Michael Sweetman

Michael Sweetman became the director of the Irish Council of the European Movement (ICEM) in 1971. During the campaign to join the then EEC he advocated that the ICEM were the best qualified to refute statements on why Ireland should not join the EEC. He urged the members of the ICEM to continue sending in…

The Irish Presidencies

Ireland’s first presidency of the Council of the EEC occurred two years into our membership, in 1974. During this time Ireland hosted the first formal European council where the heads of state and government all met in Dublin. Amid Ireland’s second rotation of presidency the first direct European elections were held. For the first time…

Communities Report

In this celebratory edition, the Communities Report looked back our the achievements so far and what was in store for the future. Jean Monnet, who is considered one of the founding fathers of the EU, wrote a piece on the atmosphere in the room during Robert Schuman’s declaration 25 years previously.