Is mór an onóir dom a bheith anseo libh i gCaisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath ar maidin.
Tá fíoráthas orm fáilte a chur roimh ghuth na sochaí sibhialta eagraithe san Eoraip go Baile Átha Cliath.
Tá comóradh á dhéanamh againn in ar an gcéad mhórimeacht atá ar siúl i gcomhthéacs Uachtaránacht na hÉireann ar Chomhairle an Aontais Eorpaigh atá romhainn.
As we begin the Irish Presidency journey, it is entirely fitting that we do so in tandem with the Bureau of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), representing the voice of organised civil society in Europe.
It is also fitting, and hopefully a good omen, that your current President, Séamus Boland, happens to be Irish.
The commitment that Séamus brings to the voice of organised civil society is certainly second to none.
Let me also take this opportunity to acknowledge the deeply important and complementary roles of the Presidents of your three constituent Groups:
You are all very welcome to Dublin, along with the Irish EESC delegation members who join us here today.
We are living in uncertain and challenging times.
Democracies across the world are under pressure.
These challenges include polarisation, disinformation, conflict, and pressures arising from growing uncertainty and economic strains.
I am convinced that institutions that strengthen democratic participation and social dialogue have never been more important.
The voice of civil society matters. It matters because Europe succeeds when citizens feel ownership of the European project.
When workers, employers, farmers, entrepreneurs, voluntary organisations and local communities all know that they have a stake in shaping Europe's future.
And that this future is guided by the well-founded belief that their voice matters.
That is at the heart of our shared democratic values.
That is why the work of the EESC matters so much. And that is why this gathering is the right setting as we approach the beginning of the Irish Presidency of the EU Council.
Ireland has long understood that strong societies and strong economies are built through effective social dialogue.
Social dialogue helps to build trust. It allows governments to share information, test policy responses and reach consensus.
In Ireland, that tradition of engagement has helped us navigate major economic and social challenges over many decades.
And it has helped us to make the social and economic progress we have as a nation.
Progress that has raised living standards, has helped us become one of the best educated workforces in Europe, and has transformed our health outcomes.
Across Europe, we are living through a period of profound change, economically, technologically and geopolitically.
The challenges we currently face – housing and healthcare the digital and green transition, demographic change – affect every part of society.
And it is vital that we hear from every part of society as we work to respond to these challenges.
That is why, in recent years, Government has placed increasing emphasis on structured engagement with the social partners.
Through structures like the Labour Employer Economic Forum, the National Civic Forum, and the National Economic Dialogue – to name just a few – we have continued to strengthen dialogue between the state, employers, trade unions, and civil society organisations.
We look forward to hosting the annual meeting of the Presidents and Secretaries-General of the European Economic and Social Committee, and of the National Economic and Social Councils, here in Dublin Castle on the 23rd and 24th November.
Based around the theme of Social Cohesion, it will mark the completion of a substantial body of research and consultative work undertaken by Ireland’s NESC, or National Economic and Social Council, working closely with its counterparts in other Member States.
Ireland’s NESC was established in 1973, the year of our accession to the then European Economic Community.
NESC has benefitted from collaboration with the EESC and the network of National Economic and Social Councils for over five decades since.
Joining the European community brought greater attention to Ireland’s overall economic strategy.
While the austerity of that time could have given rise to political and industrial tensions, employers and trade unions came together to facilitate dialogue which enabled Ireland to avoid levels industrial unrest that many had expected.
This model – the model that you represent through the European Economic and Social Committee – is one that I increasingly see as indispensable to navigating the fast-changing challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century.
Ireland’s eighth Presidency of the Council arrives at an important moment for the European Union.
We are committed to doing a good job for the EU and its citizens, and we will work throughout our term to make the Union more prosperous and more secure, and to uphold our shared fundamental values.
Economic prosperity is what enables the European Union to achieve its policy goals.
To remain prosperous, we need to improve our ability to compete, including on the global stage.
We will work in our term to make decisive progress across the five strategic building blocks of the ‘One Europe, One Market’ Roadmap:
This will be a real priority for the Irish Presidency, and we will work closely and cooperatively with Member States, the European Parliament and the Commission to make as much progress as we possibly can.
The EU’s ambitious agenda for the coming years will also need a budget that is appropriate to this ambition.
Advancing negotiations on the new Multiannual Financial Framework – the MFF – will be another important task for us as Presidency.
At a time of increased threat and conflict, the European Union and its Member States need to work harder to protect our citizens, our democracies and our European way of life.
We will continue to offer unwavering support to Ukraine, whose people have shown such courage and determination in defending their country. They deserve a just and lasting peace.
We will support those countries that wish to join the European Union to advance on their path towards membership, helping to ensure greater prosperity and stability in our neighbourhood.
We will safeguard the core values on which the European Union is built – freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights and dignity.
We will ensure the highest level of political ambition in working with others to make sure that Europe’s children are safe online.
We will work to strengthen the EU’s role as a principled global actor, and promote active engagement in support of lasting peace and security in the Middle East.
Delivering a successful Presidency relies on good cooperation among Member States and with the Union’s other institutions. We will rely on our partners to help us get things done.
Working together, we can deliver for the 450 million people that call the European Union their home.
It was back in the 1860s that the English economist, William Stanley Jevons, observed that the highly efficient steam engine invented by James Watt did not lead to a decrease in Britain’s coal consumption.
While the existing deployment of steam engines became more efficient, the fact that they became much cheaper to operate meant that their economy-wide deployment expanded greatly.
Rather than decreasing, consumption of coal actually increased enormously over time.
The so-called Jevons paradox captures an important tension between static and dynamic ways of thinking about the future – between the impact of new technologies on what currently exists, and on what new technologies can help to bring into existence.
I believe that today’s audience is uniquely positioned to appreciate the significance of the Jevons paradox to fast-evolving AI technologies – and their relationship with the workplace, in particular.
Technological developments can expand productive capabilities, support new efficiencies in the provision of existing services, and generate new opportunities to serve previously unmet societal needs.
But this type of change is also disruptive.
It will bring challenges to workplaces and for workers right across Europe’s economy.
We must also manage these challenges and societal impacts, supported by high quality social dialogue and engagement.
Realising our goals of long-term productivity growth, enhanced human wellbeing, and protecting the biosphere will all rest on the same foundation: the skills and capabilities of our people.
This means greater attention to the modernisation of our education and training systems, and to the active labour market policies that will support positive structural change.
It is only by unlocking the full potential of the diversity of human resources at our disposal – the talents and creative potential of each and every European citizen – that we will successfully navigate the period ahead.
As the Irish Presidency journey gets underway, it is no exaggeration to say that the role of the European Economic Social Committee has never been more important.
You have my very best wishes for the rest of your proceedings here today, and I look forward to our close and continued cooperation in the weeks and months ahead.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh.
ENDS