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Association of European Journalists Irish Section

Welcome to the AEJ Irish Section homepage.

Forum on Europe

At the Forum were (from left) Regina Doherty MEP, Ingrid Miley, Gary Murphy and Ali Ugur.

The late Andrew Sheppard 

Our former colleague, Andrew, one of the founders of the AEJ Irish section and former President of the International section of the AEJ, has died. He was 88. Born in Berlin in 1938, and into a Jewish family, Mr Sheppard managed to survive the war in the German capital...

Climate crisis and the future of our economy

Ivana Bacik TD, Leader of the Labour Party Friday, 12th June, 2026 There is a strong connection between the climate crisis, the cost-of-living crisis and the future of our economy and our workplaces. The connection here is so clear for the working families I...

Prof Scott Lucas addresses AEJ

Scott Lucas is Professor of International Politics at the Clinton Institute, UCD, was our guest speaker on Friday, 15th May, 2026.  He covered a wide range of issues, including domestic US politics, the Middle East and the wider geopolitical crises.  He...

The Challenge of AI

Address by Dr Elaine Byrne, Chair of the Policing and Community Safety Authority Friday, 20th March, 2026 The Policing and Community Safety Authority, PCSA, was established on 2 April 2025 under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024. We are an...

Address by Neale Richmond, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, at the AEJ lunch on Thursday, 29th January, 2026, Grand Canal Hotel, Dublin.

Ireland’s bilateral relationship with the U.S. is built on powerful historical, social and cultural links. Centuries of transatlantic migration have resulted in large Irish-American communities all across the U.S. Almost 32 million people in the U.S. claim Irish...

Eamonn Mallie: Eyewitness to War and Peace

Friday, 28th November, 2025 I've lived an interesting life. I wanted to share it with a wider audience. You always have detractors – people who try to knock you back. I didn't let them impede me. I kept driving on. I was a very lucky journalist. I crossed...

Concern over proliferation of legal challenges – Attorney General Rossa Fanning

Friday, 17th October, 2025. Grand Canal Hotel, Dublin 4. Attorney General Rossa Fanning SC told our gathering that the proliferation of legal challenges to legislation or to decisions by public bodies, especially in the planning and environmental areas, was of...

If you want to run for President you must prepare in advance: Sean Gallagher

Address by Sean Gallagher, former Presidential candidate and entrepreneur, on Friday, 19th September, 2025, at the Grand Canal Hotel, Dublin. Campaigning for the Presidency is very arduous. I ran in both 2011 and 2018 and one of the challenges is securing a place...

Sean Kelly MEP: on plans to run for President

Sean Kelly, Ireland South ME, said there were arguments for and against running for President. Speaking at out lunch on Thursday, 26th June, at the Clarence Hotel in Dublin, the MEP  highlighted comments from Ryanair boss Michael O’ Leary who described the...

Policing Authority Chairwoman Josephine Feehily on future of the force

The head of the Policing Authority has said a new Garda commissioner could be an “outsider” but that the package for the role needs to be improved. Chairwoman Josephine Feehily, addressing the Association of European Journalists, outlined outstanding reforms needed in...

Press under threat like never before: Sean Donlon

The press in Ireland is threatened today as never before, the chair of the Press Council, Seán Donlon, has said. Addressing a meeting of the Association of European Journalists in Dublin, Mr Donlon said there were two main threats: the first was posed by tech...

Press Council Chair to address members’ meeting

Seán Donlon, the Chairman of the Press Council, will be our next guest speaker for our lunch (1pm) on Friday, 13th October, 2017, at Buswells Hotel, Dublin 2. Seán Donlon has had a distinguished career in both the public and private sectors.  His public sector career...

The future of food: Origin Green

Address byTara McCarthy, CEO, Bord Bia, at AEJ lunch. Through Origin Green, the entire food industry is measuring its sustainability performance. The aim is to set a baseline against which to measure future improvements. Each week, a team of over 100 auditors...

Critical minds for critical times

  Address by Jon Williams, Managing Director, News and Current Affairs, RTE, at Speakers' Lunch, Buswells Hotel, Dublin, on Friday, 12th May, 2017. In 1984, the editor of Colombia’s El Spectatador newspaper, Guillermo Cano wrote “Only the independence, the...

Osce Representative on freedom of the media

We, the undersigned, major journalists’ and freedom of expression organisations, are writing to urge the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to ensure continuity of the Office of OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media at...

Minister Shane Ross on challenge facing independents

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, was guest speaker at our lunch in Buswells Hotel, Dublin, where he covered a wide range of topics, including the challenge facing Independents in forming a Government and sustaining an administration....

Minister Shane Ross TD – opening speaker of 2017

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, will be our guest speaker at the opening lunch of 2017 which takes place on Monday, 30th January, 2017, at Buswells Hotel, Dublin, 12.45pm sharp. The lunch costs €30 and please note that, in addition,...

Brexit is defining political challenge: Phil Hogan

    Speech by EU Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner, Phil Hogan at Christmas lunch, Hilton Hotel, Dublin. I'd like to share a few thoughts on the current political landscape in Europe. Let me first say a few words on Brexit, which is the defining...

Brexit must not distract EU from core values

Brexit must not distract EU from core values

By Mairead McGuinness MEP, Vice President of the European Parliament. Address to the 2016 AEJ Congress, Kilkenny. The EU needs to be careful that Brexit does not become the tail that wags the dog and results in the EU 27 losing focus on the major challenges and...

Brexit: Real UK leaders must stand up says AIB Chairman Richard Pym

Brexit: Real UK leaders must stand up says AIB Chairman Richard Pym

  Speech by AIB Chairman Richard Pym As a British citizen, chairing an Irish bank, previously chairing a Swedish bank, with a family in America, spreading my time between three countries and paying taxes in two, I probably come close to being the global citizen...

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