Ms Noelle O'Connell:

I am from Cork and can speak very quickly. We are trying to promote greater engagement and awareness about Europe and the EU and facilitate integration in a context where Ireland is becoming increasingly multicultural. More than 10,000 pupils in 172 schools, located in every county, will be shaking hands for Europe as part of their Europe Week activities. There is a model for what might be done at second level based on the success of this programme at primary level. I would be interested to speak about that with the delegates from Youth Work Ireland.

Deputy Kyne asked about Ireland's relationship with the EU and our view on the decline in trust and a positive image.

That is a really valid point. Our relationship with the EU, as both a country and a people, has certainly matured and it is now less viewed through rose-tinted glasses or from the lofty heights as was the case previously. It is more realistic and grounded. For policy wonks such as myself, Eurobarometer reports are really interesting. When one examines the various charts, it is interesting to note that the increase in distrust corresponds directly to the challenges surrounding the financial crisis. However, the position is stabilising and there is more of an element of realism abroad.

Another matter on which the other speakers touched relates to the role of the media. We are keeping a watching brief with regard to, for example, the way in which the general election campaign in the UK is being reported at present. I think a further session with the committee would be required in order to deal with that matter in detail.

Deputy Keating and others referred to youth projects, language, perception and communication. For decades our organisation has been trying to communicate and distil information on all things relating to the EU in as jargon-free a manner as possible. It is a challenge and it is not easy because one is dealing with the alphabet soup of acronyms. However, we do our best. This matter reflects both the multifaceted and complex nature of the EU and Ireland's relationship with it, but just because that is the case does not mean we should not try. Programmes such as ERASMUS and Youth in Action are very important and beneficial in terms of the positive experiences to which the previous speakers referred. The Chairman inquired about this matter from the perspective of workers and I can inform him that there is the ERASMUS for entrepreneurs programme. In a previous life I worked on the INTERREG programme, which was very successful in promoting SME business links between the south east of Ireland and south-west Wales. That was a really practical and solid way of facilitating that level of cross-border business engagement. The challenge is that we must make it relevant to all ages and all lives.