European Movement Ireland
European Movement Ireland is an independent not-for-profit organisation that campaigns for every Irish person to get involved in the European Union and by doing so, help shape it. It is the oldest Irish organisation dealing with the EU, pre-dating Ireland's membership of the EEC in 1973 by almost twenty years. The organisation is headed by CEO, Noelle Connell. Julie Sinnamon acts as Chair of the EM Ireland Board.
History
On 11 January 1954, one hundred people met in the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin and founded the Irish Council of the European Movement. Signing the Articles of Association that founded the European Movement were seven pioneers of Ireland's future in Europe. They were: Donal O'Sullivan, university lecturer; Garret Fitzgerald, economist; Louis P F Smith, economist; Denis Corboy, barrister-at-Law; George Colley, solicitor; Declan Costello, barrister-at-Law; and Sean J Healy, secretary.These seven signatories laid the first stone paving Ireland's way to full membership of the EU. The aim of the Irish Council was to inform Irish individuals and organisations about the EU. One of its primary objectives was for Ireland to gain membership of the European Communities . Former Taoisigh Garret Fitzgerald and Jack Lynch, and former President Mary Robinson backed the initiative and after a referendum was held on the Third Amendment of the Irish Constitution which was overwhelmingly approved by voters in May 1972 Ireland joined the European Communities as a full member state on 1 January 1973.
The Irish Council later became European Movement Ireland. Today the organisation claims to act as source of information for Irish citizens regarding the work of the EU and its stated aim is to promote reasoned robust and fair debate about EU in Ireland.
It retains an affiliation with the European Youth Parliament, a youth organization which runs events for secondary school age children along the structure of a mock European Parliament.