In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty, St. Kilian’s and Lycée Francais d’irlande held a joint school debate simulating a European Committee meeting involving senior cycle students. The debate was aimed at engaging pupils with real European issues and finding out about the operation of the EU and the policies of Ireland, Germany and France. The debate consisted of four teams representing pro and contro the motionThe Elysée Treaty – a model for the future of the EU?” Chair of the adjudication panel was Dáithi O’Ceallaigh Director (part-time) of the Institute of International and European Affairs in Dublin. The adjudicators were Gerry Halpenny, solcitor and member of BOM LFI, Harald Seibel, First Secretary, Press Cultural and Political Affairs, Germany Embassy, Maree Gallagher, solicitor, Council Member of Dublin Chamber of Commerce and Ross McGuire a past pupil of St. Kilian’s and the LFI and former auditor of the Literary and Historical debating society in UCD. Congratulations to Derek Egan, Lukas Hallen, Mary O’Toole, Una Connolly and Florent Cayer-Barrioz who proposed the motion and were presented a Perpetual trophy by Mr. Seibel. The first prize is a two and a half day trip to Brussels to visit the EU institutions (Commission and Parliament) and to the German and French Missions to the EU. The prize has been sponsored by the German and French Embassies in Ireland. For more
