IIEA Talks

The Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia and the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in Ireland are pleased to present the public webinar How the EU engages in the Information space in times of crisis. Recent crises have underlined the importance for Europe of competing effectively in the information space, and highlighted the challenges it faces in doing so. In this webinar, an expert panel draws on recent experiences of crises to discuss how the EU and its Member States can project their perspectives in a contested information environment. This event is part of an IIEA project entitled Europe’s Digital Future. As part of the project, the IIEA has established a network of thinktanks and academic institutions to share research and perspectives on Europe’s digital future from across northern Europe. This project is coordinated by the IIEA and is supported by Google. About the Speakers: This event consists of an expert panel which includes the following speakers: Andrew Roberts, Cyber Security Specialist at TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology Siim Kumpas, Policy Officer at the East StratCom Task Force, European External Action Service Lieutenant Colonel Dr Soenke Niedringhaus, NATO StratCom Centre of Excellence Markus Holmgren, Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs – FIIA Dr Adrian Venables, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Digital Forensics and Cyber Security, TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology Dominika Jantas, Information Security Analysist at Eurofins

Ahead of Bloomsday on the 100th anniversary of Ulysses, and of Irish independence, this event explores the European and international dimensions of James Joyce’s novel and the myriad visions of Ireland’s place in the world, which then as now occurred during great turbulence and uncertainty in the world. This anniversary also marks 100 years of Irish independence, as well as 50 years since Irish accession to the European Union. About the Speakers: Anne Fogarty is Full Professor and Director of the Centre for James Joyce Studies at UCD, and an expert on the historical context of Ulysses and on 20th century Irish modernism and contemporary fiction. Her latest publication is on Modernism, Memory and the Biographical Impulse in James Joyce Remembered (2022 Edition). Daniel Mulhall is the current Ambassador of Ireland to the United States since 2017, and formerly served as Ambassador in London, as well as Director-General for European Affairs in the Department of Foreign Affairs. He is also an authority on Irish history and literature, having co-edited the The Shaping of Modern Ireland: A Centenary Assessment (2016) and written the recently published Ulysses: A Reader’s Odyssey (2022).

In her address to the IIEA, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, discusses global peace and security issues. She gives an overview of her peace-making mandate, including the role of preventive diplomacy and peace-building activities in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia and the Americas. About the Speaker:  Rosemary DiCarlo assumed the post of Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs in 2018. During her distinguished career with the United States Department of State, she served, among other functions, as Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.  Prior assignments included Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, and Director for United Nations Affairs at the National Security Council in Washington, D.C.

According to Dr Fukuyama, liberalism is in a state of crisis and is facing increasing threats from authoritarianism, identity politics, social media, and a weakened free press the world over. In his address to the IIEA, Dr Fukuyama explores the roots of this crisis and makes the case for a revitalised liberalism for the twenty-first century. About the Speaker: Francis Fukuyama is Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University. He has previously taught at John Hopkins University and George Mason University, alongside serving as a researcher at the RAND Corporation and Deputy Director for the State Department’s policy planning staff. Francis Fukuyama has written prolifically on this subject. His most recent book Liberalism and its Discontents was published on 17 March 2022 by Profile Books.

The global security environment is changing rapidly. Not only are the threats greater, but they are more complex and more kaleidoscopic. Climate change, Cyber-threats, terrorism, as well as a revanchist Russia have made the world a more dangerous place to live in. To meet these challenges, the Irish Defence Forces are playing greater variety of roles in order to protect the Irish state and serve on crisis management missions. On 9 February 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces released its report examining the threats the Irish State will face, and made recommendations ranging from funding, and capability acquisition to strategic HR, on how to enhance the Defence Forces. This panel discusses the Irish threat environment and analyses the recommendations made by the Commission in its report.    About the Speaker:  Renata Dwan has been the Deputy Director and Senior Executive Officer of Chatham House since 2020. From 2018 until 2020, she was Director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) in Geneva. During her years in the UN, Dr Dwan worked on peace operations and complex emergencies in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Mali and Syria.   Ben Tonra is a professor of International Relations at UCD School of Politics and International Relations. There, Professor Tonra teaches, researches and publishes in European foreign, security and defence policy, Irish foreign, security and defence policy and International Relations theory.

In his address to the IIEA, Mr. Chapagain discusses the convergence of complex and diverse crises that are changing the fabric of society and require principled humanitarian action. These include climate-driven mass displacement, protracted conflicts, pandemics and epidemics, and the rapid evolution of emerging technologies which challenge the traditional way we approach these societal issues. He considers the opportunities to strengthen humanitarian action and assesses how communities, governments and humanitarian actors can work together to build a better future. This event is part of the Development Matters lecture series, supported by Irish Aid. About the Speaker: Jagan Chapagain is the Secretary General of the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC). He has spent more than 20 years with IFRC, working across Europe and Asia. Prior to becoming Secretary General, Mr Chapagain was the Under Secretary General for Programmes and Operations, Chief of Staff and Director of the Asia Pacific region at the IFRC, where he provided leadership in responding to large-scale humanitarian crises and in building resilient communities in partnership with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and external partners across the region. Mr Chapagain has a degree in Engineering and holds certificates in Leadership and turn-around management and Emerging social sector leadership.

This event is part of the Rethink Energy series, which is co-organised by the IIEA and ESB. On this occasion, Tim Gould, Chief Energy Economist at the International Energy Agency, assesses the geopolitics of energy in Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Mr Gould analyses the ways in which Europe can reduce its reliance on Russian energy imports. The war on Ukraine has had a significant impact on the energy sector and Mr Gould considers whether this conflict might expedite or delay the transition to net zero emissions. About the Speaker: Tim Gould was appointed Chief Energy Economist of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2021. In this role, he provides strategic advice on energy economics across a wide range of IEA activities and analysis. Mr Gould is also Head of the Division for Energy Supply and Investment Outlooks, in which capacity he co-leads the World Energy Outlook, the IEA’s flagship publication. At the IEA, he oversees the Agency’s work on investment and finance, including the World Energy Investment report. Mr Gould joined the IEA in 2008, initially as a specialist on Russian and Caspian energy. Prior to joining the IEA, Mr Gould worked on European and Eurasian energy issues in Brussels and has ten years of experience in Eastern Europe, primarily in Ukraine.

This is the first presentation in the 2022 Environmental Resilience lecture series, which is co-organised by the IIEA and the EPA. On this occasion, Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh, MBE, Director of the UK Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST), delivers a keynote address. Professor Whitmarsh draws lessons from the response to the COVID-19 pandemic that can mobilise public action on climate change. Both climate change and the pandemic require significant behavioural changes and have certain features in common, but there are also important differences - and reasons to think responding to climate change will be more challenging. Professor Whitmarsh shows that, through targeted communication and a range of policy measures, significant behaviour changes to mitigate climate change can be achieved, as it was in the response to the crisis of COVID-19. About the Speaker: Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh, MBE, is Director of the ESRC-funded UK Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST). She is an environmental psychologist, specialising in perceptions and behaviour in relation to climate change, energy, and transport, based in the Department of Psychology, University of Bath. Professor Whitmarsh regularly advises governmental and other organisations on low-carbon behaviour change and climate change communication. She was one of the expert leads for Climate Assembly UK and is Lead Author for IPCC’s Working Group II Sixth Assessment Report. Her research projects have included studies of meat consumption, energy efficiency behaviours, waste reduction and carrier bag reuse, perceptions of smart technologies and electric vehicles, low-carbon lifestyles, and responses to climate change.

Ireland will assume the Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers on 20 May 2022. This coincides with a time of turmoil and a series of challenges to multilateralism on our continent. In this context, reaffirming the relevance of what President Higgins has called ‘‘the conscience of Europe’’ will be a focus both for Ireland and the Council of Europe’s Secretariat. In this address to the IIEA, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and incoming Chair of the Committee of Ministers, Simon Coveney TD, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić discuss the Council of Europe’s role in responding to Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine and offer a preview of Ireland’s Presidency. About the Speakers Marija Pejčinović Burić is the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia. In that capacity, Ms Pejčinović Burić chaired the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe during the Croatian Presidency from May to November 2018. Simon Coveney TD is Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence. From May-November 2022 he will chair the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe as part of the Irish Presidency. Minister Coveney previously held the position of Tánaiste from 2017-2020 and a number of other senior Ministries; and is a former MEP for Ireland South. He is a TD for Cork South-Central.

The 10th of May 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Irish referendum in 1972, in which 83.1% voted to approve Ireland’s accession to the European Economic Communities (EEC). This was Ireland’s third attempt following two previous applications in 1961 and 1967. Accession was supported by the then-Fianna Fáil government under Taoiseach Jack Lynch, by Fine Gael in opposition under Liam Cosgrave, as well as by business interests and farmers’ associations. It was opposed at the time by the Labour Party and by both the Official and Provisional Sinn Féin parties over workers’ concerns, and the question of Irish sovereignty in relation to Northern Ireland. President Eamon De Valera was also opposed to EEC membership on similar grounds.  Ireland’s journey to EEC membership was intertwined with the UK due to strong pre-existing economic links. Ireland’s first application in tandem with the UK in 1961 was stymied by UK concerns about the Common Market and the preferential trade agreements within the Commonwealth, and French worries about liberalising agricultural production, which ultimately led to a veto by French President De Gaulle in 1963. Ireland’s second attempt in 1967 was again defeated after a second De Gaulle veto.  Following De Gaulle’s resignation in 1969 and the December 1969 Hague Summit which set the stage for negotiations between “the Six” and the four applicants: Ireland, the UK, Norway, and Denmark beginning in 1970 and concluding in membership for Ireland, the UK, and Denmark.  The outcome of the 1972 referendum was overwhelming positive, with every constituency and 83.1% of voters voting in favour of joining the EEC. This decision paved the way to incorporate European law into Irish domestic legislation and ensure compatibility with the Constitution of Ireland.  Concerns over agricultural policy, industrial development, social equality, defence, and security arose during the referendum campaign and were then, as now, critical policy debates in Irish public life. The international environment was also complex, with rising inflation, political tensions between the United States and Soviet Union, and a looming energy crisis all causing instability. Nonetheless, the Irish people voted to join the EEC set the stage for a profound transformation at home and abroad.  This interview is part of the IIEA’s Global Europe project, sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs, which recounts and reflects on the 1972 referendum campaign with Katherine Meenan, Alan Dukes, and Tony Brown.