of Ireland between the ages of 18 to 34 feel that they “do not fully understand the history of the Troubles”. To commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, Bertie Ahern, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland from 1997 to 2008, and co-negotiator and co-signatory of the Good Friday Agreement, speaks to the IIEA’s Young Professionals Network regarding the progress that has been made on the island of Ireland towards achieving peace, as well as the challenges the Good Friday Agreement, and peace more broadly, might face over the next 25 years.

On 20 March 2003, a US-led coalition invaded Iraq. Both as part of the Global War on Terror and with the intention to bring freedom and democracy to a country led by Saddam Hussein, the invasion quickly caused Iraq to fall into disarray, and ultimately into civil war. Since the invasion by coalition forces, the country has not only struggled with increased interference by Iran, but has also seen the rise, fall and resurgence of the Islamic State. 20 years after the invasion began, Renad Mansour, Director of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House reflects upon the implications of the invasion not just for Iraq itself, but for global politics as a whole. About the Speaker: Dr. Renad Mansour is a senior research fellow and project director of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House. He is also a senior research fellow at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani. Mansour was previously a lecturer at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where he taught the international relations of the Middle East. He is a research fellow at the Cambridge Security Initiative based at Cambridge University, and from 2013 he held positions as Lecturer of International Studies and Supervisor at the Faculty of Politics, at Cambridge, where he also received his PhD. He is co-author of Once Upon a Time in Iraq, published by BBC Books/Penguin to accompany the BAFTA/Emmy winning BBC series.

'Corporate subsidies, competition policy and the future of the EU’s single market' Stephanie Rickard, Professor of Political Science at the London School of Economics, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist

On Monday, 27 February 2023, the UK Government and the European Commission announced the new Windsor Framework, which aims to facilitate trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain while maintaining the region’s access to the European single market, a situation which, according to the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, could make Northern Ireland “the world’s most exciting economic zone.” The Windsor Framework may also mark the beginning of a new phase in UK-EU relations, and, if accepted by all parties, could put an end to the current political impasse in Northern Ireland. In this keynote address to the IIEA, Tony Connelly discusses what the Windsor Framework means for Northern Ireland and for future UK-EU relations. About the Speaker: Tony Connelly is Europe Editor for RTÉ News. He has reported extensively on Brexit, and has been covering European affairs since 2001, most recently reporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Mr Connelly is the recipient of two ESB National Media awards, a European Journalism Award and a New York Festivals radio award. He was awarded the Outstanding Achievement in journalism award by UCD Smurfit Graduate School and an Irish Law Society award for his coverage of the Brexit negotiations. Mr Connelly is the author of Brexit and Ireland.

The newly agreed Windsor Framework has the potential to open a new chapter of UK/EU relations. In his address to the IIEA, Dr Andrew McCormick discusses the implications of the new agreement for Northern Ireland. About the Speaker Dr Andrew McCormick is the former Director General of International Relations for the Northern Ireland Executive.  He was the NI Executive’s lead official on Brexit, and represented the Executive at the Specialised Committee on the Protocol until May 2021.

Full title 'In search of state: what Scottish independence would mean for Scotland and its neighbours' In the latest episode of IIEA Insights, IIEA Chief Economist, Dan O’Brien, sits down with Stewart McDonald, Scottish National Party MP for Glasgow South, to discuss the potential implications of Scottish independence and what it would mean for Scottish foreign and defence policy

The 2023 International Women’s Day theme is DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality. In her address to the IIEA, Tara Sepehri Far outlines how women in Iran have employed digital activism to amplify their voices in the face of oppression. Social media and the internet have proven to be extremely powerful tools for the women of Iran who, despite being subject to significant censorship and surveillance, have made effective use of these tools to document and spread digital evidence of protests, to spotlight symbolic acts of defiance, and to demand fundamental rights. About the Speaker: Tara Sepehri Far is a researcher in the Middle East and North Africa Division, where she investigates human rights abuses in Iran and Kuwait. Prior to joining Human Rights Watch, she was the Deputy Director of the Human Rights in Iran Unit at the City University New York, where she worked on a project supporting the mandate of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran. Tara graduated from Sharif University of Technology in Tehran and holds M.A. and LL.M degrees in international law from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

In September 2022 the EU opened its new office in San Francisco, California, headed by Gerard de Graaf, the new Senior Envoy for Digital to the U.S. and Silicon Valley. In his address to the IIEA, Mr de Graaf discusses the importance of digital policy diplomacy and how the EU can engage with the U.S. and with leading digital technology companies in order to identify and address common challenges. Mr de Graaf particularly focuses on how these relationships can help contribute to the success of the EU’s Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts. About the Speaker Gerard de Graaf has worked for more than 30 years in the European Commission across a wide range of policy areas. Until his recent appointment, he was a director in DG CNECT, responsible for the Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts (DSA/DMA). Previously, Gerard de Graaf oversaw the EU’s telecommunications and audiovisual policy, cyber security and ICT standardisation policy. He has been co-chairing two of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council Working Groups, on greentech, and on data governance and technology platforms.

In this questions and answers session at the IIEA, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană discusses how the Alliance has responded to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, what the conflict means for NATO and how the war has fundamentally affected the international order. About the Speaker: Mircea Geoană became NATO Deputy Secretary General in October 2019, after a distinguished domestic and international career. Mr Geoană is the first Deputy Secretary General from Romania, and the first from any of the countries that joined the Alliance after the end of the Cold War. Mr Geoană has served as a diplomat and a politician in Romania as minister of Foreign Affairs (2000-2004). He holds a PhD from the Economic Studies Academy of Bucharest. In 2000, he was made a Commander of the National Order, The Star of Romania.He has also been awarded the French Legion d’Honneur and the Italian Stella della Solidarieta.

In his address, Evgeny Afineevsky discusses his documentary Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom which covers Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and Ukrainian efforts to defend their country. The companion piece to Afineevsky’s Academy Award nominated documentary Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom, his latest work takes a sweeping look at a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine using footage taken during the invasion and exclusive interviews with both those who have fled the conflict as well as those who stayed in Ukraine. The opening and closing remarks at this event were delivered by Larysa Gerasko, Ambassador of Ukraine to Ireland, and Claire Cronin, Ambassador of the United States to Ireland. About the Speaker: Evgeny Afineevsky was born in the Russian city of Kazan when it was part of the former U.S.S.R. As a documentarian and activist, he has directed numerous documentaries such as Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom (2015), Cries from Syria (2017), Francesco (2020) and Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom (2022) which premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival. His works has received nominations for an Oscar, a PGA Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and four News & Documentary Emmy Awards. He has also received a People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary from the Toronto International Film Festival, a Critics’ Choice Documentary Award for Best Director, an Overseas Press Club Award, and a Television Academy Honors award.

The EU is facing unprecedented challenges to the rule of law and democratic legitimacy from both inside and outside of the Union. In this first event in a series of three webinars co-organised by the European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland and the IIEA, a panel of expert speakers considers how to build democratic resilience in the European Union in the face of internal and external threats. Speakers: - Daniel Freund MEP, Member of the European Parliament, Alliance 90/The Greens, Germany - Billy Kelleher MEP, Member of the European Parliament, Fianna Fáil, Ireland South - Professor Kalypso Nicolaïdis, Chair in Global Affairs at the School of Transnational Governance, European University Institute, Florence, Italy

In December 2021, the ‘Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy’, Ireland’s first national circular economy strategy, was published. It is clear that we are at a turning point in this transition however, with Ireland consistently underperforming in circularity material use rate, and there is significant progress yet to be made. In his address to the IIEA, Mr Iain Gulland outlines the circular economy model, discusses how the circular economy model can be made to work in practice, and offers insights into the work of Zero Waste Scotland. About the Speaker: Iain Gulland is Zero Waste Scotland’s founding Chief Executive and was the Programme Director of the predecessor programme, WRAP Scotland. Prior to this, Mr Gulland worked with initiating recycling systems in the public, private and third sectors and led the Community Recycling Network, Scotland until 2008. Mr Gulland has recently been appointed President of the Association of Cities and Regions for Resource Management (ACR+) and is a member of several Scottish Government Programme Boards including those covering low carbon and manufacturing activities. Mr Gulland was named the ‘most influential person in the UK waste and resource efficiency sector’ by Resource Magazine (2014) and was granted a fellowship of the Chartered Institution of Waste Management in 2016.

In the latest podcast episode of IIEA Insights, IIEA Chief Economist Dan O'Brien, sits down with Alicia García-Herrero, Hong Kong-based Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis Bank and Brad Sester, Senior Fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations and former US Treasury Economist, to discuss the range of factors driving a global trend towards greater government intervention in economies, particularly in the strategically significant industry of manufacturing.

The Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union comes at a pivotal time for the future of the Union, especially in the context of seismic upheavals like the war in Ukraine and global challenges to the competitiveness of the single market from China and the United States. State Secretary Danielsson discusses the Swedish presidency of the Council of the EU, their experience to date and issues such as competitiveness. He also discusses other priority areas such as security, energy and democratic values. About the Speaker: Christian Danielsson is State Secretary to Swedish Minister for EU Affairs Jessika Roswall, with responsibility for EU affairs and Nordic affairs. Mr Danielsson has previously served as Deputy Secretary-General of the European Commission, Director-General of European Commission Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations and Head of the European Commission Representation in Sweden.

Kate Raworth, an ecological economist, and co-founder of Doughnut Economics Action Lab delivers a keynote address. This event is part of the Environmental Resilience Series, supported by the EPA. Kate Raworth is an ecological economist and creator of the Doughnut-a concept that aims to meet the needs of all people within the means of the living planet-and co-founder of Doughnut Economics Action Lab. Her internationally best-selling book Doughnut Economics: seven ways to think like a 21st century economist has been translated into over 20 languages and has been widely influential with diverse audiences, from the UN General Assembly and Pope Francis to Extinction Rebellion. Ms Raworth is a Senior Associate at Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute, where she teaches on the Masters in Environmental Change and Management. She is also Professor of Practice at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Over the past 25 years, Kate’s career has taken her from working with micro-entrepreneurs in the villages of Zanzibar to co-authoring the Human Development Report for UNDP in New York, followed by a decade as Senior Researcher at Oxfam.

'The European economy in 2023: resilience or recession?' In this latest podcast episode of IIEA Insights, Dan O’Brien, Chief Economist at the IIEA sits down with Stefan Gerlach, Chief Economist at EFG Bank Zurich, to discuss trends in Europe’s economy, slowing inflation, labour market trends in Ireland and on the continent. They delve into the bigger questions about the future of Europe’s economy, market interactions and what’s on the mind of the shapers and makers behind European monetary policy including ECB President Christine Lagarde.

In his address, Dr Tsuruoka argues that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has effectively ended the post-Cold War order in Europe. However, the war’s impact is not only limited to Europe. Japan has imposed severe sanctions on Russia, aligning itself with the EU, the US and other G7 partners. Tokyo is experiencing its own Zeitenwende, as demonstrated by its new National Security Strategy, adopted in December 2022. As Japan faces challenges from China, North Korea and Russia simultaneously, Dr Tsuruoka asks how these two regions - Europe and Asia – are linked and how best they could address the challenges to the rules-based international order together? About the Speaker Dr Michito Tsuruoka is an Associate Professor at Keio University. Prior to joining Keio in 2017, he was a Senior Research Fellow at the National Institute for Defense Studies from 2009. He is concurrently a Senior Fellow at The Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research and a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy, Brussels School of Governance, VUB. During his tenure at NIDS, Dr Tsuruoka was seconded to the Ministry of Defense as a Deputy Director of the International Policy Division, Bureau of Defense Policy (2012-2013), where he was in charge of multilateral security and defence cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and spent one year as a Visiting Fellow at Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (2013-2014). Prior to joining NIDS, he was a Resident Fellow of the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Brussels (2009) and served as an Adviser for NATO at the Embassy of Japan in Belgium (2005-2008)

In September 2022, following a tense but peaceful transition of power, William Ruto became president of Kenya. As part of his so-called ‘Hustler’ narrative, President Ruto committed to addressing rising inequality and poverty through the provision of cheap credit to the young voters who put in him in office. The new government also committed to increase funding for renewable energy, to education reforms, to end police brutality and to focus on the ‘common mwananchi’ or common person, otherwise known as ‘Hustler’, or mwananchi in Kiswahili. Yet, as Kenya’s leading opposition party increasingly challenge the legitimacy of the elections, questions remain about the stability of the Ruto Presidency. This presentation by Dr Njoki Wamai discusses the Kenyan presidential election outcome and the implications which it may have for the region, the European Union and Ireland. Njoki Wamai PhD is an Assistant Professor in the International Relations Department at the United States International University-Africa. She was a post-doctoral researcher at the Centre for Governance and Human Rights at the Politics and International Studies Department at the University of Cambridge, where she completed her PhD in politics and international studies as a Gates Cambridge Scholar in 2017. Previously, Dr Wamai was a Peace, Security and Development Scholar at the African Leadership Centre at King’s College London. She has published book chapters and articles with Oxford University Press, Routledge and Zed Books on international intervention, the International Criminal Court, mediation and violence using postcolonial and decolonial approaches.

According to DNV, electrification is growing and greening in all regions and sectors. Furthermore, the long-term influence of the war in Ukraine on the pace of the energy transition is low, compared with the main long-term drivers of change such as plunging renewables costs, electrification, and rising carbon prices. But which are the most promising technologies and how will the global, European, and UK energy mix develop? Get answers to these and many other questions by attending the IIEA’s and DNV’s Energy Transition Outlook event. About the Speakers: As an international accredited registrar and classification society, DNV is an organisation which specialises in independent expert in assurance and risk management. DNV provides a range of assurance and advisory services across the energy value change, with particular focus on the energy transition. Hari Vamadevan, Senior Vice President and Regional Director, UK & Ireland, Energy Systems at DNV He has 30 years’ experience in leadership positions and currently leads a 700-strong team helping customers make the transition to a decarbonised energy future. He is currently head of the Energy Systems operations in the UK and Ireland and is also chairperson of all DNV’s UK entities. He is an authority on the complex facets of the whole systems approach to the energy transition. Since joining DNV he has held senior management roles in the Maritime, Oil and Gas, and more recently, the combined Oil & Gas and Alternative Energy businesses. Frank Ketelaars is currently the Operations Manager for the DNV Energy Systems operations in the UK & Ireland. He oversees the operations across the full energy space, covering renewables, offshore and onshore oil & gas production and gas transmission and distribution systems. In his previous role he was the Director for Oil & Gas Operations for DNV in Region Americas, based in DNV Houston office, with responsibility for O&G operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Trinidad & Tobago. These operations covered verification and advisory work for offshore and onshore operations, with a focus on safety and regulatory compliance, integrity management and performance improvement. Recorded on the 24th of January 2023

Following an election in October 2022, and under the shadow of the storming of the Presidential compound in Brasilia on 8 January 2023 by supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva (President Lula) took office as President of Brazil. In this address, Robert Muggah, co-Founder of the Igarape Institute, a leading Brazilian think tank, examines what the Lula Presidency might mean for Brazil and for the wider region and reflects on the challenges and opportunities that Brazil and President Lula may face in an increasingly polarised world. This event was organised in conjunction with the Embassy of Ireland in Brazil. About the Speaker: Robert Muggah specializes in security, cities, climate action and digital transformation. He co-founded the Igarapé Institute, a think and do tank focused on human, digital and climate security. He also co-founded the SecDev Group, a data science company committed to detecting and deterring cyber threats and building digital resilience. Robert is also a senior adviser to McKinsey, a fellow at Princeton, the Graduate Institute (Geneva), the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and is non-resident faculty at Singularity University. Robert also advises the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Cities, its annual Global Risk Report and the Global Parliament of Mayors. He earned a DPhil at the University of Oxford.

In the twelfth and final episode of this series of IIEA Insights, IIEA Chief Economist and previous IIEA Director General David O’Sullivan sit down to discuss the key issues raised during the series, including but not limited to, the outlook of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the transatlantic economy, and potential headwinds on the horizon, as well as the future of the Northern Ireland Protocol

In her address to the IIEA, Jillian York outlines how the internet transformed the ability of citizens to contribute to public discourse, especially for citizens living under authoritarian regimes. However, the internet has also facilitated the spread of harmful content such as disinformation and hate speech. Ms York discusses how platform companies, democratic governments, and authoritarian regimes are responding with increased moderation and censorship of the internet. She also assesses the negative consequences that can result and explains how citizens can respond. About the Speaker Jillian C. York is the Director for International Freedom of Expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a fellow at the Center for Internet & Human Rights at the European University Viadrina, and a visiting professor at the College of Europe Natolin. She is the author of Silicon Values: The Future of Free Speech Under Surveillance Capitalism published by Verso in 2021.

'Ireland-US ties: present and future' In the eleventh episode of IIEA Insights, IIEA Chief Economist Dan O’Brien, sits down with retired Irish diplomat Dan Mulhall, who most recently served as Ireland’s Ambassador to the US, to discuss Ireland-US ties, America’s domestic politics, political polarisation and next year’s presidential election.

Image courtesy of UN Photo. IIEA Researcher, Leanne Digney, talks to Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Fergal Mythen, who shares his reflections on Ireland’s challenges and achievements during its term as an elected member of the Security Council 2021-2022. This interview is part of the Global Europe podcast series which is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs

On this occasion, Professor Emily Shuckburgh, Director of Cambridge Zero and Professor of Environmental Data Science at the University of Cambridge delivers a keynote address to the IIEA. This event is part of the Environmental Resilience series, which is supported by the EPA. About the Speaker: Professor Emily Shuckburgh is Director of Cambridge Zero, the University of Cambridge's major climate change initiative. She is also Professor of Environmental Data Science at the Department of Computer Science and Technology. She is a mathematician and climate scientist and a Fellow of Darwin College, a Fellow of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, an Associate Fellow of the Centre for Science and Policy, a Fellow of the British Antarctic Survey, and a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society. She worked for more than a decade at the British Antarctic Survey where her work included leading a UK national research programme on the Southern Ocean and its role in climate. Prior to that, she undertook research at École Normale Supérieure in Paris and at MIT. She has also acted as an advisor on climate to the UK Government in various capacities, including as a Friend of COP26. In 2016, she was awarded an OBE for services to science and the public communication of science. She is co-author with HM King Charles III and Tony Juniper of the Ladybird Book on Climate Change.

In his address to the IIEA, Irish Times Berlin Correspondent, Derek Scally, assesses the first year in office of Germany’s "traffic light" coalition. Against a backdrop of war in Ukraine and challenges to energy security, Chancellor Scholz’s government has had to adapt its programme for government. Many ambitious plans have taken a backseat in the face of urgent policy issues. Mr Scally examines the government’s progress in responding to the unforeseen challenges presented in 2022, both from a national perspective and in its role as a leading EU member state. About the Speaker:  Derek Scally is a native Dubliner, who studied at Dublin City University and the Humboldt University in Berlin, where he has been Irish Times correspondent since 2001. Covering politics, business and culture, he is a regular contributor to German news outlets, including Die Zeit weekly and Deutschlandfunk/WDR radio. He reports regularly from northern Europe and is also author of “The Best Catholics in the World”, published in 2021 by Penguin.

At this YPN Christmas Special, the IIEA welcomes nationally renowned former RTÉ News newscaster Eileen Dunne, and Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Professor of Politics in the School of Law and Government at Dublin City University (DCU), Mark Tighe, Legal Correspondent of The Sunday Independent and co-author of the award-winning book, ‘Champagne Football’, and Patrick Costello TD, Green Party Spokesperson for Justice. On this occasion, Eileen Dunne, who recently retired following a distinguished 42-year career in RTÉ, provides her analysis of the events of the year and reflect on her career in RTÉ, which led to her becoming a familiar face in sitting rooms all across Ireland and a national treasure.   Professor Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Professor of Politics at DCU, and one of Ireland’s leading experts on the geopolitics of Eastern Europe, provides his expert analysis of the event which became the most consequential development in international affairs of the year: Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.   Mark Tighe, Legal Correspondent of The Sunday Independent, and co-author of the award-winning book ‘Champagne Football’, assesses the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as well as the controversy caused by associated human rights issues within the country.   Patrick Costello TD, Green Party Spokesperson for Justice, discusses his successful Supreme Court case taken in respect of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada, and reflects upon domestic political developments during the year.

Immersive technologies – such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Metaverse technologies – are widely expected to have profound economic and social implications. This expert panel discusses the opportunities and challenges presented by these technologies. The panel explores what policymakers need to know about these technologies in order to regulate, protect consumers and establish policies that promote growth and innovation. The panel also considers how Ireland could position itself to be a frontrunner in this emerging field of technology. This event is part of a series organised by the IIEA and the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) Ireland to explore key digital policy issues relevant to Ireland and follows the ‘Digital Ireland Conference’ which took place in Dublin Castle in November. About the Speakers: Dr Martha Boeckenfeld, Dean of the Metaverse Academy Peggy Johnson, CEO of Magic Leap Niall Campion, Managing Director of VRAI

In her address to the IIEA, for the eighth lecture of the 2022 Development Matters series, supported by Irish Aid, Professor Carmen Reinhart discusses debt in developing nations. External debt is one of the key challenges for developing nations in achieving the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals. The convergence of three crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict, and increased climate related disasters have jeopardised economic growth and progress in developing nations. Professor Reinhart offers insight into the current debt situation in developing nations and explores the challenges of financing this debt. Professor Reinhart examines debt levels which grew exponentially during the pandemic, the lack of transparency of the terms of debt restructuring, and the implications of exposure to foreign debt liability. About the Speaker: Carmen Reinhart is the Minos A. Zombanakis Professor of the International Financial System at Harvard Kennedy School. From 2020-2022 she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Economist at The World Bank Group. Her work has helped to inform the understanding of financial crises in both advanced economies and emerging markets. Her best-selling book (with Kenneth S. Rogoff) entitled This Time is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly documents the striking similarities of the recurring booms and busts that have characterised financial history. She is an elected member of the Group of Thirty and is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Professor Reinhart is ranked among the top economists worldwide according to Research Papers in Economics (RePec).

The fourth episode of the Global Europe podcast series, Back to the Future – Ireland and the EU at 50, was moderated by IIEA Global Europe Researcher, Emily Binchy, on the future of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the journey of the CAP from Ireland’s accession to the European Economic Community in 1972 to the new CAP 2023-2027. This discussion featured Tom Arnold, former Chief Economist of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Chair of the Irish Governmental initiative Food Vision 2030, and Tom Moran, Chair of the Board of Kerry Group and former Secretary General in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

This event, which commemorates the Department of Finance’s 100th Anniversary and was co-organised by the IIEA, the Department of Finance, and the OECD, examines what the OECD Economic Survey means for Ireland. Part 1: Presentation on the Report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare by Dr Colm O’Reardon, Secretary to the Commission on Taxation and Welfare Part 2: Panel discussion and Q&A on the Report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare featuring Colm Kelly, Global Leader, Corporate Sustainability at PwC International, Dr Martina Lawless, Research Professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), and Dr Colm O’Reardon, Secretary to the Commission on Taxation and Welfare

This event, which commemorates the Department of Finance’s 100th Anniversary and was co-organised by the IIEA, the Department of Finance, and the OECD, examines what the OECD Economic Survey means for Ireland. Part 1: Presentation on the Report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare by Dr Colm O’Reardon, Secretary to the Commission on Taxation and Welfare Part 2: Panel discussion and Q&A on the Report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare featuring Colm Kelly, Global Leader, Corporate Sustainability at PwC International, Dr Martina Lawless, Research Professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), and Dr Colm O’Reardon, Secretary to the Commission on Taxation and Welfare.

IIEA Researcher, Leanne Digney, talks to team HQ of the Department of Foreign Affairs about Ireland’s Security Council term. Sonja Hyland, Deputy Secretary-General and Political Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Elizabeth McCullough, UN Policy Director and Director of the UN Security Council Task Team give insights into how headquarters of the Department directed and coordinated Ireland’s engagement as an elected member of the UN Security Council. Ireland’s term on the Council began in January 2021 and will continue until the end of December 2022. This interview is part of the Global Europe podcast series which is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs

On the 2 November 2022, the Ethiopian government and forces from the Tigray region agreed to end two years of a devastating conflict, following talks mediated by the African Union. This conflict has been catastrophic for Ethiopian civilians with thousands killed from direct attacks, starvation, and lack of access to humanitarian assistance. Following her participation in the mediation of the landmark Ethiopian truce agreement, Ms Hanna Tetteh discusses her role in this breakthrough of one of the deadliest conflicts seen in recent years. Ms Tetteh offers insights into negotiations, into the importance of full, equal and meaningful participation of women in peace-making and will the implications of this agreement for Ethiopia and for the Horn of Africa. About the Speaker: Ms. Hanna Serwaa Tetteh was appointed Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to the Horn of Africa (OSE-HoA) on 1 April 2022. Prior to this, she served as Special Representative of the Secretary General to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU). She also served as Director-General of the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON). Ms. Tetteh has held a variety of senior level government positions having served previously as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana. Ms. Tetteh was previously involved in high level mediation activities when she was appointed Co-Facilitator in the High-Level Forum for the Revitalisation of the Agreement for the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan (2017-2018).

In his address to the IIEA for the sixth lecture of the 2022 Development Matters series supported by Irish Aid, Minister Brophy discusses the grave food crisis affecting the Horn of Africa. Across the Horn of Africa, over 36 million people will be affected by the most prolonged and severe drought in recent history in the last months of 2022. Informed by his recent visit to the region, Minister Brophy discusses this crisis, its causes and the response by Ireland and the international community. He highlights the drivers of the crisis, including climate change, conflict, and unsustainable food systems. Minister Brophy also reflects on the political, security and development challenges facing a range of countries from the Horn to the Sahel.  About the Speaker:  Colm Brophy was appointed Minister of State with responsibility for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora on July 1st, 2020. He is a Fine Gael TD representing Dublin South-West. He was first elected to the Dáil in 2016. During the 32nd Dáil he served as Chairman of the Budgetary Oversight Committee which was established in 2016 to enhance the role of the Oireachtas in the budgetary formation process. He was also a Member of the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality and the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs. Member of South Dublin County Council 2008 – 2016. Colm is a former member of the Board of the Housing Finance Agency. Colm is also the former President of the Association of Irish Local Government.

Data flows play a central role in transatlantic trade but have given rise to legal controversies and challenges relating to privacy and data protection. In this event an expert panel assesses the implications of recent developments in this field and explores how any emerging new transatlantic data transfer framework can find a balance between protecting the data rights of European citizens while facilitating the economic value of data transfers. The possible strengths, challenges, weaknesses and business implications of any emerging new framework are also to be discussed.

In his address to the IIEA, Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, reflects on Ireland’s longstanding support for multilateralism, developed over 100 years of independence. In particular, he reflects on Ireland’s tenure as an elected member of the UN Security Council, from January 2021 to December 2022. He outlines Ireland’s achievements, discusses the main challenges faced and assesses the overall contribution that Ireland has made to the work of the Security Council. About the Speaker Simon Coveney TD is the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence. He is also the Deputy Leader of Fine Gael. He previously served as Tánaiste from 30 November, 2017 to 27 June, 2020, and Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government as well as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. He was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence on 27 June 2020. He represents the Cork South Central constituency.

In his address to the IIEA, Gabriel Makhlouf, Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, spoke about the path for monetary policy in the euro area in 2023 and beyond. He highlighted the range of incoming data that plays an important role for near term developments, as part of the ‘meeting-by-meeting’ approach to interest rate decisions. Governor Makhlouf then outlined his thoughts on some more medium-term factors that could influence inflation and monetary policy beyond 2023. About the Speaker: Gabriel Makhlouf took up his position as Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland on 1 September 2019. He chairs the Central Bank Commission, is a member of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank, a member of the European Systemic Risk Board, and is Ireland's Alternate Governor at the International Monetary Fund. Before joining the Central Bank, Governor Makhlouf was Secretary to the New Zealand Treasury and the Government's chief economic and financial adviser from 2011 to 2019. During his time as Secretary, he led reviews of New Zealand's three macroeconomic pillars (monetary, financial stability and fiscal policy) and the development of a new framework for the development of economic and public policy focused on intergenerational wellbeing. In addition, Governor Makhlouf was New Zealand's Alternate Governor at the World Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He was also co-chair of the Trans-Tasman Banking Council.

Following recent elections in Sweden and Italy, and against the broader backdrop of gains for the parties of Marine Le Pen and Viktor Orbán in 2022 elections in France and Hungary respectively, Naomi O’Leary, Europe Correspondent of The Irish Times, discusses whether Europe’s voters are shifting to the extreme right. She considers what takeaways there could be for Irish citizens and policymakers who are interested in bolstering support for liberal democracy. About the Speaker: Naomi O’Leary is Europe Correspondent for the Irish Times and creator of The Irish Passport podcast with Tim McInerney. A regular TV and radio contributor who has reported from around the European continent, Naomi is a former correspondent of POLITICO Europe, Reuters in Rome, and Agence France-Presse in London. She was awarded Political Journalist of the Year 2021 by Newsbrands, Ireland’s newspaper industry awards.

In the tenth podcast episode of IIEA Insights, IIEA Director General David O’Sullivan sits down with Constanze Stelzenmüller, Director of the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings to discuss the latest in German and US politics, as well as what’s at stake for Europe and NATO with China becoming increasingly influential across the globe. They break down the current situation in Ukraine, the recent midterm elections & the future of the transatlantic relationship.

In the ninth episode of IIEA Insights, Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist, Edward Luce, US national editor and columnist at the Financial Times. They discuss whether American politics could be stabilising or becoming ever more polarized. Luce also assesses the implications for the US’s foreign policy posture, including on European security and rivalry with China.

This event, supported by Janssen Sciences Ireland, features a keynote address by the acting Deputy Director-General for Health at the European Commission, Mr John F. Ryan. This is followed by a panel discussion that looks at the future of the European Health Union before a moderated Q&A session. This expert panel explores what the new Health Union could mean for Ireland, how the health service in Ireland performs compared to European peers, and what lessons could be learned from the best performing European countries. The panel is comprised of: Professor Mary Horgan - President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and world-renowned expert in infectious disease Mr Tony O’Brien – Former Director-General of the Health Service Executive Dr Sheelah Connolly - Senior Research Officer at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) Professor Paul Browne – Professor/Consultant Haematologist at St. James's Hospital. The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the EU’s COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy in particular, has shown the capacity for the EU institutions to facilitate effective coordination among European countries to protect the health of the European citizenry. Building on these experiences, the European Commission is in the process of establishing an ambitious European Health Union, in which all EU countries can prepare and respond together more effectively to health crises when they emerge. The European Health Union will seek to ensure that medical supplies remain available, affordable, and innovative to all EU citizens, and that European countries can work together to improve prevention, treatment, and aftercare for diseases such as cancer. This presents an important new departure in EU policy which may have major implications for domestic healthcare across the EU. About the Speakers: John F. Ryan, Acting Deputy Director-General for Health, DG SANTE at the European Commission. Professor Mary Horgan, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Mr Tony O’Brien, Former Director-General at the Health Service Executive. Dr Sheelah Connolly, Senior Research Officer at the Economic and Social Research Institute. Professor Paul Browne, Professor/Consultant Hematologist at St. James’s Hospital.

This panel discussion reflects on Ireland’s six-month Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which ended on the 7th November 2022. Speakers: Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Bjørn Berge. Senator Fiona O’Loughlin, Head of Ireland’s Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Professor Aoife Nolan, an Irish independent expert to the Council of Europe's European Committee of Social Rights

In this interview, IIEA Researcher, Leanne Digney talks to Ireland’s newly appointed UN Youth Delegates, Jessica Gill and David Giles, about their experience at United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week and their hopes for the future role of youth in multilateral diplomacy. This interview is part of the Global Europe podcast series which is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs

In the eighth episode of IIEA Insights, David O’Sullivan, Director General at the IIEA, talks to Frank Luntz, political, communications consultant and pollster. They discuss the upcoming midterm elections, the contentious races, candidates, and likely presidential candidates in 2024

In her address to the IIEA, for the fifth lecture of the 2022 Development Matters series, supported by Irish Aid, Ms Åsa Regnér, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women discusses conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in areas experiencing humanitarian crises and conflict. The term “conflict-related sexual violence” refers to rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilisation, forced marriage and any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity perpetrated against women, men, girls or boys that is directly or indirectly linked to a conflict. Ms Regner highlights ways CRSV can be prevented, responded to, and addressed in existing humanitarian crises in Ethiopia, DRC, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Syria. About the Speaker: Ms. Åsa Regnér has been Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women since May 2018. Prior to this, Ms. Regnér served as Minister for Children, the Elderly and Gender Equality of Sweden. She has extensive experience in the area of gender equality and women’s empowerment, having held various leadership positions in government, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the United Nations. She has led important processes and campaigns as a leading advocate for feminism and gender equality in Sweden and beyond.

In his address to the IIEA, Secretary Sannino, discusses the EU's place in a changing global order, the tools that the EU has at its disposal to meet the challenges it faces, and the role of the EEAS in meeting these challenges. About the Speaker: Stefano Sannino has served as the Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) of the European Union since 1 January 2021 and was the EEAS Deputy Secretary General for Economic and Global Issues at the EEAS from April 2020 to December 2020. He previously served as the Ambassador of Italy to Spain and Andorra (2016-2020), and as Permanent Representative of Italy to the EU in (2013-2016).

In his address to the IIEA, United States Congressman Brendan F. Boyle, who serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, is chairman of the Congressional European Union Caucus, and is a member of the Friends of Ireland Caucus, discusses what a new prime minister and monarch in the United Kingdom is likely to mean for the future of US-UK and EU-UK relations. Congressman Boyle also assesses the possible impact of the US midterm elections on US relations with the EU and the UK. About the Speaker: Congressman Brendan Boyle was born and raised in the Olney neighborhood of Pennsylvania’s 2nd Congressional District. A first generation American, Congressman Boyle’s father emigrated from Ireland in search of a better life. The first in his family to attend college, he attended the University of Notre Dame on a scholarship and later graduated from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2008, Boyle became the first Democrat to represent Pennsylvania’s 170th state legislative district. In 2014, he was sent to Washington to represent his hometown in Congress. Now in his fourth term, Congressman Boyle proudly represents the 2nd Congressional district.

In her address to the IIEA, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee outlines her work on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) and the putting in place of integrated prevention measures. As a key priority for the EU and the Council of Europe, the Minister discusses DSGBV in the context of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of Europe and examine the role played by Ireland in tackling this issue at a multilateral level. About the Speaker: Helen McEntee TD is the Minister for Justice. She was appointed to this role in June 2020. Helen was elected to Dáil Éireann in a By-Election in March 2013, and re-elected in the February 2016 general election. Deputy McEntee was appointed by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD to be Minister for Mental Health and Older People at the Department of Health in May 2016 as part of the new Partnership Government. In June 2017, as part of a government reshuffle by newly appointed Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar TD, Minister McEntee was promoted to the position of Minister of State for EU Affairs.

The greater Middle East region has been going through various trials and tribulations over the last decade, with different axes of power forming within. Those poles of influence are homegrown – but they also connect to external ones, far beyond the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which brings about an interesting set of geopolitical realities for the region. Against the backdrop of increasing pressures on the international system, how does the geopolitical order look from within MENA? What considerations are on the minds of power brokers in the region? What might the future look like? In his intervention, Dr Hisham Hellyer addresses these questions. About the Speaker: Dr Hisham (H.A.) Hellyer FRSA is a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) and a fellow of the Centre for Islamic Studies at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at The University of Cambridge. Concurrently, he is a Senior Associate Fellow in International Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London. Dr Hellyer is regularly included in the scholarly section of the annual global list of ‘The 500 Most Influential Muslims’ in the world. Following the 2005 London bombings, Dr Hellyer was appointed as Deputy Convenor of the UK Government’s Taskforce as an independent academic expert, and served as the Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s first Economic and Social Research Council Fellow, as a non-partisan independent scholar. In 2020, Dr Hellyer was elected as Fellow (FRSA) of the Royal Society of Arts in London due to his contributions to his subject areas, particularly in the international relations of the West and the Middle East, security studies, and belief.

In the seventh episode of IIEA Insights, IIEA Director General David O’Sullivan is joined by Bruce Stokes, Visiting Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund, to discuss trends in transatlantic relations in a time of war. They discuss public opinion on both sides of the Atlantic, the actors most affected by war in Ukraine, the potential for future conflicts such as in Taiwan, and the likelihood of Europe to intervene in these conflicts

In this keynote address, Professor Joseph G. Allen highlights strategies to combat air pollution in indoor environments. The debilitating health effects of poor air quality and substandard housing conditions is often overlooked, but indoor air pollution leads to millions of premature deaths each year. In his address to the IIEA, Professor Allen outlines key findings from his landmark book, Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity, which was recognised as ‘Best Book of the Year’ in Fortune magazine and the New York Times, for two consecutive years. About the Speaker: Joseph G. Allen is Director of the Healthy Buildings program and an Associate Professor at Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Before joining the faculty at Harvard, he spent several years in the private sector leading teams of scientists and engineers to investigate and resolve hundreds of indoor environmental quality issues, including “sick buildings,” cancer clusters, and biological/chemical hazards. His academic research focuses on the critical role that the indoor built environment plays in our overall health. One of the world’s leading experts on healthy buildings, Professor Allen is a regular keynote speaker and advises leading global companies. He is the co-author of Healthy Buildings. This event is part of the Environmental Resilience series, which is supported by the EPA.

In the sixth episode of IIEA Insights, IIEA Chief Economist Dan O’Brien speaks with EU Director General for Trade, Sabine Weyand, about the central challenge for EU trade policy of balancing openness with greater calls for European strategic autonomy, as well as a range of other issues on her agenda, from existing and future bilateral trade deals to the functioning of the multilateral trading system.

In his address to the IIEA, Professor Martin draws upon his 2022 IIEA paper and argue that autonomy in cyber security is essential if Europe wishes to forge a wider digital strategic autonomy. He discusses how the fragmented state of EU cybersecurity prevents a coherent European cyber security strategy and argue that Europe’s lack of indigenous technological capabilities present it with a choice between deepening ties with the US or making major commitments to a European tech-industrial policy. This event is part of a transnational project called Europe’s Digital Future, which is coordinated by the IIEA, and which is supported by Google. The project aims to explore the concept of digital sovereignty and what future it might herald for the EU and for small, open economies. About the Speaker: Ciaran Martin is a Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations at the Blavatnik School of Government. Prior to joining the School, Ciaran was the founding Chief Executive of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ. Prof. Martin led a fundamental shift in the UK’s approach to cyber security. He successfully advocated for a wholesale change of approach towards a more interventionist posture and this was adopted by the Government in the 2015 National Security Strategy, leading to the creation of the NCSC in 2016 under his leadership. In his 23-year career in the UK civil service, Prof. Martin held senior roles within the Cabinet Office, including Constitution Director (2011-2014) and director of Security and Intelligence at the Cabinet Office (2008-2011).

In her address to the IIEA, Dr Maria Neira highlights how the international community can foster intersectoral cooperation on air pollution to put health at the core of climate action and sustainable development. The benefits of cleaner air extend beyond personal health, to collective public, environmental and economic health. The drive for clean air can facilitate a faster reduction of climate-warming emissions, a shift to cheaper and more reliable energy sources, and improved economic security. Dr Neira discusses the benefits of putting health at the core of climate action and sustainable development to future proof the climate-health nexus. This event is part of the Development Matters lecture series, supported by Irish Aid. About the Speaker: Dr Maria Neira is the Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organization, Geneva. Dr Neira is a medical doctor by training and specialised in Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases in Paris, France. Among many distinctions, she has been awarded the Médaille de l'Ordre national du Mérite by the Government of France and received an “Extraordinary Woman” award by HM Queen Letizia of Spain. In 2019, she was nominated among the top 100 policy influencers in health and climate change.

Against the backdrop of war in Ukraine, rising energy prices, climate change and a renewed call to defend our democracies, the EU must play a formative role in fostering international cooperation. In her address to the IIEA, EVP Vestager discusses these challenges and the tools at Europe’s disposal to counter them in a coordinated manner. About the Speaker: Margrethe Vestager is Executive Vice-President for a Europe fit for the digital age and Commissioner for Competition. She previously served as Commissioner for Competition (2014-19). She was Minister for Economic Affairs and the Interior (2011-14) and Minister for Education (1998-2001) of Denmark. She was Political leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party (2007-14) and has worked for the Danish Ministry of Finance (1993-95). Ms. Vestager holds an MSc in Economics (University of Copenhagen).

In the fifth episode of IIEA Insights, IIEA Director General David O’Sullivan spoke with Swedish politician and former EU Trade Commissioner Anna Cecilia Malmström about the future of global trade considering the trend towards reshoring, the geopolitical impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine and concerns about a Chinese invasion of Taiwan and the results of the Swedish general elections.

In this fourth episode of IIEA Insights, IIEA Chief Economist Dan O’Brien brings together a panel of experts on British politics to discuss the recent announcement of a new British Prime Minister. Katy Balls, Deputy Political Editor of the Spectator, Katherine Butler, Associate Europe Editor of The Guardian newspaper in London and Professor Matt Goodwin, the University of Kent, analyst for British politics, come together to provide their insights and reflections on Liz Truss’ position starting off as PM, the many challenges she faces and what can be expected for the Conservative Party from here on out

In her third State of the Union Address on 14 September 2022, President von der Leyen will set out the EU’s response to the political, economic, social and energy-related consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and set out the Union’s policy priorities for the coming year. To mark this speech, the European Commission Representation in Ireland, the European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland and the IIEA hosts a live-stream of the address, followed by a hybrid panel discussion with EU experts analysing President von der Leyen’s address. About the Speakers: Senator Alice-Mary Higgins is an independent senator in Seanad Éireann where she leads the Civil Engagement Group and serves on the Committees for Environment and Climate Action, Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, and on Disability Matters. She was policy coordinator at the National Women’s Council of Ireland, member of the Executive of the European Women’s Lobby in Brussels, and worked for the Older and Bolder alliance, Trócaire and Comhlámh NGOs on homecare, climate change, peace-building, and anti-racism issues. Brigid Laffan is Emerita Professor of political science, focusing on European integration. She has recently concluding her mandate as Director of the Robert Schuman Centre at the European University Institute (EUI). Before this, she was Professor of European Politics, Vice-President of UCD and Principal of the College of Human Sciences from 2004-2011. Professor John O’Brennan is Jean Monnet Chair in European Integration and Director of the Maynooth Centre for European and Eurasian Studies at Maynooth University. He is an internationally recognised expert on EU Enlargement policy, post-accession processes, ­­­­­­and the EU in the Western Balkans. David O’Sullivan is the IIEA Director General and Chair of the European Policy Centre’s (EPC) Governing Board. He is also a former Secretary-General (2000-2005) and Director-General of DG Trade (2005-2010) of the European Commission. In a distinguished public service career over 30 years, he most recently served as the Ambassador of the EU to the United States (2014-2019). Before this, he was Chief Operating Officer in the European External Action Service (EEAS) and was responsible for establishing the EU’s diplomatic service. Since his retirement from the public sector, he currently serves as a Senior Counsellor with Steptoe & Johnson LLP. The discussion was moderated by Dearbhail McDonald, journalist, author, and broadcaster.

In the third episode of IIEA Insights, Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist, speaks with Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs commentator for the Financial Times, about his new book ‘The Age of the Strongman’. The discussion covers a wide-rang of topics, including Vladmir Putin and his invasion of Ukraine, Xi Jinping and concerns over what lies ahead for Taiwan, as well as what Liz Truss’s leadership may mean for Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Episode 3 - Ireland’s Place in Europe and the World: Ireland and the Eu at 50 Part 2 by IIEA

Episode 3 - Ireland’s Place in Europe and the World: Ireland and the Eu at 50 Part 1 by IIEA

Since Ireland’s accession to the European Economic Communities (EEC) in 1972, Ireland’s place in Europe and the world has been profoundly transformed. Ahead of joining what was to become the EU, Ireland was relatively isolated on the global stage, and its priorities were oriented towards the critical focus of Anglo-Irish relations centred on Northern Ireland, followed by the US, with relations with the Vatican a distant third. Irish membership of the EEC was initially framed in the context of joining a common market which promised economic prosperity and development and has since evolved into a deeper political union. This prosperity, economic openness, and greater interconnection with Europe and the world served to change Irish society and percolated into Irish foreign policy over time. This discussion explores how European accession transformed and changed Irish foreign policy, and how it served to deepen Irish ties with our European neighbours, transformed Irish society and helped to encourage Ireland to play a greater role on the global stage. This interview, with Mary Whelan, Noel Fahey, and John Neary, reflects on the evolution of Irish foreign policy since Ireland’s accession to the EU in 1973.

IIEA Researcher, Leanne Digney, talks to Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, about her experiences and the unexpected challenges that arose during her time on the United Nations Security Council. Ireland’s term on the Security Council began in January 2021 and will continue until December 2022. This interview is part of the Global Europe podcast series which is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In the second episode of IIEA Insights Dan O'Brien, IIEA Chief Economist, interviews Sir Ivan Rogers, former Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the European Union (2013-2017) and British civil servant. The discussion covers the Conservative leadership race and the fate of the Northern Ireland Protocol among other things.

Navigating the issue of consumer protection in the digital era requires that a balance be found between a prosperous digital economy and the need for consumers to be protected. The proliferation of algorithms and AI-driven applications, the increasing importance of data as an economic asset, and the disproportionate role played by a small number of large companies all present opportunities for society while also giving rise to important digital consumer vulnerabilities. This expert panel discusses how digital consumer vulnerability can be regulated while ensuring that technology-enabled innovation can thrive. This expert panel features: Keynote speakers: Dr Jennifer King,  Privacy and Data Policy Fellow at the Stanford University Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence; former Director of Consumer Privacy at the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law school, USA; Professor Bruno Liebhaberg, Director General of the Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE), Brussels, Belgium;  Dr Stephen Unger, Chair of the UK Chapter, International Institute of Communications, previously Chief Technology Officer of Ofcom and Vice-Chair of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications; and   Jeremy Godfrey, Chair of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in Ireland.  This event is organised in collaboration with the Economic Regulators Network (ERN), a cross-sectoral group of economic regulators in Ireland. The ERN is composed of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), Central Bank of Ireland, National Transport Authority (NTA), Commission for Aviation Regulation, and Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).

In the first episode of IIEA Insights David O'Sullivan, IIEA DG, interviews Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council (2009-2014). The discussion covers the multiple and overlapping challenges Europe now faces, from the war in Ukraine, to rising energy costs, a changing security landscape and the fresh impetus for enlargement.

In this increasingly unpredictable, fragile and shock-prone international context, Governor Carlo Monticelli reflects on the role of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) in supporting its 42 member countries and in deepening social cohesion in Europe. On the eve of the Joint Annual Meeting of the CEB, which will be held in Dublin this year, Mr Monticelli reviews the bank’s primary features, responsibilities, and challenges, in conversation with IIEA Director General David O’Sullivan. About the Speaker: Carlo Monticelli was elected Governor of the CEB on 11 June 2021 after serving for six years as Vice-Governor for Financial Strategy. He began his five-year mandate on 18 December 2021. Before joining the CEB, Carlo Monticelli worked for more than a decade at the Italian Treasury, representing Italy in international fora and institutions, including at the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Carlo Monticelli served previously on the Board of Directors of the European Investment Bank and the Italian Export Credit Insurance Agency (SACE). Before joining the Treasury, Carlo Monticelli was Head of European Economics at Deutsche Bank, London, and Deputy Director in the Research Department at the Bank of Italy. Carlo Monticelli, holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Ancona and a M.Sc. in economics from the University of York, and he has carried out postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford. He has been a visiting professor at the International Economics Department of the Graduate Institute in Geneva and a visiting scholar at MIT.

John Hume was a committed and dedicated European, seeing the institutions and ethos of the European Union as models for peace, partnership and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. The John Hume 'European Spirit of Peace’ Lecture recognises those who have demonstrated a strong commitment to European principles and values. The IIEA is honoured to host the second edition of the ‘European Spirit of Peace’ Lecture, which was delivered by Prof. Brigid Laffan. David O’Sullivan, Director General of the IIEA, delivered the Inaugural 'European Spirit of Peace’ Lecture in May 2021, and chairs this year’s event. About the Speaker: Brigid Laffan is Emeritus Professor at the European University Institute in Florence and was Director at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies until her retirement in August 2021. Previously, Prof. Laffan was Professor of European Politics at the School of Politics and International Relations (SPIRe) University College Dublin (UCD), and was Vice-President of UCD and Principal of the College of Human Sciences from 2004 to 2011. Prof. Laffan was the founding director of the Dublin European Institute at UCD from 1999 and in March 2004 she was elected as a member of the Royal Irish Academy. Professor Laffan is one of Ireland’s leading public intellectuals and a globally recognised expert on European politics.

In his address to the IIEA, Dr Adesina discusses the role of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in supporting stability, growth and sustainable development on the African continent. He explores some of the opportunities and challenges which the AfDB presently faces, including food security, debt sustainability, climate change, and the financing gap. Dr Adesina highlights that such challenges can be overcome through enhanced crisis preparedness, the development of quality healthcare systems and infrastructure projects to strengthen the continent’s resilience. About the Speaker: Often described as “Africa’s Optimist-in-Chief”, African Development Bank Group President Dr Akinwumi A. Adesina is widely lauded for his visionary leadership and passion for Africa’s transformation. Dr Adesina was first elected President of the African Development Bank Group in 2015 and was unanimously re-elected for a second five-year term in 2020. A former Nigerian Minister for Agriculture, in 2017, Dr Adesina was conferred with the World Food Prize, also known as the “Nobel Prize for Agriculture”. With Dr Adesina at the helm, the African Development Bank Group achieved the highest capital increase since its establishment in 1964 and responded boldly and swiftly to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ireland joined the African Development Fund and the African Development Bank in 2020.

2022 has seen a marked shift in the levels and severity of intra and interstate conflict. The security of many of the environments in which peacekeeping is deployed has deteriorated due to local and regional dynamics, and this has only been compounded by tensions within the permanent five of the Security Council. In his address to the IIEA, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix discusses the current state of UN Peacekeeping, the challenges it is facing and what more is needed to make the utmost of this unique multilateral tool. This Event is part of the Global Europe Project in association with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. About the Speaker: Jean-Pierre Lacroix was appointed as Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations in February 2017 by United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres. From 2014-2017 Mr. Lacroix served as Director for United Nations, International Organizations, Human Rights and Francophonie at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Previous appointments include Ambassador of France to Sweden, Chief of Protocol of France, Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York, Deputy Chief of Mission at the French Embassy in Prague and First Secretary then Second Counsellor at the French Embassy in Washington.

The Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia and the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in Ireland are pleased to present the public webinar How the EU engages in the Information space in times of crisis. Recent crises have underlined the importance for Europe of competing effectively in the information space, and highlighted the challenges it faces in doing so. In this webinar, an expert panel draws on recent experiences of crises to discuss how the EU and its Member States can project their perspectives in a contested information environment. This event is part of an IIEA project entitled Europe’s Digital Future. As part of the project, the IIEA has established a network of thinktanks and academic institutions to share research and perspectives on Europe’s digital future from across northern Europe. This project is coordinated by the IIEA and is supported by Google. About the Speakers: This event consists of an expert panel which includes the following speakers: Andrew Roberts, Cyber Security Specialist at TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology Siim Kumpas, Policy Officer at the East StratCom Task Force, European External Action Service Lieutenant Colonel Dr Soenke Niedringhaus, NATO StratCom Centre of Excellence Markus Holmgren, Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs – FIIA Dr Adrian Venables, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Digital Forensics and Cyber Security, TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology Dominika Jantas, Information Security Analysist at Eurofins

Ahead of Bloomsday on the 100th anniversary of Ulysses, and of Irish independence, this event explores the European and international dimensions of James Joyce’s novel and the myriad visions of Ireland’s place in the world, which then as now occurred during great turbulence and uncertainty in the world. This anniversary also marks 100 years of Irish independence, as well as 50 years since Irish accession to the European Union. About the Speakers: Anne Fogarty is Full Professor and Director of the Centre for James Joyce Studies at UCD, and an expert on the historical context of Ulysses and on 20th century Irish modernism and contemporary fiction. Her latest publication is on Modernism, Memory and the Biographical Impulse in James Joyce Remembered (2022 Edition). Daniel Mulhall is the current Ambassador of Ireland to the United States since 2017, and formerly served as Ambassador in London, as well as Director-General for European Affairs in the Department of Foreign Affairs. He is also an authority on Irish history and literature, having co-edited the The Shaping of Modern Ireland: A Centenary Assessment (2016) and written the recently published Ulysses: A Reader’s Odyssey (2022).

In her address to the IIEA, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, discusses global peace and security issues. She gives an overview of her peace-making mandate, including the role of preventive diplomacy and peace-building activities in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia and the Americas. About the Speaker:  Rosemary DiCarlo assumed the post of Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs in 2018. During her distinguished career with the United States Department of State, she served, among other functions, as Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.  Prior assignments included Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, and Director for United Nations Affairs at the National Security Council in Washington, D.C.

According to Dr Fukuyama, liberalism is in a state of crisis and is facing increasing threats from authoritarianism, identity politics, social media, and a weakened free press the world over. In his address to the IIEA, Dr Fukuyama explores the roots of this crisis and makes the case for a revitalised liberalism for the twenty-first century. About the Speaker: Francis Fukuyama is Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University. He has previously taught at John Hopkins University and George Mason University, alongside serving as a researcher at the RAND Corporation and Deputy Director for the State Department’s policy planning staff. Francis Fukuyama has written prolifically on this subject. His most recent book Liberalism and its Discontents was published on 17 March 2022 by Profile Books.

The global security environment is changing rapidly. Not only are the threats greater, but they are more complex and more kaleidoscopic. Climate change, Cyber-threats, terrorism, as well as a revanchist Russia have made the world a more dangerous place to live in. To meet these challenges, the Irish Defence Forces are playing greater variety of roles in order to protect the Irish state and serve on crisis management missions. On 9 February 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces released its report examining the threats the Irish State will face, and made recommendations ranging from funding, and capability acquisition to strategic HR, on how to enhance the Defence Forces. This panel discusses the Irish threat environment and analyses the recommendations made by the Commission in its report.    About the Speaker:  Renata Dwan has been the Deputy Director and Senior Executive Officer of Chatham House since 2020. From 2018 until 2020, she was Director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) in Geneva. During her years in the UN, Dr Dwan worked on peace operations and complex emergencies in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Mali and Syria.   Ben Tonra is a professor of International Relations at UCD School of Politics and International Relations. There, Professor Tonra teaches, researches and publishes in European foreign, security and defence policy, Irish foreign, security and defence policy and International Relations theory.

In his address to the IIEA, Mr. Chapagain discusses the convergence of complex and diverse crises that are changing the fabric of society and require principled humanitarian action. These include climate-driven mass displacement, protracted conflicts, pandemics and epidemics, and the rapid evolution of emerging technologies which challenge the traditional way we approach these societal issues. He considers the opportunities to strengthen humanitarian action and assesses how communities, governments and humanitarian actors can work together to build a better future. This event is part of the Development Matters lecture series, supported by Irish Aid. About the Speaker: Jagan Chapagain is the Secretary General of the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC). He has spent more than 20 years with IFRC, working across Europe and Asia. Prior to becoming Secretary General, Mr Chapagain was the Under Secretary General for Programmes and Operations, Chief of Staff and Director of the Asia Pacific region at the IFRC, where he provided leadership in responding to large-scale humanitarian crises and in building resilient communities in partnership with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and external partners across the region. Mr Chapagain has a degree in Engineering and holds certificates in Leadership and turn-around management and Emerging social sector leadership.

This event is part of the Rethink Energy series, which is co-organised by the IIEA and ESB. On this occasion, Tim Gould, Chief Energy Economist at the International Energy Agency, assesses the geopolitics of energy in Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Mr Gould analyses the ways in which Europe can reduce its reliance on Russian energy imports. The war on Ukraine has had a significant impact on the energy sector and Mr Gould considers whether this conflict might expedite or delay the transition to net zero emissions. About the Speaker: Tim Gould was appointed Chief Energy Economist of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2021. In this role, he provides strategic advice on energy economics across a wide range of IEA activities and analysis. Mr Gould is also Head of the Division for Energy Supply and Investment Outlooks, in which capacity he co-leads the World Energy Outlook, the IEA’s flagship publication. At the IEA, he oversees the Agency’s work on investment and finance, including the World Energy Investment report. Mr Gould joined the IEA in 2008, initially as a specialist on Russian and Caspian energy. Prior to joining the IEA, Mr Gould worked on European and Eurasian energy issues in Brussels and has ten years of experience in Eastern Europe, primarily in Ukraine.

This is the first presentation in the 2022 Environmental Resilience lecture series, which is co-organised by the IIEA and the EPA. On this occasion, Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh, MBE, Director of the UK Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST), delivers a keynote address. Professor Whitmarsh draws lessons from the response to the COVID-19 pandemic that can mobilise public action on climate change. Both climate change and the pandemic require significant behavioural changes and have certain features in common, but there are also important differences - and reasons to think responding to climate change will be more challenging. Professor Whitmarsh shows that, through targeted communication and a range of policy measures, significant behaviour changes to mitigate climate change can be achieved, as it was in the response to the crisis of COVID-19. About the Speaker: Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh, MBE, is Director of the ESRC-funded UK Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST). She is an environmental psychologist, specialising in perceptions and behaviour in relation to climate change, energy, and transport, based in the Department of Psychology, University of Bath. Professor Whitmarsh regularly advises governmental and other organisations on low-carbon behaviour change and climate change communication. She was one of the expert leads for Climate Assembly UK and is Lead Author for IPCC’s Working Group II Sixth Assessment Report. Her research projects have included studies of meat consumption, energy efficiency behaviours, waste reduction and carrier bag reuse, perceptions of smart technologies and electric vehicles, low-carbon lifestyles, and responses to climate change.

Ireland will assume the Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers on 20 May 2022. This coincides with a time of turmoil and a series of challenges to multilateralism on our continent. In this context, reaffirming the relevance of what President Higgins has called ‘‘the conscience of Europe’’ will be a focus both for Ireland and the Council of Europe’s Secretariat. In this address to the IIEA, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and incoming Chair of the Committee of Ministers, Simon Coveney TD, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić discuss the Council of Europe’s role in responding to Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine and offer a preview of Ireland’s Presidency. About the Speakers Marija Pejčinović Burić is the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia. In that capacity, Ms Pejčinović Burić chaired the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe during the Croatian Presidency from May to November 2018. Simon Coveney TD is Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence. From May-November 2022 he will chair the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe as part of the Irish Presidency. Minister Coveney previously held the position of Tánaiste from 2017-2020 and a number of other senior Ministries; and is a former MEP for Ireland South. He is a TD for Cork South-Central.

The 10th of May 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Irish referendum in 1972, in which 83.1% voted to approve Ireland’s accession to the European Economic Communities (EEC). This was Ireland’s third attempt following two previous applications in 1961 and 1967. Accession was supported by the then-Fianna Fáil government under Taoiseach Jack Lynch, by Fine Gael in opposition under Liam Cosgrave, as well as by business interests and farmers’ associations. It was opposed at the time by the Labour Party and by both the Official and Provisional Sinn Féin parties over workers’ concerns, and the question of Irish sovereignty in relation to Northern Ireland. President Eamon De Valera was also opposed to EEC membership on similar grounds.  Ireland’s journey to EEC membership was intertwined with the UK due to strong pre-existing economic links. Ireland’s first application in tandem with the UK in 1961 was stymied by UK concerns about the Common Market and the preferential trade agreements within the Commonwealth, and French worries about liberalising agricultural production, which ultimately led to a veto by French President De Gaulle in 1963. Ireland’s second attempt in 1967 was again defeated after a second De Gaulle veto.  Following De Gaulle’s resignation in 1969 and the December 1969 Hague Summit which set the stage for negotiations between “the Six” and the four applicants: Ireland, the UK, Norway, and Denmark beginning in 1970 and concluding in membership for Ireland, the UK, and Denmark.  The outcome of the 1972 referendum was overwhelming positive, with every constituency and 83.1% of voters voting in favour of joining the EEC. This decision paved the way to incorporate European law into Irish domestic legislation and ensure compatibility with the Constitution of Ireland.  Concerns over agricultural policy, industrial development, social equality, defence, and security arose during the referendum campaign and were then, as now, critical policy debates in Irish public life. The international environment was also complex, with rising inflation, political tensions between the United States and Soviet Union, and a looming energy crisis all causing instability. Nonetheless, the Irish people voted to join the EEC set the stage for a profound transformation at home and abroad.  This interview is part of the IIEA’s Global Europe project, sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs, which recounts and reflects on the 1972 referendum campaign with Katherine Meenan, Alan Dukes, and Tony Brown.

Full Title: The Frugals, the Free-Spenders and the Friendly Hawks: In Search of a New European Fiscal Policy Consensus This paper, by IIEA Economics Researcher, Daire Lawler will explore the future of the EU’s fiscal policy.

Faced with war in Ukraine, Germany’s first post-Merkel government has proclaimed a “Zeitenwende” – a turning point in history. In his address to the IIEA, Ambassador Heusgen takes stock of Germany’s role in the face of Europe’s gravest security crisis in decades. He discusses the challenges for Germany’s new foreign policy era on the domestic level, examine Berlin’s role in the European Union – especially against the backdrop of the presidential elections in France–, and assesses the prospects of a profound overhaul of German foreign and security policy moving forward. About the Speaker: Ambassador Christoph Heusgen has been Chairman of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) since 2022. He teaches Political Science at the University of Saint Gallen. Mr Heusgen was Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations between 2017 and 2021. Prior to this appointment and since 2005, Mr Heusgen was the Foreign Policy and Security Adviser to Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel. From 1999 to 2005, he served as Director of the Policy Unit for High Representative Javier Solana in the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union. Between 1988 and 1999, Mr Heusgen served in various capacities at the Foreign Office in Bonn, including Deputy Director-General for European Affairs from 1997 to 1999.

European markets represent significant diversification opportunities for Irish companies. As Ireland prepares to celebrate 50 years since joining the EEC, the forerunner to the EU, this webinar outlines what the EU can do for Irish SMEs. This virtual event, which is the opening seminar of the 2022 Europe is our Future Series co-organised by the IIEA and Enterprise Ireland, provides an overview of the benefits of trading and doing business in the EU Single Market and will discuss the funding opportunities the EU provides for Irish SMEs. The seminar was chaired by Joe Lynam, Business Editor at Newstalk. About the Speakers: Speakers at the seminar include: Frances Fitzgerald MEP, Member of the European Parliament for Dublin Robert Schroder, Head of External Communications for the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) Daniela Angione, Research and Grants Officer, Innopharma Anne Lanigan, Regional Director for the Eurozone, Central and Eastern Europe, Enterprise Ireland Sonia Neary, CEO of Wellola Margaret Rae, Founder of Konree Innovation

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine marks a significant moment of reflection by Member States and the EU on how best to defend Europe in a time of existential crisis. As the EU faces an increasingly diverse threat spectrum, Mr Herczynski discusses the ways in which the EU is cooperating with other multilateral organisations, such as NATO, to enhance Europe’s security. About the Speaker: Pawel Herczynski is Managing Director for Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and Crisis Response services at the European External Action Service (EEAS). He was formerly the Director of Conflict Prevention and Security Policy in the EEAS and previously served as Ambassador to the Political and Security Committee (PSC) on behalf of the Permanent Representation of Poland to the EU.

In her address to the IIEA, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (Political), Ms. Mette Knudsen, discusses the current political situation in Afghanistan and efforts of the United Nations to support the people of Afghanistan. About the Speaker: Mette Knudsen was appointed by the Secretary-General as Deputy Special Representative (Political) for Afghanistan with UNAMA in January 2021. Prior to her appointment, she served as Ambassador of Denmark to Afghanistan. She has held several senior positions with Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including as Ambassador of Denmark to Kenya, Seychelles, Eritrea and Somalia. Ms. Knudsen is a member of the Nordic Women Mediators – Denmark.

This webinar explores the context and potential implications of the 2022 French Presidential elections, with the first round scheduled to take place on 10 April 2022, and what this may mean for the future of France, Ireland, and the EU. Dr. Emmanuelle Schon-Quinlivan explores the EU level implications of the election, and Lara Marlowe discusses the impact that the election may have on internal political dynamics in France. About the Speakers: Lara Marlowe is a Paris-based foreign correspondent for The Irish Times. As a journalist for more than three decades, she has lived in Paris, the Middle East and Washington D.C. Dr Emmanuelle Schon-Quinlivan is a lecturer in European politics in the Department of Government (UCC).

Global drivers of migration such as economic disparities, environmental degradation, and political instability do not affect men and women  equally, and exacerbate historical gender inequalities. In this address to the IIEA, Vice President Ramirez discusses Colombia’s work in promoting economic and social reconstruction strategies to strengthen female participation. She also highlights Colombia’s experience during the Venezuelan refugee crisis. Colombia has taken in over 1.8 million Venezuelan refugees, 50% of which are women, and offered them temporary protective status. Vice President Ramirez describes how, using a gender-based approach, the Colombian strategy has enabled Venezuelan refugees to contribute to Colombian society and to access healthcare and other essential services. This event is co-organised with the Embassy of Colombia in Ireland. About the Speaker: Marta-Lucía Ramírez is the first woman to be elected and serve as Deputy Head of State and Government (Vice President) in the history of Colombia. In that capacity, she has sought to improve transparency, fight corruption, achieve gender equity, improve infrastructure, and increase economic growth. In May 2021 she was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia. Previously, she served as Colombia’s Minister of Trade (1998), Colombian Ambassador to France (2002), Minister of Defence (2002-2003) and Senator (2006-2009). As the first and only woman to have served as Minister of Defence she created the Armed Forces’ School of Human Rights and sought to promote women in service by allowing them to reach the rank of general for the first time in Colombian history.

Against the backdrop of Ireland’s decision to join the OECD/G20 agreement on international corporation tax and the economic recovery from COVID-19, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD delivers a keynote address to the IIEA on the future of Ireland’s industrial policy. The Tánaiste addresses how global developments will shape Ireland’s strategy to continue to attract high-value foreign direct investment, how the Government will support indigenous growth post-pandemic and will outline Ireland’s approach to trade policy as a member of an EU that is embracing greater ‘strategic autonomy’. About the Speaker: Leo Varadkar TD is the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment having been appointed in June 2020. He was appointed the Leader of Fine Gael having been elected to the position by the Party’s Electoral College system in 2017. He was the youngest ever Taoiseach from June 2017 to June 2020. He previously served as Minister for Social Protection from May 2016 to June 2017, and Minister for Health from July 2014 to May 2016. He served as Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport from March 2011 to July 2014. Mr Varadkar was first elected to Dáil Eireann in 2007 and is a TD for Dublin West.

In the coming decades, the role of further and higher education, including an increased emphasis on apprenticeships and further education and training (FET), will be critical in meeting modern skills and research needs in the global economy. It will also play a central role in ensuring Ireland remains competitive internationally. In its first Young Professionals Network (YPN) event of 2022, the IIEA welcomes Simon Harris TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science who discusses the future of further and higher education in Ireland. About the Speaker: Simon Harris TD is a native of County Wicklow and was first elected to Dáil Éireann in the 2011 General Election as the youngest member of the 31st Dáil. He was reelected in the 2016 and 2020 elections. Deputy Harris has served as Minister of State in the Departments of Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of the Taoiseach with Special Responsibility for OPW, Public Procurement and International Banking (including IFSC). Deputy Harris was Minister for Health in 2016 to 2020 during the first wave of Ireland’s Covid-19 pandemic. In his present role as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Minister Harris has prioritised the delivery of regional technological universities, reform and integration of the third level system including apprenticeships, advancing social inclusion and equality in education and developing Ireland’s human capital through education, skills and training.

International data flows play a central role in the European economy, particularly when it comes to the processes of digitalisation. At the same time, international flows of personal data can present risks to the fundamental rights of European citizens. Legal conflicts concerning international data flows can also pose uncertainties for businesses, as was demonstrated by the Schrems II judgement of July 2020. In this event an expert panel discusses how Europe can best promote the benefits of international data flows while protecting European citizens’ fundamental rights. This expert panel includes: Bruno Gencarelli, Head of Unit for International Data Flows and Protection Una Fitzpatrick, Director of Technology Ireland

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is the largest combined arms operation to take place in Europe since the Second World War, and a watershed moment in modern European history. It prompts questions about whether Europe is exiting the era of the "Long Peace" and entering a more turbulent epoch. This conflict has led EU Member States, such as Germany, to review national positions on defence, while traditionally non-aligned states are evaluating their own status in this new geopolitical landscape. This IIEA panel discusses Russia’s war in Ukraine and analyses the implications for European and Irish security and defence.     About the Speakers:  Donnacha Ó Beacháin is a professor of Politics at the School of Law and Government, Dublin City University where he lectures on post-Soviet politics and unrecognised states. He has been principal investigator of two major EU-funded projects focusing on the post-Soviet space and is the author of the forthcoming publication The Domestic Politics of Post-Soviet Unrecognised States which is due to be published in 2023.  Judy Dempsey is a Senior Fellow at Carnegie Europe. Judy Dempsey has worked for the International Herald Tribune as a columnist. She was the diplomatic correspondent for the Financial Times covering NATO and European Union enlargement. She is also the author of the book The Merkel Phenomenon published in 2013.  Ben Tonra is a professor of International Relations at UCD School of Politics and International Relations. There, Professor Tonra teaches, researches and publishes in European foreign, security and defence policy, Irish foreign, security and defence policy and International Relations theory.

In his annual State of the Union address to the IIEA, Minister Coveney will reflect on the EU’s central role in tackling the most pressing issues of our day including Conflict, Climate and Covid-19. While he adverts to the successful role that the EU has played around vaccine leadership and pandemic recovery, he warns that we cannot be naïve to the difficulty of the threats we face. He recalls that this moment reminds us that neither peace nor progress are inevitable, but that the experience of recent decades provides evidence that they are always possible. The Minister makes the case that the EU and its partners need to do better to stand up for their values and that these need to be reflected in actions and not just words. The Minister also reflects on the last 50 years of Ireland’s membership of the EU and how this has helped elevate Ireland to a position where it now has a respected and credible voice in international affairs. He argues that this privileged position comes with the responsibility that this voice should be used to continue to advocate for a principled, rules-based and just multi-lateral order. About the Speaker: Simon Coveney TD is the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence. He is also the Deputy Leader of Fine Gael. He previously served as Tánaiste from November 2017 to June 2020, and Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government as well as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. He was appointed as Minister for Defence for the first time in 2014 and for a second time in 2020. He represents the Cork South Central constituency.

Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland discusses developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Israel, and the region, as well as their implications for the Middle East peace process. Looking ahead, the Special Coordinator assesses challenges and opportunities in supporting the peace process in the current environment. As part of the IIEA's Global Europe Project, this webinar was supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs About the Speaker: Mr. Wennesland serves as the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, as well as the Envoy of the Secretary-General to the Quartet. Mr. Wennesland is a career diplomat who joined the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1983. Until his appointment as Special Coordinator, Mr. Wennesland was Norway’s Special Envoy to the Middle East Peace Process, which included responsibility for Norway’s chairmanship of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee.

In order to mark International Women’s Day 2022, the IIEA welcomes distinguished panellists, Shona Murray and Mary Regan for a conversation entitled Reporting the EU. This panel discussion focuses on gender equality in the EU, the success or failure of EU initiatives to address gender issues and the divergences between Member States on women’s rights. This discussion is framed by the overarching theme of gender equality and lived experiences reporting on EU affairs to wide-ranging audiences.  About the Speakers: Shona Murray is Europe correspondent with Euronews. Previously she was Political Correspondent with the Irish Independent, and Foreign Affairs correspondent with Newstalk. She has specialized in Brexit and has reported from dozens of countries such as Israel/Gaza, Iraq, Turkey/Syria border, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Haiti and Guantanamo Bay. She is alum of the US State Department Edward R. Murrow programme for journalists. Mary Regan is an award-winning journalist who has covered politics for both print and broadcast for more than ten years. She currently works as political reporter for RTE News and contributes reports and analysis to a wide range of programmes for the broadcaster and presents the European Parliament Report. From Galway, she has a BA in Journalism from DCU and MA in European Studies from UCD.  She joined RTE from the Sunday Business Post where she held the positions of News Editor and Public Affairs Editor. She was previously Political Editor for the Irish Examiner UTV Ireland.  In 2012, Mary was invited by the US State Department to take part in the prestigious International Visitor Leadership Programme for emerging young leaders.

In her address to the IIEA, Professor Anu Bradford of Columbia Law School, explores her seminal work on the “Brussels Effect” about how the European Union plays a powerful role as a global regulatory power, and how this role may evolve in the future in the context of regulatory battles for the digital economy between the EU, US and China. About the Speaker: Anu Bradford is Henry L. Moses Professor of Law and International Organizations at Columbia Law School. She is also a director for Columbia’s European Legal Studies Center, a Senior Scholar at Jerome A. Chazen Institute for Global Business at Columbia Business School and a nonresident scholar in the Europe Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Her research focuses on international trade law, European Union law and comparative and international antitrust law. She holds an S.J.D. and LL.M. from Harvard Law School, and a law degree from the University of Finland. Prior to her academic career, Professor Bradford practiced competition and EU law in Brussels, and was an advisor in the Finnish Parliament and the European Parliament. She is the author of “The Brussels Effect: How the European Union Rules the World” (OUP 2020), named one of the Best Books of 2020 by Foreign Affairs, and of the forthcoming “Battle for the Soul of the Global Internet” (OUP 2023).

In his address to the IIEA, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson outlines the position of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. He outlines why he believes removing the Irish Sea border is essential for Northern Ireland's place in the UK Internal Market and for the constitutional integrity of the UK as a whole. He also discusses the implications of the Protocol for North-South cooperation. About the Speaker: The Rt. Hon Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP is the leader of the DUP and has been MP for the Lagan Valley constituency since 1997. Sir Jeffrey became the Leader of the DUP on Thursday, 30 June 2021. He previously served as an MLA, also for Lagan Valley, from 2003-2010. During that time, he was appointed as Chairman of the Assembly & Executive Review Committee and subsequently as a Junior Minister in the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

According to Bruno Maçães, a new competition was already underway between alternative geopolitical models prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Maçães argues that the greatest threat to national security is no longer other states, but the environment itself. This, in turn, raises the question as to which countries will emerge as the winners and losers in a new geopolitical order. In his address to the IIEA, Mr Maçães explores how COVID-19 has already transformed the global system, and how it serves as a prelude to a planet afflicted with climate change. About the Speaker: Bruno Maçães is a Senior Advisor at Flint Global and Senior Fellow at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies. A former Secretary of State for European Affairs for Portugal, he is the author of several books, including: ‘Geopolitics for the End Time: From the Pandemic to the Climate Crisis’; ‘Belt and Road: A Chinese World Order’; ‘History has Begun: The Birth of a New America’; and ‘The Dawn of Eurasia: On the Trail of the New World Order’. He advises some of the world's leading companies on geopolitics and technology.

The Conference on the Future of Europe Citizens’ Panel in Dublin Castle will take place on 25-27 February 2022, hosted by the IIEA, when citizens from across the EU will discuss the future of European economic, cultural, sport and digital policies. This is the third and final event in a series co-organised with the European Parliament Liaison Office in Dublin on the influence and role of the European Parliament in shaping the future of the EU in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe. About the Speakers and Chair: Colm Markey is an MEP representing the Midlands-North-West constituency for Fine Gael since 2020 and currently serves on the Agricultural and Rural Development (AGRI) in the European Parliament. Prior to becoming an MEP, Mr. Markey was a member and former chair of Louth County Council (2009-2020) and is the former president of the Irish young farmers association, Macra na Feirme. He is the current leader of the Louth Leader partnership for SMEs and runs a family farm in Togher, Co. Louth. Laurence Farreng is a French MEP representing Mouvement Démocrate (MoDem) since 2019, and is also a local councillor and the former Director of Communication, Events and Protocol for the city of Pau in southwestern France. Ms. Farreng is the Renew Europe Group Coordinator for the Culture and Education (CULT) Committee in the European Parliament, a member of the European Parliament’s delegation to the Conference on the Future of Europe and is the founder of the Bonjour l’Europe initiative facilitating youth placements in cities and universities across Europe. Josianne Cutajar MEP has represented the Maltese Labour Party in the European Parliament since 2019. She is the Vice-President of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand and serves on the Industry, Energy and Research (ITRE) Committee focusing on digital policy and the single market. Before becoming an MEP, Ms. Cutajar worked in the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta where she worked on issues of equal gender representation, domestic and gender-based violence. She holds a Doctor of Laws and a Masters of Laws in European and Comparative Law from the University of Malta. The event chair is David Farrell, Professor of Politics at University College Dublin (UCD), and Chair of the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR). Professor Farrell is an internationally regarded expert in political representation, elections, deliberative democracy and mini-publics. He has served as a research leader of the Irish Citizens’ Assembly, a member of the Stewarding Group of the Scottish Citizens’ Assembly and the Welsh Assembly's Expert Panel on Electoral Reform. Professor Farrell previously served as the Head of the School of Politics and International Relations at UCD, and professor and head of social sciences at the University of Manchester. He holds a PhD from the European University Institute in Florence, Italy.

As debate surrounding the future of the EU’s fiscal rules and the implementation of the bloc’s COVID-19 recovery fund continues, and with important international developments in corporate taxation and trade set to impact the future of Ireland’s economy, the IIEA welcomes Pearse Doherty T.D., Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson on Finance, to deliver a keynote address. Deputy Doherty provides Sinn Féin’s perspective on the EU’s economic policy priorities and outlines Sinn Féin’s policies to shape Ireland’s place in the global economy. About the Speaker: Pearse Doherty is the Finance Spokesperson and Deputy Leader in Dáil Éireann for Sinn Féin, serving as TD for the constituency of Donegal and formerly Donegal South-West since 2010. He is currently a member of the Ard Comhairle of the party and a member of the Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure & Reform, and Taoiseach.

This seminar explores the potential of the European hydrogen economy. Hydrogen is expected to play an important role in achieving a carbon-neutral economy in Europe by 2050. Green hydrogen also has many possible applications in the Irish context, and while currently representing a modest fraction of the global energy mix, projections indicate that clean hydrogen could meet approximately 25% of the world’s energy demand by mid-century. In recent years, several European countries, including Portugal and Germany, have issued comprehensive national hydrogen strategies. These frameworks provide critical insights for Ireland as policymakers consider the role for green hydrogen in meeting the state’s climate and energy targets. In this session, three international experts explore the potential role of green hydrogen as the EU transitions to a carbon-neutral future.  About the Speakers:   Dr Isabel Cabrita is Professor of Energy Solutions at the Institute of Education and Sciences, Lisbon. She also serves as a Researcher at CERENA, a Portuguese research and technological development institute which specialises in innovative and sustainable energy solutions. From 2015-2021, she was Head of Research Directorate-General of Energy and Geology, Portugal. In this role, Dr Cabrita oversaw the implementation of the Portuguese Energy and Climate Plan, and Portugal’s National Hydrogen Strategy. Dr Cabrita has produced more than 300 publications and served as guest editor of an edition of Energies in 2021. Franz Lehner is Head of International Cooperation at NOW GmbH, the German Organisation for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology. NOW GmbH is responsible for the coordination and management of the German Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology and the Electromobility Model Regions programme of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure of Germany. An engineer by training, Mr Lehner has more than 10 years of professional experience focusing on hydrogen, fuel cells, renewable fuels and electric mobility. Before joining NOW in early 2021, Mr Lehner was Managing Consultant at the international energy transition consulting firm E4tech in Lausanne, Switzerland. From 2014-2019, he co-authored the annual Fuel Cell Industry Review published by E4Tech, the global benchmark report in this sector.  Shiva Dustdar is Head of Innovation Finance Advisory at the European Investment Bank. A leading innovation finance expert with over 25 years of experience at J.P. Morgan, Fitch Ratings and now at EIB, she specialises in identifying future investment opportunities and developing new business and market opportunities to finance the transition to a green and digital economy. Ms Dustdar co-founded the European High Yield Association (EHYA), which is now part of the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME). In 2006, she was listed in the ‘Top 50 Women in Credit’ by Credit Magazine. Ms Dustdar Shiva holds a BA in Economics from Columbia University and an Executive MBA from London Business School.

With the pandemic forcing governments across the world to borrow at record levels to fund the economic response to the pandemic, the world now faces an important debate regarding the future of its economic policy and its tolerance of higher levels of debt. As the EU undergoes an important debate regarding the future of its fiscal rules, the IIEA welcomes Nobel Laureate economist Joseph E. Stiglitz, University Professor at Columbia University, who shares his perspective on what role fiscal policy should play in a post-pandemic world. About the Speaker: Joseph E. Stiglitz is an American economist and a professor at Columbia University. He is also the co-chair of the High-Level Expert Group on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress at the OECD, and the Chief Economist of the Roosevelt Institute. A recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences (2001) and the John Bates Clark Medal (1979), he is a former senior vice president and chief economist of the World Bank and a former member and chairman of the (US president's) Council of Economic Advisers. In 2000, Stiglitz founded the Initiative for Policy Dialogue, a think tank on international development based at Columbia University. He has been a member of the Columbia faculty since 2001 and received that university's highest academic rank (university professor) in 2003. In 2011 Stiglitz was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

In her address to the IIEA, Vice President of the European Commission, Věra Jourová outlines the importance of the media sector as a pillar of democracy. However, she describes how this vital pillar is cracking, with attempts by governments and private groups to put pressure on the media. For this reason, the Commission is stepping up efforts to protect the independence and the pluralism of the media. Vice President Jourová highlights the necessity for journalists to be able to do their work, inform citizens and hold power to account, without fear or favour. About the Speaker: Věra Jourová is currently Vice President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency and deals with democracy, rule of law, media pluralism and the fight against disinformation. From 2014 to 2019, she served as EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality. In 2014, before arriving to the European Commission, Ms Jourová held the position of Minister for Regional Development in the Czech Republic. Previous to this, from 2006 to 2013, she worked in her own company as an international consultant on European Union funding and activities in the Western Balkans relating to European Union Accession.

In the inaugural lecture of the IIEA’s Development Matters lecture series, which is supported by Irish Aid, Mr Mardini discusses the current humanitarian landscape including the many challenges faced by the ICRC in today’s conflicts. He covers issues from the nature of modern warfare, including autonomous weapon systems and the risks around data protection and misinformation, to the politicisation of aid. Mr Mardini also assesses the continuing challenges of responding to complex humanitarian needs during a global pandemic. In his address, Mr Mardini shares the ICRC’s priorities for the year ahead. About the Speaker: Robert Mardini is Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), responsible for steering the organisation’s global humanitarian activities and its 20,000 staff in more than 100 countries. With a master’s degree in civil engineering and hydraulics from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Robert began his ICRC career in 1997, going on to serve as Deputy Director-General (2010-2012), Regional Director for the Near & Middle East (2012-2018) and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and Head of Delegation in New York (2018-2020).

During this panel discussion, our speakers address the evolving global security environment. Tensions between the United States and China have been on the rise in recent years. Relations between Europe and the wider Western world on the one hand and Russia on the other have deteriorated steadily. Fears of a full-scale war in Eastern Europe are now real. In the light of these developments, some small neutral countries in Western Europe are reassessing their security arrangements. Though still protected by geography, these rising tensions are affecting Ireland, not least as Russia has only recently relocated its planned naval exercise outside of Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone.   About the Speakers:  Vice Admiral Mark Mellett (ret.) is a former Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces. He has also held the position of Flag Officer, Officer Commanding Naval Operations, Commandant of the Naval College and Associate Head of the National Maritime College of Ireland.  Dr Ulrike Franke is a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). She leads ECFR’s technology and European Power initiatives. Her areas of focus include European security and defense, the future of warfare, and the impacts of new technologies on geopolitics and warfare.   Dr Thomas Wright  is the Director of the Center on the United States and Europe and a Senior Fellow in the Project on International Order and Strategy at the Brookings Institution. He is also a contributing writer for The Atlantic and a nonresident fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy. His most recent book, Aftershocks: Pandemic Politics and the End of the Old International Order, was published in August 2021 by St Martin's Press.

The Clingendael Institute in the Netherlands and the Institute of International and European Affairs in Ireland are pleased to present this public webinar: Navigating Europe’s digital transition: Recalibrating industrial policy, EU connectivity and international partnerships. This event is part of a transnational project called Europe’s Digital Future, which is coordinated by the IIEA and supported by Google. The project aims to explore the concept of digital sovereignty and what future it might herald for the EU and for small, open economies. Governments around the world are struggling to deal with the rapid development of digital technologies and the various policy challenges to which these technologies give rise. How can policymakers balance the interests of states, businesses and citizens? How can privacy and consumer protection be balanced with state security and economic competitiveness? In this webinar, European policymakers and experts discuss the state of play within the EU and assess how to best navigate the digital transition. The panel particularly examines topics such as the European Commission’s Global Gateway strategy, the EU’s industrial policy and the work of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council.. This panel includes: Maaike Okano-Heijmans, Senior Research Fellow, Clingendael Institute Erik O Donovan, Head of Digital Economy Policy, Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec) Heleen Bakker, Director for European and International Affairs in the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and is moderated by Brigitte Dekker, Associate Fellow, Clingendael Institute.

In his address to the IIEA, Luuk van Middelaar explores the context and consequences of the EU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Union’s evolution from regulatory body to geopolitical actor, as outlined in his latest work, “Pandemonium: Saving Europe”. If Europe is to meet the future challenge of being in between a resurgent China and an increasingly insular United States, van Middelaar contends that the EU must forge a firm political identity and act as a true power amongst world powers. About the Speaker: Luuk van Middelaar is the Professor of Foundations and Practice of the European Union and its Institutions at Leiden University, and one of the world’s foremost experts on European politics. He is a member of the Dutch Advisory Council on International Affairs and Chair of its Commission on European Integration, and is a special advisor to European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans. In addition to his weekly syndicated column on European and international affairs with the Dutch newspaper, NRC Handelsblad, and the author of: “Politicide” (Historische Uitgeverij, 1999); “The Passage to Europe” (Yale University Press, 2009); “Alarums and Excursions: Improvising Politics on the European Stage” (Agenda Publishing, 2019); and, “Pandemonium: Saving Europe” (Agenda Publishing, 2021).

Moderated by Michael Collins, IIEA Director General and former Irish Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Tai considers the future challenges and opportunities for deepening transatlantic trade and the role of the transatlantic partnership in the global trading economy. About the Speaker: Ambassador Katherine Tai was sworn in as the 19th United States Trade Representative on March 18, 2021. As a member of the President’s Cabinet, Ambassador Tai is the principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on U.S. trade policy. Prior to her unanimous confirmation, Ambassador Tai spent most of her career in public service focusing on international economic diplomacy, monitoring, and enforcement serving as Chief Trade Counsel and Trade Subcommittee Staff Director for the House Ways and Means Committee in the United States Congress. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Yale University and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.

While COVID-19 has been ever present for almost two years now, the spread of the new Omicron variant has brought the virus back to the top of the political agenda. As well as this reflecting on the latest COVID situation, our panel explores topics ranging from the outcome of COP26, global tax reform, what a new German Chancellor may mean for the future direction of the EU and, last but not least, the ongoing, never-ending negotiations on EU-UK relations and the future of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. About the Speakers: Shona Murray is Europe correspondent with Euronews. Previously she was Political Correspondent with the Irish Independent, and Foreign Affairs correspondent with Newstalk. She’s specialized in Brexit and has reported from dozens of countries such as Israel/Gaza, Iraq, Turkey/Syria border, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Haiti and Guantanamo Bay. She holds an M.Phil in International Peace and an LL.M in international law - both from Trinity College Dublin. She is alum of the US State Department Edward R. Murrow programme for journalists. Conor O’Neill is Head of Policy & Advocacy at Christian Aid Ireland, an international aid and development NGO based in Dublin and Belfast. He leads the organisation's work on climate change and economic justice, focusing on issues of human rights, corporate accountability, tax avoidance and inequality between the global North and South. He previously worked as a researcher and advisor in the Oireachtas, in the EU institutions and with a human rights NGO in Brussels. He has a BA and an MSc in Politics from Trinity College, Dublin. Aidan Regan is an Associate Professor at the School of Politics and International Relations at University College Dublin (UCD) and a Columnist with the Business Post. He is Director of UCD's Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence in the New Political Economy of Europe, and Director of Graduate Master Studies at the School of Politics. Aidan completed his PhD in Public Policy at the College of Social Science at UCD, whilst also working at the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS), at the University of Amsterdam.

In his address to the IIEA, Minister Coveney reflects on Ireland’s first year as an elected member of the UN Security Council. He outlines some of Ireland’s core achievements, review Ireland’s Presidency of the Security Council in September 2021, and briefly looks ahead to what is on the agenda for 2022. As part of the IIEA's Global Europe project, this webinar is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs, About the Speaker: Simon Coveney TD is the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence. He is also the Deputy Leader of Fine Gael. He previously served as Tánaiste from 30 November, 2017 to 27 June, 2020, and Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government as well as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. He was appointed as Minister for Defence for the first time in 2014 and for a second time in 2020. He represents the Cork South Central constituency.

In the eighth and final webinar of the 2021 Development Matters lecture series, which is supported by Irish Aid, Dr Mike Ryan joins Minister Colm Brophy to consider global health preparedness and response for the future. They explore our collective responsibility in the context of global public health security. They will also address the issue of global vaccine equity in the context of COVID-19 variants and discuss how public health systems, tools and infrastructure might be improved in regions least equipped to mitigate health emergencies. About the Speakers: Dr Mike Ryan was appointed Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme in 2019, having served as Assistant Director-General for Emergency Preparedness and Response from 2017 to 2019. Dr Ryan has worked at the forefront of managing acute risks to global health for nearly 25 years. He first joined the WHO in 1996. Colm Brophy is a Fine Gael TD representing Dublin South-West. He was appointed Minister of State with responsibility for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora in July 2020. Minister Brophy was first elected to the Dáil in 2016 and during his first term served as Chairman of the Budgetary Oversight Committee and a Member of both the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality and the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs. Prior to this, Minister Brophy was a Member of South Dublin County Council. He is a former President of the Association of Irish Local Government.

Mr D’Cunha outlines how the European Data Act will seek to ensure that Europe can harness its data for the benefit of its economy and society. Mr D’Cunha explains that the act will address how businesses currently share data and promote greater data sharing while ensuring fair allocation of value from data. The act will also empower the rights of consumers regarding co-generated data and seek to ensure that data works for wider society rather than just a small number of companies About the Speaker: Christian D’Cunha works in the data policy and innovation unit of DG CONNECT in the European Commission. He has been involved in devising the EU’s cybersecurity strategy and in coordinating EU interoperable COVID-19 contact tracing apps. He previously served as Head of the Private Office of the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS). Before joining the EDPS, Mr D’Cunha was involved in leading the review of the data retention directive and in negotiations on the EU’s internal security strategy.

Global demand for micro-chips has exploded. Today a worldwide shortage of semi-conductors is disrupting supply-chains of everything from cars to smartphones to the gaming consoles that normally see a peak in sales this time of year. This comes at a time when Europe’s share across the semi-conductor value chain has shrunk, leaving the EU dependent on chips from Asia. In addition, the havoc wreaked by COVID-19 on supply chains suggests that being dependent is being vulnerable, especially in a global environment characterised by trade wars and geopolitical power games. It is against this backdrop that European Commission president von der Leyen in September announced a European Chips Act to promote European chips production. Proponents say this will give Europe its security of supply. Opponents say it will fail to guarantee supply, whilst making us poorer and less productive in the process. This event features a panel of expert speakers to discuss these issues, including: Kim Jørgensen, Head of Cabinet of European Commission Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager; Thomas Bustrup, Deputy Director General of the Confederation of Danish Industry; and Greg Slater, Director of Global Regulatory Affairs at Intel. Think Tank EUROPA in Denmark and the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in Ireland look forward to welcoming you to this event. This event is part of a project entitled Europe’s Digital Future, which is exploring the topic of digital sovereignty in Europe. The project is coordinated by the IIEA and is supported by Google. About the Speakers: Kim Jørgensen, Head of Cabinet of European Commission vice-president for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager Thomas Bustrup, Deputy Director General of the Confederation of Danish Industry Greg Slater, Director of Global Regulatory Affairs at Intel  This expert panel will be moderated by Catharina Sørensen, Deputy Director of Think Tank EUROPA.

In his address to the IIEA, Professor Michael Ignatieff explores the reasons behind the rise of illiberal democracy in Eastern Europe and why universities are among the targets of these illiberal regimes. He notes that the move of the Central European University from Budapest to Vienna marked a low point for free speech and civil society in Hungary and is part of a wider challenge to liberal democracy which appears to be on the ascent throughout the European Union. From his experience as Rector of the Central European University, and as a noted commentator on illiberalism, Michael Ignatieff discusses the role of history in fuelling illiberalism in Eastern Europe and the importance of facing the truth about the past in order to overcome the challenges of today. About the Speaker: Michael Ignatieff is a Canadian writer, historian and former politician, former Rector of Central European University in Budapest and Vienna, and now professor of history there. He is the author of many books including his latest On Consolation: Finding Solace in Dark Times.

This seminar is part of the REthink Energy lecture series, which is co-organised by the IIEA and ESB. On this occasion, a distinguished panel, will reflect on the outcome of COP26. In this conversation-style seminar, chaired by Alex White SC, chair of the IIEA Energy Group, the speakers examine some of the major developments agreed in the Glasgow Climate Pact and also discuss the significance of the sectoral coalitions formed during COP26, such as the ‘Beyond Coal and Gas Alliance’ and the Global Methane Pledge. The panellists provide a range of perspectives and discuss the impact of COP26 on Ireland’s climate priorities, on the EU’s Green Deal agenda, and on the international community, in particular, on least developed countries. About the Speakers: Professor Morgan Bazilian is the Director of the Payne Institute for Public Policy and Professor at the Colorado School of Mines. Previously, he was Lead Energy Specialist at the World Bank. His work has been published in Science, Nature, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Previously Professor Bazilian was a senior diplomat at the United Nations. He has served as the EU’s lead negotiator on technology at previous UN climate negotiations. Professor Bazilian is also a member of Ireland’s Climate Change Advisory Council. Connie Hedegaard is Chair of the European Commission’s Mission Board on Adaptation to Climate Change, an element of the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. She also serves as Chair of the OECD’s Round Table for Sustainable Development and as Chair of Aarhus University. From 2010-2014, Ms Hedegaard was European Commissioner for Climate Action. Previously, she was Minister for Environment and Minister for Climate and Energy, Denmark. Alicia O’Sullivan is a law student and Quercus Scholar for Active Citizenship at University College Cork (UCC). Ms O’Sullivan represented UCC and World YMCA at COP26. Previously, she represented Ireland at the first UN Youth Climate Summit. Ms O’Sullivan has also served as an Ocean Ambassador for Ireland. She is currently the Environmental Officer at UCC Students’ Union.  Dr Sinéad Walsh is the Climate Director at the Department of Foreign Affairs. Previously, Dr Walsh served as EU Ambassador to South Sudan. Prior to this, she was Irish Ambassador to Sierra Leone and Liberia. Dr Walsh is the co-author of the book ‘Getting to Zero’, which recounts her experience as a diplomat on the frontline of the Ebola crisis in West Africa.

In-conversation with Alex White, Chair of the IIEA’s Energy Group, Alice C. Hill explores and outlines her core arguments made in her latest book, The Fight for Climate After COVID-19, in which she argues the global response to COVID-19 can serve as a lesson for the urgency and scale of the response required to avert climate disaster. She also offers her analysis on the outcome of COP26 and shares her views on the Biden Administration’s approach to climate action. About the Speaker: Alice C. Hill is the David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Her work at CFR focuses on the risks, consequences, and responses associated with climate change. She previously served as Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and Senior Director for Resilience Policy on the National Security Council, where she led the development of national policy to build resilience to catastrophic risks, including climate change and biological threats. Prior to this, she served as Senior Counselor to the Secretary of Homeland Security, where she led the formulation of Department's first-ever climate adaptation plan and the development of strategic plans regarding catastrophic biological and chemical threats, including pandemics. She is co-author of Building a Resilient Tomorrow (2019) and author of The Fight for Climate After COVID-19 (2021).

The Conference on the Future of Europe is a joint undertaking by the European Parliament, Commission and Council which aims to open a new space for debate and engagement with citizens from all corners of Europe on the future of the EU and incorporate their views on key economic, environmental and geopolitical issues into EU policymaking and strategy. This webinar explores the role of the European Parliament and of national parliaments like the Oireachtas in shaping Europe’s future, and what it may mean for Ireland and the EU. This event is part of a series co-organised with the European Parliament Liaison Office in Dublin ahead of the European Citizens’ Panel. About the Speakers: Guy Verhofstadt has served as an MEP since 2009, and is a former Belgian Prime Minister and a former president of the Alliance of Liberal Democrats for Europe group (ALDE) in the European Parliament. He is a member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) and the Delegation for relations with the United States, and was the chair of the European Parliament’s Brexit Steering Group. Deirdre Clune is an MEP representing Ireland South for Fine Gael and currently serves on the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), as well as the Delegations for relations with the countries of Central America (DCAM) and to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (DLAT). Before joining the European Parliament, she served as Lord Mayor of Cork, T.D. for Cork South-Central and a Senator for the Cultural and Educational Panel. Senator Alice-Mary Higgins was elected as an Independent on the NUI panel in 2016 to Seanad Éireann, and re-elected in 2020, where she leads the Civil Engagement Group, and is a member of the Committees on Environment and Climate Action, Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, and on Disability Matters. Before her election to the Seanad, she was policy coordinator at the National Women’s Council of Ireland, a member of the Executive of the European Women’s Lobby in Brussels, and has worked for NGOs including the Older and Bolder alliance, Trócaire and Comhlámh on homecare, climate change, peace-building and anti-racism. Jane Suiter is a Professor in the School of Communications at Dublin City University (DCU), Director fo the DCU Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society, and is an expert on the information environment in the public sphere, scaling up deliberation and tackling disinformation. She is the senior Research Fellow on the Irish Citizens’ Assembly on gender equality, a founding member of We the Citizens, Ireland’s first deliberative experiment and a member of the Stewarding Group on the Scottish Citizens’ Assembly and of the OECD's FutureDemocracy network. Professor Suiter was named the Irish Research Council's Researcher of the Year in 2020.

In his address to the IIEA, Guy Ryder, Director-General of the International Labour Organization, argues that the pandemic is continuing to have tremendous impacts on employment and at a global level labour market recovery is flat-lining, with enduring damage to many groups and sectors. He argues that comprehensive global responses are needed to address the challenges we face. In his address, Mr Ryder shares his perspective on the future of work and discusses how the world can develop an approach that puts workers at the heart of our economic policy in the years ahead. About the Speaker: Guy Ryder was first elected Director-General of the International Labour Organization in 2012 and started a second term in 2017. His vision is for an ILO that anticipates and responds effectively to 21st century realities, reaching the most vulnerable and remaining true to its social justice mandate. From 2006-10 he was General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, having led the unification of the democratic international trade union movement. He is a graduate of Cambridge University.

In the second interview of the Global Europe podcast series, IIEA Researcher Ross Fitzpatrick talks to Ireland’s new UN Youth Delegates, Diandra Ní Bhuachalla and Treasa Cadogan, on their ambitions and goals for the year ahead.

This event is part of the Environmental Resilience lecture series, co-organised by the IIEA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). On this occasion, Clare Miflin argues that sustainable, prosperous and liveable cities of the future will need to be ‘zero waste’. She highlights that waste is a design flaw and that circular material systems can help regenerate cities, communities, and surrounding ecosystems for a healthier and more resilient future. Ms Miflin also outlines the important role that design of the built environment plays in the transition away from a linear economy and towards a circular economy. In her address, Ms Miflin draws on her experience as the development-lead of the Zero Waste Design Guidelines for New York City. These guidelines serve as resource and inspiration for architects, urban designers and developers to help cities across the world reach zero waste goals. About the Speaker: Clare Miflin is an architect and systems thinker with over 20 years of experience designing buildings to the highest environmental standards. She is Certified as a Biomimicry Professional, Architect, Passive House Designer, and LEED professional. Ms Miflin led the development of the Zero Waste Design Guidelines for New York City, through a multidisciplinary collaborative process. These Guidelines serve as resource and inspiration for architects and developers to help cities reach their zero waste goals and are being disseminated and implemented through the Center for Zero Waste Design. Since 2017, Ms Miflin has served as co-chair of the American Institute of Architecture NY ‘Committee on the Environment’.

In his address to the IIEA, Ivan Krastev argues that the COVID-19 pandemic marks the real beginning of the 21st century, abruptly turning Europeans to face the future. The political challenge presented by COVID-19 confronted European leaders with a strategic choice: they can either fight to preserve a globalised world of open borders, or work towards a softer version of de-globalisation. He contends that the great paradox of the pandemic was that it was the EU’s failure rather than its success that demonstrated its relevance and spurred European governments towards deeper integration. About the Speaker: Ivan Krastev is the Chairman of the Centre for Liberal Strategies and permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences, IWM Vienna, and a globally renowned author and political scientist. He is a founding board member of the European Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the Board of Trustees of The International Crisis Group and member of the Board of Directors of GLOBSEC. Ivan Krastev is the author of "Is it Tomorrow, Yet? How the Pandemic Changes Europe" (Allen Lane, 2020); The Light that Failed: A Reckoning (Allen Lane, 2019), co-authored with Stephen Holmes; and “After Europe” (UPenn Press, 2017); among other books.

In his address to the IIEA, Mr Justice Clarke discusses the challenges which are currently posed to the rule of law in the European Union. He outlines his views on the gravity of the threat to the rule of law and examines whether this threat has the potential to be an existential one for the EU. A series of judgements from EU Member State national courts in recent years have questioned the supremacy of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which may have repercussions for judiciaries in other Member States, such as Ireland. Mr Justice Clarke offers a view on what national courts can do to address such challenges. He also addresses potential difficulties stemming from the different ways that membership of the Union and the status of international treaties are addressed in the constitutions of Member States. About the Speaker: Mr. Justice Frank Clarke was Chief Justice of Ireland from July 2017 to October 2021. He was called to the Bar of Ireland in 1973 and to the Inner Bar in 1985. He was appointed a judge of the High Court in 2004 and a judge of the Supreme Court in 2012. He was the ACA-Europe Correspondent for the Supreme Court from 2013 to 2021 and was a Vice-President of the Network of the Presidents of the Supreme Judicial Courts of the European Union. He is a former professor at King's Inns, a Judge in Residence at Griffith College Dublin, an Adjunct Professor of Trinity College Dublin and of University College Cork. He is a member of the panel provided for in Article 255 of the TFEU to provide an opinion on the appointment of judges to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

This presentation is part of the 2021 lecture series, entitled Rethink Energy: Countdown to COP26, which is co-organised by the IIEA and ESB. On this occasion, Professor O’Sullivan discusses how the transition away from fossil fuels will remake the geopolitical landscape. In the wake of the COP26 summit in Glasgow, she focuses on how the increasingly urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is changing the priorities of the great powers, creating new divisions between countries, and offering new sources of geopolitical leverage. Professor O’Sullivan examines the global energy transition, particularly over the next decade as countries meet 2030 targets. She concludes by assessing how the actual efforts to move to a net-zero future will disrupt current patterns of international affairs, long before the world has completed this historically unprecedented energy transition. About the Speaker: Meghan O’Sullivan is the Jeane Kirkpatrick Professor of the Practice of International Affairs and Director of the Geopolitics of Energy Project at Harvard Kennedy School. She is also the Chair of the North American Group of the Trilateral Commission. Professor O’Sullivan is an award-winning author, most recently of Windfall: How the New Energy Abundance Upends Global Politics and Strengthens America’s Power. From July 2013 to December 2013, Professor O’Sullivan was the Vice Chair of the All Party Talks in Northern Ireland. She was also special assistant to President George W. Bush and Deputy National Security Advisor from 2004-2007. She is on the board of Raytheon Technologies and is a member of the International Advisory Group for Linklaters. Professor O’Sullivan was awarded the Defense Department’s highest honor for civilians. She holds a B.A. from Georgetown University and a masters and doctorate from Oxford University.

At this YPN webinar discussion, we hear political, expert and industry perspectives on the challenges presented by climate change for Irish society. The panel offers their reflections on the outcome of the COP26 Summit in Glasgow, taking place 31 October to 12 November, and considers whether Ireland will be able to show the necessary level of ambition to meet its climate action commitments. About the Speakers: Ciarán Cuffe is a Green MEP representing Dublin following his election in 2019. In the European Parliament, he is a Member of the Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee and the Transport and Tourism (TRAN) Committee. He previously served as Dublin City Councillor, a T.D. for Dún Laoghaire, and Minister of State for Horticulture, Sustainable Travel, Planning and Heritage. Dr Hannah Daly is a Lecturer in Sustainable Energy and Energy Systems Modelling at University College Cork. Her research focuses on modelling and developing sustainable pathways for the energy system, encompassing energy access, climate change and air pollution. Before joining UCC, Hannah worked at the International Energy Agency (IEA) as an Energy Modeller from 2015-2019. She completed her PhD in Energy and Transport Modelling in 2012 and her BSc in Mathematics in 2009, both from UCC. Robbie Aherne serves as Head of Future Networks with EirGrid, a position he has held since February 2020. He has worked with EirGrid, the semi-state body responsible for operating Ireland’s national electricity grid, for over 16 years and has held number senior roles, including: Head of Public Engagement and Head of New Connections. He received his MSc in Electrical Power Systems from the University of Bath in 2013 and completed his Degree in Electrical Engineering in UCC in 2003.

In his address to the IIEA, Pierre Vimont discusses the quest for genuine European Strategic Autonomy and its implications for transatlantic relations and EU neighbourhood policy. He highlights the need for the EU to adopt a more geopolitical mindset, and explores the new foreign policy priorities and dimensions which the Union must now address, including the Indo-Pacific region, Africa, and in the areas of digital and climate. About the Speaker: Pierre Vimont is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe. His research focuses on the European Neighbourhood Policy, transatlantic relations, and French foreign policy. Vimont was the first executive secretary-general of the European External Action Service (EEAS), from December 2010 to March 2015. During his thirty-eight-year diplomatic career with the French foreign service, he served as ambassador to the United States from 2007 to 2010, ambassador to the European Union from 1999 to 2002, and chief of staff to three former French foreign ministers. He holds the title, Ambassador of France, a dignity bestowed for life to only a few French career diplomats.

In the seventh webinar of the 2021 Development Matters lecture series, which is supported by Irish Aid, Ambassador Peter Thomson, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, addresses the importance of the Ocean and of the Sustainable Blue Economy for Small Island Developing States in the context of the COP26 summit in Glasgow. He also reflects on opportunities for Ireland to act as a catalyst for Ocean action. Ambassador Peter Thomson is the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, in which role he drives global support for Sustainable Development Goal 14, to conserve and sustainably use the Ocean’s resources. He served as President of the UN General Assembly from 2016-2017. He was the Permanent Representative of Fiji to the UN from 2010-2016, during which time he was also elected as President of the International Seabed Authority’s Assembly and Council. Ambassador Thomson is a founding Co-Chair of the Friends of Ocean Action and is a supporting member of the High-Level Panel for Sustainable Ocean Economy.

In his address to the IIEA, Thomas Wright reflects on the strain the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on the international order. Arguing this is the first crisis in decades without a glimmer of American leadership, he outlines how the COVID crisis broke against a global backdrop of rising nationalism, backsliding democracy, declining public trust in governments, mounting rebellion against the inequalities produced by globalisation, resurgent great power competition, and plummeting international cooperation. Drawing on his latest book, Aftershocks: Pandemic Politics and the End of the Old International Order, co-written with Colin Khal, he discusses the implications of this crisis for the international order. About the Speakers: Thomas Wright is the Director of the Centre on the United States and Europe and a Senior Fellow in the Project on International Order and Strategy at the Brookings Institution. He is also a contributing writer for The Atlantic and a nonresident fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy. His most recent book, Aftershocks: Pandemic Politics and the End of the Old International Order, was published in August 2021 by St Martin's Press. He is also author of All Measures Short of War: The Contest For the 21st Century and the Future of American Power (2017). Tom has a doctorate from Georgetown University, a Master of Philosophy from Cambridge University, and a BA and MA from University College Dublin.

In his address to the IIEA, Hans Kribbe discusses both the need for making deals with strongmen like Xi, Putin and Erdoğan and the type of diplomacy that such deal making requires. In 2019, in a much-debated strategy paper on China, the European Commission for the first time introduced the notion of China as a “systemic rival”. However, it went on to explain that it continued to see China as a partner it could do deals with, for example on climate politics and trade. In his discussion, Dr Kribbe explores the question of how this apparent contradiction can be combined in a single, coherent policy. He argues that, in order to engage in the sort of power diplomacy this requires, Europe cannot escape making some tough choices. About the Speaker: Hans Kribbe is the author of The Strongmen: European Encounters with Sovereign Power (Agenda Publishing 2020). He has a PhD from the London School of Economics and has worked as a speechwriter and adviser to European Commissioners responsible for the single market and competition policy. From 2006 to 2014 he advised Vladimir Putin’s press and communications team at the Kremlin. More recently he founded political advisory firm Shearwater and advises the Dutch Foreign Ministry on EU industrial policy.

In her address to the IIEA, Petra Hielkema, the new Chairperson of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), outlines her priorities to build a more effective and equitable financial system during her five-year term. She discusses the European Commission’s proposed review of the Solvency II Directive, as well as EIOPA’s Opinion on the Solvency II Directive, and consider how to ensure better co-ordination of insurance and occupational pensions supervision at EU level. Ms Hielkema also discusses how the insurance and pensions industry can remain resilient in dealing with the economic shock caused by COVID-19, as well as how the industry can embrace the green and digital transitions.   About the Speaker:  Petra Hielkema is Chairperson of EIOPA and has led the Authority since September 2021. Prior to this, she was Division Director of Insurance Supervision at DNB, the Dutch Central Bank. Petra joined DNB in February 2007 and in 2013 she became Head of Insurance Policy. In February 2017, she was appointed as Director of Payments and Market Infrastructures and was responsible for the payments and collateral operations of the central bank, oversight, policy and cyber-intelligence. Petra was previously an Alternate Member of the EIOPA Board of Supervisors and was also the Chair of the EIOPA Policy Committee.

In July 2021, Ireland’s Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment launched the Here for Good: National Artificial Intelligence Strategy for Ireland. In his address to the IIEA, Minister Troy discusses how the Government’s National AI Strategy will ensure a responsible and inclusive approach to developing, applying and adopting AI. Minister Troy also outlines how Ireland seeks to harness the potential benefits of AI for business and society. About the Speaker: Robert Troy TD has been the Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital, & Company Regulation since July 2020. He is the Fianna Fáil TD for Longford/Westmeath and was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 2011. He has been a Fianna Fáil frontbench party spokesperson on numerous briefs including for Business, Enterprise & Innovation. He also served on the Oireachtas Committee on Business, Enterprise and Innovation.

In her address to the IIEA, Dr Mathews examines the future of US foreign policy in the wake of the withdrawal from Afghanistan earlier this year. She argues that once attention shifts from tactical errors made in the closing weeks of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan to, what she describes as, “the drifting purpose and self-delusion" of the preceding 20 years, the shock of failure in America’s longest war may provide an open moment to re-examine earlier interventions and to reconsider US foreign policy in the post–Cold War era About the Speaker: Dr Jessica Tuchman Mathews is a Distinguished Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She served as Carnegie’s president for 18 years. Before her appointment in 1997, her career included posts in both the executive and legislative branches of government, in management and research in the non-profit arena, and in journalism and science policy. From 1982 to 1993, she was founding vice president and director of research of the World Resources Institute. Dr Mathews has published widely in newspapers and in foreign policy and scientific journals and has co-authored and co-edited three books. She holds a PhD in molecular biology from the California Institute of Technology and graduated magna cum laude from Radcliffe College.

In this event, Matthew O’Toole MLA presents the SDLP’s vision for the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. He discusses his party’s views on the most recent solutions presented both by the UK Government and the European Commission. He also addresses the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead for Northern Ireland, relations on this island and beyond, following the UK’s exit from the EU. About the Speakers: Matthew O’Toole MLA is a Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician who has served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the Belfast South constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly since January 2020. He was previously Chief Press Officer for Europe at Number 10 Downing Street between 2015 and 2017. As a civil servant, Mr O’Toole helped coordinate UK Government communications efforts during the EU referendum campaign through to the beginning of the formal Brexit negotiations. After leaving Whitehall, he wrote widely on the consequences of Brexit for the island of Ireland, including for the Irish Times, Financial Times, Politico, Guardian and New Statesman.

A webinar session, The Future of the Global Economy: US and Irish Perspectives, featuring major keynote addresses by: Janet Yellen, U.S Secretary of the Treasury; and Paschal Donohoe T.D., Minister for Finance of Ireland & President of the Eurogroup. Following their addresses, both Secretary Yellen and Minister Donohoe will then participate in a moderated conversation with Dan O’Brien, Chief Economist of IIEA. About the Speakers: Janet Yellen was sworn in as the 78th Secretary of the Treasury of the United States in January 2021. An economist by training, she took office after almost fifty years in academia and public service. She is the first person in American history to have led the White House Council of Economic Advisors, the Federal Reserve, and the Treasury Department. Paschal Donohoe TD is Minister for Finance of Ireland, a position he has held since June 2020 having previously served as Minister for Finance & Public Expenditure and Reform from 2016 to 2020. Minister Donohoe has also served as President of the Eurogroup since July 2020. He represents the Dublin Central Constituency and previously served as Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport and Minister of State for European Affairs.

In June 2021, the EU reached agreement on reforms for the new common agricultural policy (CAP) to be implemented in 2023 which aim to make the CAP fairer, greener, and more sustainable in the context of the EU’s Green Deal goals and Farm-to-Fork strategy. How exactly EU Member States will achieve these goals will be determined by national strategic plans, based on the EU’s objectives of socially, environmentally and economically sustainable agriculture. This address from Commissioner Wojciechowski outlines what the future of the CAP will look like, what it will mean for European farmers, and what a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable CAP entails. About the Speaker: Mr. Wojciechowski became European Commissioner for Agriculture in 2019 as part of President von der Leyen’s cabinet. He has previously served as a member of the European Court of Auditors, as an MEP in the European Parliament, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm (Polish Parliament) and as President of the Polish Supreme Audit Office. Prior to entering politics, Mr. Wojciechowski was a member of the National Council of the Judicary of Poland, and a judge at the High of Court of Justice. He holds a Masters of Law from the University of Łódź in Poland.