IIEA Talks

About the Speech: Since the onset of Russia's war against Ukraine, the Franco-German engine has stalled. The two countries are pursuing fundamentally different policies, particularly in security, defense, and energy. Additionally, Berlin and Paris have failed to achieve significant progress on EU enlargement and reform. In this IIEA discussion, Dr Ronja Kempin will discuss the reasons behind the strained relationship between the two countries and assess how to bridge the divide and inject new momentum into the EU integration process. About the Speaker: Dr. Ronja Kempin is a Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin, advising the Bundestag, the German government, and the business community on foreign policy issues. Previously, she led the EU External Relations Research Group at SWP and advised the German Federal Foreign Office. In 2024/2025, she will hold the Alfred Grosser Chair at SciencesPo Paris. Her research focuses on European security and defence policy, particularly the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy, as well as France and Franco-German relations.

This panel discussion on sustainable aviation brings together leaders from industry and research. Steven Fitzgerald, Ryanair; Steven Gillard, Boeing; and Prof Marina Efthymiou, DCU, share insights into sustainability initiatives in aviation, including advancements in eco-friendly aircraft technology, operational strategies to reduce carbon emissions, and the role of policy and innovation in achieving sustainability goals. The panel also explores how research can contribute to innovative solutions and workforce development in this field. The aim of this panel discussion be to provide insights into collaborative efforts between airlines, manufacturers, and researchers to drive the aviation industry towards a green future. Speakers on this panel include: Steven Fitzgerald, Head of Sustainability and Finance at Ryanair Steven Gillard, Regional Director for Middle East and Europe Sustainability at Boeing Dr Marina Efthymiou, Professor of Aviation Management at Dublin City University Business School.

As adolescent mental health has declined substantially in the last decade, it has spurred pervasive concern that digitalisation and social media use might be playing a part in this phenomenon. Dr Orben reflects on the challenges and problems facing research in this space to date, and provides an overview of her team’s work in trying to address these challenges to produce evidence that can be used to improve adolescent’s mental health. About the speaker: Dr Amy Orben is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit and Fellow of St. John’s College at the University of Cambridge. She directs an internationally renowned research programme investigating the links between mental health and digital technology use in adolescence. Dr Orben advises governments, health officials and public servants around the world. She has received a range of prestigious awards including the Medical Research Council Early Career Impact Prize (2022), British Psychological Society Award for Outstanding Contributions to Doctoral Research (2019) and Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science Mission Award (2020).

In his remarks, the Minister of State for International Development and the Diaspora, Seán Fleming T.D., discusses the legacy and significant achievements of Irish Aid 50. He outlines Ireland’s strong and consistent focus on ending poverty and hunger and how reaching the furthest behind first, especially in Africa, is at the heart of Irish Aid’s programme. The Minister reflects on his own personal experiences as Minister for International Development since his appointed. He also addresses the many challenges and overlapping crises that are impacting Ireland’s international development programme. While attention this year has been centred on the Middle East and the plight of Ukraine and its people, the Minister highlights how Ireland has not put aside its commitments to and focus on those living in poverty and crisis in the least developed countries worldwide. Finally, he sets out Ireland’s priorities and responses to these interlinked challenges, focusing on: gender equality, reducing humanitarian need, climate action and strengthening governance. About the Speaker: Seán Fleming T.D. is Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for International Development and Diaspora. He was appointed to this role in December 2022. He previously served as Minister of State at the Department of Finance. Minister Fleming was elected to represent the Laois-Offaly constituency at the 2020 General Election, having been first elected to the Dáil in 1997.

'Housing policy – international evidence on what works' Paul Cotter, Principal Officer in the Economics Division of the Department of Finance, and Michelle Norris, Professor of Social Policy and Director of the Geary Institute for Public Policy at University College Dublinand, in conversation with Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist

In his address to the IIEA, former President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, discusses current global developments and how these relate to the European challenges of our time. In Mr Van Rompuy’s opinion, these challenges include democracy, leadership, strategic autonomy, deindustrialisation, immigration, and potential institutional changes. In his remarks, he also discusses growing individualisation within the European Union and how this affects our societies and politics. About the Speaker: Herman Van Rompuy was the first full-time President of the European Council, a position he held from December 2009 until November 2014. At the time of his election, he was serving as the Prime Minister of Belgium. A former economist at the National Bank of Belgium, Herman Van Rompuy began his political career in 1973 as national vice-president of the youth movement of the Flemish Christian Democrats (CD&V). He served in the Belgian Parliament and in the Belgian Government in multiple positions. Having retired from politics, Mr Van Rompuy served as the President of the European Policy Centre (2015-2022) and is currently the President of the Administrative Council of the College of Europe.

Against the backdrop of increased geopolitical tensions, the relationship between the EU, its Member States, and China has continued to remain of significant importance. As the United States' relationship with China has deteriorated, the EU has increasingly sought to chart its own course vis a vis China, seeking partnerships where beneficial while ensuring its own interests are looked after. In this IIEA discussion, Finbarr Bermingham reflects on the present state of the EU's relationship with China, its challenges and opportunities, and explores what the future holds for the EU-China Relationship. About the Speaker: Finbarr Bermingham is a Brussels-based correspondent covering Europe's relationship with China. He is the Senior Europe Correspondent for the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post, a role he has held since 2021. Over the last decade, he has reported on China through a number of different lenses. Over seven years in Hong Kong he chronicled the Chinese trade economy through the Trump years and Covid-19. Since coming to Brussels, he has charted the downward spiral in EU-China ties following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He regularly appears on broadcast media and has won and been nominated for awards for his reporting and podcasting.

An interview with Pat Cox, part of the IIEA's Future Proofing Europe project

In their address to the IIEA, John FitzGerald and Edgar Morgenroth present their recent IIEA publication on the Northern Ireland subvention, which considers what the financial costs for the government in Ireland would be of Irish unification, using data from 2019. They discuss the findings from their paper, including that covering the Northern Ireland deficit would cost around 5% of Irish national income, and raising Northern Ireland’s public service pay rate and welfare rates to levels south of the border would cost another 5% of national income. According to FitzGerald and Morgenroth, if Northern Ireland were to immediately address the cause of its very low productivity, especially the inadequacies of its educational system, when such action matured in 25 or 30 years, this could substantially reduce the cost of unification. A quicker productivity win would also be available if Northern Ireland could persuade the large number of emigrants who are university graduates living in England to return. About the Speakers: John FitzGerald is Co-Chair of the Institute of International and European Affairs Economists Group, a member of the UK Group, and an Honorary Fellow, and Adjunct Professor of Economics at Trinity College Dublin. He is also a Research Affiliate at the Economic and Social Research Institute, and a Member of the Royal Irish Academy.  He was a member of the Central Bank of Ireland Commission from 2010 to 2020 and he was Chairman of the Irish government’s Climate Change Advisory Council until January 2021. Dr Edgar Morgenroth is a member of the Institute of International and European Affairs Economists Group and UK Group, and a full Professor of Economics at DCU Business School, Dublin City University. He has held positions at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Keele University, and the Strategic Investment Board of Northern Ireland (SIB). He is a Fellow of the UK Academy of Social Sciences and a Fellow of the Regional Studies Association, having served as its vice chairman and treasurer.

In recent years, Europe and much of the world have suffered the largest inflation shock in decades. Central banks have responded with large and rapid increases in interest rates. In his presentation to the IIEA, Philip Lane, Chief Economist of the European Central Bank, discusses the inflation outlook in the Eurozone at a time when hopes of a return to price stability are rising. About the Speaker: Philip R. Lane has been a Member of the six-person Executive Board of the European Central Bank since June 2019. Previously, he was the 11th Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland. Before taking on these policy-making roles, he was on the academic staff at Trinity College Dublin and remains affiliated with the university as Honorary Professor of Economics. In other roles, Philip has chaired the Advisory Scientific Committee and Advisory Technical Committee of the European Systemic Risk Board and has acted as an academic consultant for the European Commission, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, OECD and Asian Development Bank among others.