EIB outline enhanced support for Ireland post-Brexit

The audience heard from Andrew McDowell, Vice-President of the EIB, Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services and Insurance, Michael D’Arcy TD and Minister of State for European Affairs, Helen McEntee TD and alongside a panel of national and international experts.

Delivering the keynote address, Andrew McDowell, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, said: “In recent years the European Investment Bank, the world’s largest international public bank, has played a key role backing crucial investment around Europe that contributes to economic growth. This has included support across Ireland during recent challenging times for new schools, improving research at all Irish universities, thousands of new homes, better transport connections, harnessing green energy and revitalising cities, as well as helping thousands of Irish companies to expand activity and create new jobs. Discussions hosted by the European Movement in Dublin this week will enable experience from successful investment that has overcome policy challenges elsewhere to be considered and ensure that future investment strengthens sustainable economic growth here in Ireland.  The European Movement provides a unique platform bringing together government, business, civil society and academia at a time when future investment in Ireland is threatened by uncertainties of Brexit.”

The European Investment Bank actively supports projects which contribute to economic growth and provide employment. Since Ireland’s EEC accession in 1973, the EIB has provided more than €15 billion for investment to improve public services and key infrastructure and to unlock new opportunities for Irish companies. Recently, it announced a record financial package of €405 million for social housing.

Noelle O Connell, Executive Director of European Movement Ireland, says: “The new national dialogue on the future of Europe is giving us all a chance to discuss the national and global challenges we are facing, such as housing, energy security, migration and a sustainable economy. In this context, we need to consider how best we can fully make use of the supports we have through the EU institutions – in particular access to the world’s largest financial institution, the EIB – to produce concrete solutions.”

An article in the Independent can be found here.

This conference is one of a series of events taking place in countries across the EU and in neighbourhood countries as part of a pan-European collaboration between the European Movement and the EIB to enable civil society to learn about the opportunities available through the EIB.

The previous session took place in Poland. Further information can be found here.