Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Chairman back from his summer break. I am sure he was very busy down in his constituency all during the summer. I welcome back our staff as well. I welcome the National Youth Council of Ireland and I am delighted it is taking an interest in the White Paper on the Future of Europe because there seems to be little interest in it at present because of Brexit. In fact, people are kind of frozen in time regarding Brexit, and the White Paper on the Future of Europe, which has been published, circulated and discussed, is not really getting that much attention. I thank Mr. Nesirky and Ms Mulhall for their presentations. I welcome Ms Cullen as well to today's meeting. It is a wonderful opportunity for the National Youth Council of Ireland to appear before the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs, and I know the witnesses appreciate that because while it takes a considerable number of votes to get into these Houses, they have the privilege of coming in today to make their case, which they did very well. I wish all three of them a future in politics. I hope they pursue political careers in whichever parties they wish or no party at all.

They have made some very important points. There was a very practical suggestion regarding the local and European elections. They made the point that there is no need for a referendum to allow 16 and 17 year olds a vote in those elections, and all parties and the Government should consider that suggestion very carefully. I believe young people would participate in local elections. The two elections would be held on the one day, I presume, in May. As a result, young people would be involved in having a say in Europe because it really is their future. This was not taken into consideration when Britain voted by 51.9% to leave the European Union. My knowledge of the situation, and the witnesses are probably more aware of this and might be able to respond to it, is that the majority of young people who did so voted to remain. Perhaps that is not correct.

Ms Mulhall mentioned the ERASMUS+ programme. The British Government does not seem to be taking much interest in it. It is one of the very successful initiatives of the EU. My daughter participated in it in Italy and got married to a lovely young Italian. They are now living in Roscommon and have a daughter. There are many such families. One of the greatest integrations of Europe ever came through that one programme. Educationally and linguistically, it has brought many people together. I do not have the numbers offhand but I know there have been thousands of marriages and partnerships through that programme. However, there is no agreement yet as to whether young students in the United Kingdom will be able to participate in the ERASMUS+ programme after the UK leaves the EU, and that is a very serious situation.

Without further ado, I will just say the witnesses delivered a very good presentation. They are highlighting the fact this White Paper exists. People are genuinely not engaged with it. I have received no representations or comments on it. I think the witnesses are the first to do so. Perhaps the Chairman or the secretariat will tell me about others who have appeared before the committee. We have not had much time to discuss it in detail either. The witnesses have kicked off this session by their participation in it, and I thank them for coming.