Event report

Connacht and Ulster Online Panel: Conference on the Future of Europe in Ireland. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Connacht Online Panel was unable to take place on 15 July as previously planned and was therefore amalgamated with the Ulster Online Panel. Representatives from Connacht and Ulster who work with cross border communities, organisations working with people with disabilities, Irish language organisations and the education sector among others, met online on Thursday, 22 July to discuss issues of importance to them as part of the Conference on the Future of Europe. Key issues discussed by participants for the future of Ireland and the EU included fundamental rights and rule of law, health, the digital transformation, and EU and the world. Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law: There was concern and confusion expressed by people living in Northern Ireland who fear they will no longer be protected by EU human rights laws. The people of Connacht and Ulster felt that there are national and regional nuances when it comes to how different groups are protected by the rule of law in individual Member States. While EU laws are in place across the Union, people felt that these rules are not always enforced when it comes to protecting minority groups’ rights across Member States, for example the Travelling community in Ireland. They called for a greater focus on these protections, and for a standardised approach. Health: Brexit has affected the way that Northern Ireland and Ireland cooperate in the area of health and this has caused some confusion among participants. As a result, the people of Connacht and Ulster would like to see more cross border cooperation between the HSE and NHS moving forward. The group felt that not only can the EU learn from this island’s unique cross border cooperation, but the EU should help facilitate the sharing of resources and skills for the betterment of EU citizens and society as a whole on the island. While it was agreed that Member States should learn from each other and share best practices, people were reluctant to say that the EU should have more control over national healthcare competencies. Participants generally appreciated the value of primary care in the community and stressed that this should be made more accessible to people in rural communities. On a larger scale, people would like to see the EU ensure Member States are better prepared for future pandemics and crises, focusing on prevention as well as response. Digital Transformation: There was a strong belief across the group that the EU needs to be further consolidated when it comes to navigating the digital transformation and regulating how our data is used. The people of Connacht and Ulster felt that these kinds of regulatory challenges cannot be met by individual states, and they felt it is not something Ireland can successfully do alone. To ensure a fair transition, participants all stressed the need for better broadband to be rolled out across the island and welcome any help from the EU on this matter. EU and the World: Frustration was expressed with the EU’s global representation as some participants felt that the EU needs one prominent global leader. This was followed by a call for a review of decisions-by-consensus, which would allow the EU to progress with foreign and security policies. Commenting on global inequality, participants highlighted how the EU continues to profit from cheap labour and unethical practices carried out elsewhere and called for measures to be introduced that create fairer practices globally, through direct EU leadership. While praise was given for the EU’s large international aid contributions, people taking part felt that most trade deals with the Global South benefit the EU and that more genuine efforts are needed from the EU for aid to have a greater impact on the trade partner. This in turn, the group suggested, could help tackle the issue of migration - another area where the EU is falling behind. Climate Change: While participants expressed concern about the lobbying power of traditional carbon emitters, they wanted the EU to take early action to combat the carbon emissions used by data centres and technology companies. All contributors acknowledged that urgent action is needed, but there was a strong call for the EU to listen to national experts and respect the needs and desires of different regions and communities on this journey towards carbon neutrality. Contribution from Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne TD: Speaking about the meeting, and the Conference on the Future of Europe, Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne TD said, “Today's regional seminar has a particular importance as the province of Ulster has been greatly affected by Brexit over the last number of years and will continue to be unfortunately. So, its vitally important that the voices of citizens in Northern Ireland and border counties are heard during this process.” Summary: People in Connacht and Ulster called for accessible health care for all citizens, particularly those most vulnerable in society. People taking part also highlighted the worrying impacts of Brexit on people in Ulster in many areas including legal protections for EU citizens, the economy and health care and called for continued support from the EU in the months and years ahead, with a focus on the specific needs of cross border communities. Overall, participants felt that when making decisions about the future of Europe in all policy areas, the EU must understand the traditions, history, needs and wants of communities at regional level. Contributors believed that Member States should be able to implement EU policy in a regionally friendly way while respecting the rule of law and upholding EU values. This panel discussion was organised by European Movement Ireland supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs as part of a series of similar such events being organised around the country as part of the Conference on the Future of Europe. This meeting has been amalgamated with similar panels over a number of months to create a comprehensive proposal which you can view here: https://www.europeanmovement.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Report-on-the-Regional-and-Thematic-Panels-on-the-Conference-on-the-Future-of-Europe-held-by-the-European-Movement-Ireland.pdf