IIEA Talks

In this ‘In Conversation’ event, Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, discuss their new book, Head North, which sets out a vision for a more balanced and inclusive future for the UK. Drawing on their experiences in Westminster and local government, the Mayors reflect on the challenges of centralised decision-making, the impact of devolution, and the shortcomings of successive ‘levelling up’ policies. With reference to their ten-point plan for reform, the discussion explores how shifting power away from Westminster could contribute to a more equitable distribution of opportunity and prosperity across the UK. Abouts the Speakers: Andy Burnham was first elected as Mayor of Greater Manchester in May 2017, re-elected for a second term in May 2021, and again for a third term in May 2024. Mr Burham’s priorities for his third term include continuing to build a London-style integrated transport system, ending the housing crisis by 2038, offering a new technical education pathway as an alternative to university, and creating a new Live Well service. Before being elected Mayor of Greater Manchester, Mr Burnham was MP for Leigh from 2001. In government, he has held Ministerial positions at the Home Office, Department of Health and the Treasury. In 2008, he became Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, before returning to Health as Secretary of State in 2009. In opposition, Andy has served as Shadow Education Secretary, Shadow Health Secretary, and Shadow Home Secretary. Steve Rotheram began his political career when he was elected to serve as a councillor in 2002, representing Fazakerley ward on Liverpool City Council and held the ceremonial title of Lord Mayor of Liverpool through the city’s European Capital of Culture year in 2008. In 2010, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for the Liverpool Walton constituency. While in Westminster, he led campaigns for justice for the Hillsborough families; in support of blacklisted workers; for compensation for those suffering from mesothelioma and asbestosis; and to change the law on the use of old tyres on buses and coaches. In 2017, Mr Rotheram was elected as the first ever Liverpool City Region Mayor, representing 1.6m people across the boroughs of Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and the Wirral and was subsequently re-elected in 2021. In 2024, he was elected for a third term as Mayor. Mayor Rotheram has pledged to return to council housebuilding at scale, to increase foreign direct investment (FDI) into the region, to build three new train stations, and to launch a free pilot of artificial intelligence (AI) in local schools. He has also revised the region’s net zero target to 2035 – the most ambitious target for a city region in the country.

The OECD launched the Economic Survey of Ireland 2025 on Wednesday,12 February 2025. The biennial Survey provides detailed analysis of economic developments and key structural challenges, as well as making specific policy recommendations in these areas. This year’s Economic Survey contains an in-depth thematic chapter entitled 'Making housing more affordable and resilient for all’, in addition to exploring recent economic developments, competitiveness, and the green transition. About the Speakers: Paschal Donohoe is the Minister for Finance. He was appointed to this role on 23 January 2025. Before this, he served as Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. Minister Donohoe was elected President of the Eurogroup of finance ministers in July 2020 for a two-and-a-half-year term. He was re-elected in December 2022, beginning his second mandate in January 2023. Álvaro S. Pereira is the OECD Chief Economist and G20 Finance Deputy. He oversees the Economics Department and ensures they are at the forefront of the international political economy agenda. He identifies ways in which the OECD can promote policies to improve member and partner countries long-term economic performance. Previously, he was the Director in the OECD Policy Studies Branch and OECD Country Studies Branch. Prior to the OECD, Mr Pereira was Minister for Economy and Employment in Portugal (2011- 2013) and was also a Professor at Simon Fraser University, Canada, a Lecturer at the University of British Columbia, Canada and at the University of York, UK. Müge Adalet McGowan is a Senior Economist and Head of the Japan/Ireland desk in the Economics Department at the OECD. Since joining the OECD in 2011, she has worked at several desks (Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden) and the Productivity team, where she conducted policy research on productivity, insolvency regimes, and skill mismatches. Before joining the OECD, she worked as a Lecturer in Turkey and New Zealand, and as an economist at the New Zealand Treasury. She holds a PhD in Economics from University of California, Berkeley. Dr Martina Lawless is a Research Professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). Before joining the ESRI, she received her doctorate from Trinity College Dublin and worked as a research economist at the Central Bank of Ireland. Her research has focused primarily on firm-level dynamics and decision making, covering a range of topics, such as access to finance for small and medium firms, effects of taxation, and participation in exporting. More recently, she has investigated the potential effects of Brexit and COVID-19 on firms in Ireland. Her work has been published in a number of leading international academic and policy journals. From 2017 to 2020, she was a member of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and she spent 2023-2024 on secondment to the Strategic Economic Development section of the Department of Finance. John McCarthy is the Chief Economist in the Department of Finance, with responsibility for the provision of economic and budgetary analysis and forecasts. He is currently the vice-chair of the OECD’s Economic Policy Committee and an advisor to the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council; he was previously the chair of the European Union’s output gap working group and a member of the National Statistics Board. He holds a B.A. in Economics and Mathematics from Trinity College Dublin and an M.Econ.Sc from UCD. He previously worked as a senior economist in the Central Bank of Ireland. This event was co-organised with the Department of Finance and the OECD.

Ireland is home to a high-performing life sciences industry, offering outstanding opportunities for both economic development and public health. Unlike other European countries, however, Ireland does not have a holistic vision for the future of the sector. This is set to change, as the Government has promised to develop a new national life sciences strategy. Our European peers have already adopted ambitious strategies to secure the industry and harness its social benefits, coordinating policy across a range of areas from enterprise and investment to research and healthcare. This two-part event series, organised by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in partnership with Johnson & Johnson, will explore these questions and more, bringing together Irish and European leaders from industry, public policy, and academia to discuss the right approach for a national life sciences strategy for Ireland. Developing a Life Sciences Vision for Ireland: Lessons from Europe on Economic Strategy is the first event in this two-part hybrid series on Developing a Life Sciences Vision for Ireland. The panel discusses how Ireland should develop its promised national strategy for the life sciences, positioning itself as a global hub for the industry. The sector is a critical pillar of our economy, covering industries from biopharmaceuticals to medical devices. The panellists will look at what other European countries are doing to embed investment, sharpen their competitive edge, and prepare for future waves of innovation. Chaired by Bryan Dobson, the panel brings together international and Irish experts to discuss how a holistic vision for the life sciences can become part of Ireland’s economic strategy. Panellists: Michael Lohan, CEO IDA Ireland Diana Arsovic Nielson, CEO at the Danish Life Sciences Cluster Professor Mark Ferguson, Former Director General of SFI and current Rapporteur and Lead Author for the European Commission High Level Group for the evaluation of Horizon Europe Jenni Nordborg, Director of International Affairs at Lif and Former National Coordinator for Life Sciences, Sweden Bryan Dobson, Former RTÉ Newsreader (Moderator)

In her remarks to the IIEA, Dr Jade McGlynn explores the identity, interactions, and influence of nationalist policy critics within the Russian political landscape, particularly concerning the war in Ukraine. She discusses how nationalists' criticisms target military strategy and leadership inefficiencies and straddle a line between regime support and vocal opposition. Despite a decrease following the Wagner mutiny, such critiques have grown since September 2022. Finally, Dr McGlynn discusses how nationalist critics continue to exert a tangible, albeit constrained, influence on governmental strategies, prompting shifts in military tactics and policy but doing little to undermine regime stability. About the Speaker: Jade McGlynn is the author of Russia’s War and Memory Makers, and is an academic based at King’s College London. Her research focusses on Russia’s war on Ukraine since 2014 through the lens of identity and propaganda. She frequently writes for the international media and is also a Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ (CSIS) Europe Program. She splits her time between the U.K. and Kharkiv, where she co-founded Free Ukraine Fund to assist the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

As Ireland’s population and economy grow, the demands on its transport infrastructure are increasing. Enhancing Ireland’s ground transport connectivity will play an important role in supporting economic growth, improving quality of life, and meeting climate commitments. Ireland’s National Development Plan 2030 outlines ambitious goals to upgrade Ireland’s road, rail, and public transport networks while addressing the dual challenges of increasing mobility needs and reducing carbon emissions. In this panel discussion, leading experts examine how Ireland can develop transport systems that meet current needs and anticipate future demands, while aligning infrastructure investment with economic and environmental priorities. This panel has been organised in conjunction with Deloitte Ireland. Speakers on this panel include: Rachel Cahill, Director, Executive Office and Sustainability Lead at TII Stephen Prendiville, Partner, Infrastructure, Transport & Regional Government Lead at Deloitte Ireland Dr Debbie Hopkins, Associate Professor in Human Geography at the University of Oxford

The EU's Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 sets a transformative agenda for accessibility, equality, and inclusion. In her address to the IIEA, Inmaculada Placencia Porrero, Senior Expert in Disability and Inclusion at DG Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion at the European Commission, explores the strategy’s achievements, challenges, and alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Drawing on her pivotal role in the creation of the European Accessibility Act and recent election to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Inmaculada reflects on Europe’s leadership in disability policy and its implications for innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and the advancement of these rights globally. About the Speaker: Inmaculada Placencia Porrero is a Senior Expert in Disability and Inclusion at Directorate-General (DG) Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion at the European Commission. Her unit is responsible for the coordination of European policies for persons with disabilities. She works on European disability policies including the European Disability Strategy and the EU implementation of the UNCRPD. Inmaculada has worked on research programmes addressing accessibility as well as assistive technologies and has been Deputy Head of Unit for various disability-related units in the Commission. Her work in the "e-Inclusion" unit of the DG for Information Society and Media addressed accessibility policy. While at the DG for Justice and Consumers, she contributed to disability-related antidiscrimination legislation. She was responsible for the task force for the preparation of the European Accessibility Act and remains responsible for it since the Act's adoption in 2015. Currently, under the DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, she leads the team working on the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030. In June 2024, she was elected as a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Ireland faces a unique challenge in reconciling its position as a major agricultural producer with increasingly ambitious climate targets at national and EU level. The agri-food sector contributes significantly to Ireland's economy, generating €17.3 billion in gross value added (6% of GNI*) and employing 173,400 people. However, it also accounts for 37.8% of national greenhouse gas emissions, creating a distinctive challenge. In this first event of a new IIEA project entitled Pathways: Ireland's Agricultural Future, Prof. Alan Matthews and Dr. Matthew O’Neill present for discussion the findings of their working paper, ahead of its publication in early 2025. The event was chaired by Dr Karen Keaveney, Head of Subject for Rural Development in the School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin. The IIEA is grateful to the European Climate Foundation for its support in establishing this project. About the Speaker: Prof Alan Matthews is Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy at the University of Dublin Trinity College, Ireland, and a former President of the European Association of Agricultural Economists. His research interests include the behaviour of the Irish farm and food system, the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, the relationships between trade and food security, and WTO trade norms and disciplines. Dr Matthew O'Neill is Climate Project Lead at the IIEA, in which role he leads the Pathways: Ireland’s Agricultural Future project. His research focuses on the intersection of climate policy and agricultural systems.

In her address to the IIEA, Lara Marlowe discusses her new book, 'How Good It Is I Have No Fear of Dying'. Her book recounts the true story of a Ukrainian female army officer, Lieutenant Yulia Mykytenko, who commands a 25-man drone attack and reconnaissance platoon on the eastern front of the Russo-Ukrainian war. Lt Mykytenko has survived artillery and aerial bombardment and human wave attacks by Russia’s Wagner militia. She won the medal for courage for leading missions into the grey zone between Ukrainian and Russian lines to retrieve dead and wounded soldiers. She has lost her husband, father and dozens of comrades-in-arms to the conflict. This is war as it is being fought on the edge of Europe in the 21st century, with high-tech weapons from muddy, rat-infested trenches reminiscent of the First World War, and where you can be obliterated by a two-tonne glide bomb or pursued and blown up by a whining drone rigged with a hand grenade. About the Speaker: Lara Marlowe is a Paris-based journalist and author. Marlowe has reported on more than a dozen wars and has won four press awards. She has completed three long reporting stints in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion of 24 February 2022 and continues to write a column for The Irish Times. She has reported for a host of broadcast and print media and was a staff foreign correspondent, based in Paris and Washington, for The Irish Times from 1996 until 2023. Marlowe makes her permanent home in Paris, where she has covered five French presidencies. She became a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur in 2006 for her contribution to Franco-Irish relations. Marlowe is the author of How Good It Is I Have No Fear of Dying: Lieutenant Yulia Mykytenko’s Fight for Ukraine (Head of Zeus, UK, 2024 and Melville House, US, 2025), Love in a Time of War: My Years with Robert Fisk (Head of Zeus, 2021), Painted with Words (2011) and The Things I’ve See: Nine Lives of a Foreign Correspondent (2010).

This year’s IIEA YPN Christmas Special reflects upon the 2024 ‘year of elections’. Larry Donnelly, Lecturer at NUI Galway, discusses the 2024 US Presidential election and what we can expect with a new Trump administration. Brigid Laffan, Professor Emeritus at EUI, discusses the European Parliament and what we can expect from a new EU Commission. Finally, Kevin Cunningham, Lecturer in Politics at TU Dublin and Founder of Ireland Thinks reflects upon the 2024 Irish General Election and its outcomes.  Speakers on this panel include: Larry Donnelly, Lecturer at University of Galway Brigid Laffan, Professor Emeritus at Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, EUI Kevin Cunningham, Lecturer in Politics at TU Dublin and Founder of Ireland Thinks

This podcast explores the importance of the rule of law as a fundamental value of the EU and its role in ensuring the future of the EU. In conversation with IIEA Researcher, Heather Burke, retired Supreme Court Judge, John MacMenamin discusses the internal and external issues facing Europe and its liberal democratic model. He emphasises that a healthy democracy relies on active participation in the democratic project, not only passive acceptance of the rule of law as an abstract principle. Offering insights into the role of the EU as a champion of the rule of law, Judge MacMenamin discusses how the EU must use tools such as the Article 7 procedure and the Rule of Law conditionality mechanism to their full potential. However, developing a sense of trust and ensuring subtlety when dealing with illiberal democracies must also be emphasised, lest the EU’s actions enhance the standing of populist, nationalist leaders. Judge MacMenamin considers that we must always draw a fundamental distinction between the policies of political parties and the neutrality of the institutions of the rule of law and democracy. The former may change based on the democratic will of the people, but the latter must always be protected. The ideal of the rule of law is one that is close to the human spirit, and Judge MacMenamin concludes by reflecting on its success being a matter of connecting with people, as a bottom-up, democratic process.