A snapshot of the Forum

Launched in 2001, the National Forum on Europe has promoted a national debate on the European Union, on its future and on Ireland's role in it. The Forum's purpose is not to advocate or promote a particular course of action but to provide a public space within which political views and analyses of all shades can be offered on the EU, and on Ireland in the EU.

Full membership of the Forum is limited to members of the Oireachtas and those nominated by parties represented in the Oireachtas.An important issue however in the negotiations leading up to the establishment of the Forum had been the need to ensure that it would not become a closed system replicating party political divisions and insulated from the concerns and insights of the broader community. In order to avoid this, a Special Observer Pillar was invited to participate. The Pillar consists of the Social Partners, groups active in the previous EU referenda campaign, registered political parties not represented in the Oireachtas and political parties from Northern Ireland.MEPs, North and South, also have speaking rights at the Forum.

In establishing the Forum, the political parties were cognisant of the need for an independent Chairman with recognised experience. Maurice Hayes is a former independent, non-party, member of the Seanad (Irish Senate) and a former senior civil servant in Northern Ireland. To the extent that the Forum has entrusted the Chairman with formulation of periodic reports, which subsequently were considered to have significant impact on policy debate, reflects the authority vested in the Chairman by the Forum. Nine Chairman's reports have been published so far. 

On a day-to-day basis, the management of the Forum is based on two permanent structures : the Forum Steering Committee and the Forum Secretariat. The Forum Steering Committee includes the Chairman and one representative from each of the seven main political parties and from Independent Deputies and Senators. A small secretariat, headed by a Director and comprised mainly of seconded civil servants, is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Forum.

The Forum has benefited from attracting high profile keynote speakers including United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, President of the EU Commission José Manuel Barroso, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, Vice Presidents of the EU Commission Chris Patten and Margot Wallstrom, Vice President of the Convention on the Future of Europe, Giuliano Amato, Taoisigh Bertie Ahern TD and Biran Cowen TD, Party leaders Enda Kenny TD, Eamon Gilmore TD and Gerry Adams MP MLA, Prime Minister of Finland Paavo Lipponen, Prime Minister of Croatia Ivo Sanader and President of Slovenia Milan Kucan, Veteran Danish MEP Jens-Peter Bonde and author Susan George.

In order to offer the greatest possible access for citizens to informed debate on Europe, the Forum has become a mobile unit travelling around the country as a ‘public space on wheels’. Since 2002, the Forum has visited over 45 locations around the country.

Throughout its programme, the Forum has consistently tried to target the ‘youth’ constituency.The Forum designed six national competitions-written composition and public speaking based on a specially produced DVD, reflecting the issues of the day, aimed primarily at Transition Year students (15-16 year olds). The short film produced each year has been fronted by such media personalities as Hector Ó hEochagáin, Danaan Breathneach, Sinead Ní Loidean and Ray D’Arcy.

The National Forum on Europe, with the National Youth Council of Ireland, has held eight national youth conferences - in Galway in November 2007, Farmleigh, Dublin in October 2007, Waterford in March 2007, October 2006 in Limerick, May 2006 in Sligo, March 2006 in Cork and in November 2005 and April 2005 in Dublin.

The challenge the Forum faces is in connecting the European Union with the citizen. It has several publications and films aimed at conveying developments in user-friendly language - for example its summary of the draft European Constitution followed by its Summary Guide to the Treaty of Lisbon. Two further useful Forum booklets in plain language are: The European Union: How it works and The European Union: What it does . In addition, having held a series of conferences on the theme Making the European Union Relevant for Women in partnership with a wide spectrum of women’s groups at local level, the Forum produced a booklet outlining just what the EU's role is in relation to women's issues.

The Forum’s website offers a wealth of material about the debate on Ireland in Europe and has become one of the most popular information sites in Ireland. Here, you will find transcripts, podcasts and webcasts of Forum events. Our Youtube channel also offers a window into the public meetings we hosted on the Treaty of Lisbon in locations all around the country. On Facebook, you will find photographs from our Forum plenary sessions (where Forum Members debate the issue of the day with prominent guest speakers) and from our regional and other meetings.