The Euro Crisis has dominated financial and economic news over recent months but sometimes with more sound than substance in media and other channels. Our speakers will address the response by the European Commission to the Euro Crisis and the Irish perspective on it and the relevance of the Fiscal Treaty. 

Mr. John Berrigan Director for Financial Stability, Economic and Financial Affairs in the European Commission is ideally placed to provide a well founded background on the current situation and where we will go in the future.    John Berrigan was appointed Director for Financial Stability at the European Commission’s Directorate for Economic and Financial Affairs in April 2010.   After completing studies at University College, Dublin, Mr. Berrigan worked in the Irish civil service before joining the Commission in 1986.   Since then he has worked in the fields of monetary and financial economics and has also been posted for several years to the International Monetary Fund.

Mr. Brendan Halligan is a founder member and the chairman of the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in Dublin.   He has a long and distinguished career in public affairs in Ireland including service in Oireachtas Eireann (Irish Parliament), Member of the European Parliament, Secretary General of the Irish Labour Party and appointments to academic and public service bodies.