European Affairs

EU Commissioner Maire Geoghegan-Quinn to Make First Appearance at Oireachtas Committee


For the first time since her appointment as EU Commissioner, Maire Geoghegan-Quinn will face questions at a meeting of an Oireachtas Committee.

Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn will attend a meeting of the Oireachtas European Affairs Committee, today 29th June 2010 at 2pm in Committee Room 4 of Leinster House.

The purpose of the meeting is to enable the Commissioner to outline her priorities for her administration in the important Research, Innovation and Science brief and to discuss her role in the implementation of the recently adopted Europe 2020 Strategy for Growth and Jobs.

Committee Chairman, Bernard Durkan TD said;
“The second Lisbon Treaty referendum ensured that Ireland would always have a permanent representative on the EU Commission. Clearly, Irish people felt this was important so it is essential that we are kept fully informed about the work of Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn and her priorities for her term in office.

Furthermore, the portfolio of Research, Innovation and Science is a key one. In order for Ireland and the EU to escape from its present economic difficulties there has to be an emphasis on research and development as well as innovation in order to promote high-tech and technologically advanced enterprise which can create and sustain employment. The meeting tomorrow will allow us to establish the Commissioner’s proposals for the EU in this regard.

This Committee can be viewed on-line at: http://www.oireachtas.ie/ViewDoc.asp?fn=/documents/livewebcast/Web-Live.htm&CatID=83&m=o