Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have quite a number of guests today, so I will limit each speaker to about three or four minutes. I ask members to limit their contributions as well. It is a Thursday and I know some members have constituency engagements. We have a photo shoot at 3.15 p.m., so we need to be done and dusted by then. The photo shoot is for Europe Day and all committee members and the Ceann Comhairle will be there.

I ask people, including those in the Visitors Gallery, to switch off their mobile telephones as they interfere with the equipment. Putting them on silent mode does not help.

Today, we are marking Europe Day in the Oireachtas. The committee will begin its consideration of the challenges facing Europe and the changing attitudes to the European Union. We have invited a number of citizen groups. We are joined by representatives of the Irish Countrywomen's Association and Active Retirement Ireland as well as by a number of people from Youth Work Ireland and by Ms Noelle O'Connell, who we all know from the European Movement. We will hear contributions from each of those organisations and then we will have some questions from members.

Anecdotal and statistical evidence points to a decline in support across the European Union for the European project. That decline in support is mirrored somewhat in Ireland as well. At the same time, we have seen a rise in support for extreme right and left-wing politics in Europe. It is, therefore, a useful opportunity, during Europe Week, to have a discussion about this rise in extremism, which is why we invited in these groups from across Irish society to hear their views.

We are keen to find out what they think could be done to try to lead to an increase in support for and engagement in the European project. We are hoping to gain an insight into and better understanding of issues in respect of changing attitudes towards Europe.

Before we begin I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not make charges, criticise or comment on a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to the committee. If you are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and you continue to so do, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of the evidence you give. You are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that you should not criticise or make charges against an entity or individual either by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

We will start with Mrs. Elizabeth Wall, national president of the Irish Countrywomen's Association.