European Movement Ireland
European Movement Ireland comprises of the office team, the Board of Directors and our members. We also run the European Movement Stage Programme three times a year.
Office Team
The office team is made up of staff and stagiaires who run the organisation on a daily basis from 6 Merrion Square.
Andrea Pappin is Executive Director of European Movement Ireland. Previous Special Advisor to Margot Wallström, Vice President of European Commission, Andrea was also a former press advisor to Pat Rabbitte TD and worked in the Department of Foreign Affairs during Ireland's last EU Presidency.
Billie Sparks is Education and Advocacy Manager. A qualified solicitor, Billie is responsible for all advocacy campaigns and the development of the education function of European Movement Ireland. Previously, she was also Campaign Co-ordinator for Women for during the 2009 Lisbon Treaty campaign.
June Brown is the Administrator at European Movement Ireland. June handles all financial administration, office administration and also assists with governance work within the organisation. Formerly, June was a long-standing Parliamentary Assistant to Richard Bruton TD.
To assist with campaigns and projects, we employ specialised Project Officers whose work revolves around the delivery of our various education projects. The candidate requirements depend on the specific expertise required for the upcoming project.
Our office team is completed by Stagiaires. Our Stage Programme runs three times a year. See below for details on how to apply for a place on our Stage Programme.
Stage Programme
Over the last number of years, European Movement Ireland has developed a highly successful stage programme, where final year students or recent graduates undertake a placement for a minimum of four to six months in our offices at 6 Merrion Square Dublin 2.
Here at European Movement Ireland, we take our stage programme very seriously and pride ourselves in providing an enriching and rewarding experience, while also teaching stagiaires the skills required for working in a busy office. Stages are a great opportunity to learn about the EU through active engagement with our campaigns. Working as part of a team, successful candidates will be offered the following opportunities:
- Assignment of individual project work, working to a high level of own responsibility and initiative
- Opportunities for practical research, event management and direct stakeholder engagement
- Learn about the EU in greater detail - Development of highly transferable office skills
- First-hand engagement with the Irish legislative system, current issues and influential figures
- Monthly training courses in both practical office skills and relevant issue-specific tutorials
- Direct experience with key players in the public affairs sector
- Career development advice and mentoring
- Subsidised travel
Stagiaire interview “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a stagiaire at European Movement Ireland. Thanks to the friendliness of the team and the ‘university of work’ approach I felt settled and useful from day one. Every stagiaire is given two projects to work on, as well as helping out other members of the team when a deadline is approaching, and so there is great exposure to a wide variety of work and no feeling of being the new girl or gofer. There is no sense of hierarchy, stagiaires are included in all aspects of office life, and stagiaire projects are treated with as much importance as those of the rest of the team. The stage is also a fantastic learning opportunity. Every month we have a speaker to brush up our knowledge on a particular skill and area of knowledge, these range from Microsoft excel to the functioning of the European Parliament, and are really useful and interesting. Alongside this, every day is a learning experience, no question is scoffed at and you are exposed to lots of people with great insights and advice on options for the future. All in all, the stage is a valuable experience. For anyone with an interest in the EU who wants to learn more in a friendly and accessible environment, I cannot recommend it highly enough.” Aoife Todd, March 2010 |
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There are Spring (January) Summer (May) and Autumn (September) intakes into the stage programme. Anyone interested in applying should have the following:
- Third-level degree in a field suitable to the organisation e.g. European Studies, Law, Politics
- Ability to work as part of a team, in a busy office
- Good research skills, both online, oral and written
- Experience with Microsoft Office, including Word and Outlook
- Good basic knowledge of the European Union is required
If interested in a position please email Andrea Pappin, Executive Director with your CV at andrea@europeanmovement.ie along with a brief email outlining why you are interested in our stage programme. If you would like any further information, please contact us and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Board of Directors
European Movement Ireland is governed by its voluntary Board of Directors. It is the Directors who decide on the strategic direction of the organisation and make all executive decisions.
Don Bergin (Honourary Treasurer) is a former official in the Department of Finance working at a senior level and involved in devising corporate governance guidelines for state sponsored bodies. He is currently non-executive director of a number of companies.
Seamus Boland is the CEO of Irish Rural Link and a member of Social Partnership.
John Cushnahan is a former member of the European Parliament for 15 years, his political career has spanned both parts of Ireland and he has held several leadership roles both on the European and international stage. He has served as Leader of the Alliance Party and as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Hilary Hough is a long-standing member of European Movement Ireland, an accountant and businessman from the financial services sector.
Mary McCarthy, a teacher, former National Co-ordinator of the European Youth Parliament, an organisation that empowers young people to have their say about the future of this continent.
Simon Nugent is head of the Irish Travel Agents Association and former Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland.
Michelle O'Donnell Keating is founder of Women for Europe.
Andrea Pappin (Executive Director) is former press advisor to Pat Rabbitte TD. She worked in the Department of Foreign Affairs during Ireland''s last EU Presidency and has also worked in Brussels. She was also Special Adviser to Margot Wallström, Vice President of European Commission.
Maurice Pratt (Chairperson) is former CEO of C&C Group and Managing Director of Tesco. He holds several directorships of companies. Currently non-Executive Chairman and Board Director, Bank of Scotland Ireland and is a Director of IBEC and Business in the Community Ireland. Maurice is also a fellow of the Marketing Instituteof Ireland.
Jillian van Turnhout Vice Chairperson is Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance and has been a member of the European Economic and Social Committee since 1998. She has just finished as Vice-Chair of the EESC, only the second Irish person to ever receive this accolade.