'America’s World: Views of a Former National Security Advisor' In this edition of IIEA Insights, the successor to Henry Kissinger, Condoleezza Rice and others, 27th U.S. National Security Advisor, Robert C. O’Brien, will discuss the past, present, and future of America’s global role Robert C. O’Brien is the co-founder and chairman of American Global Strategies LLC among many other roles. He was the 27th United States National Security Advisor from 2019-2021, acting at President Donald Trump’s principal advisor on all aspects of American foreign policy and national security affairs. He currently serves on the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB) in President Donald Trump’s second term.

This symposium includes a keynote address by, and fireside chat with, Feargal Ó Coigligh, Secretary General of the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport. This symposium also includes the launch and presentation of a new paper on the same topic entitled Secure Connections: Ireland’s Digital Infrastructure and the Security of European Connectivity by its authors Cian FitzGerald, Senior Researcher at the IIEA; and Barry Colfer PhD, Director of Research at the IIEA. Following the presentation, the symposium includes a discussion amongst a panel of experts. Panellists include: Garrett Blaney, Chairperson of Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg); Rebecca Nottingham, Director of Bright Subsea Consulting and Trustee at the SubOptic Foundation; Ben Wreschner, Head of Network and Economic Regulation at Vodafone.

'Mid-Year Economic Outlook' In this edition of IIEA insights, Dan O’Brien will be joined by economist and public servant Robert Watt to discuss the economic outlook for the second half of 2026 and beyond. They will discuss global inflationary pressures in the light of recent energy price volatility, economic headwinds and tailwinds, economic aspects of AI, and geopolitical risks. On the Irish economy, they will examine strengths, weaknesses, and the state of public finances. Robert Watt is the CEO Dublin Regeneration Authority. He previously served as Secretary General of the Department of Health and as Secretary General in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, during which time he was one of the principal advisers to the Government on economic, budgetary and financial policy issues. He has a professional background as an economist and has worked in the private, as well as the public sector

Europe's agricultural transition is stalling. While the destination is clear, many farmers feel excluded from decision-making, uncertain about the expectations placed upon them in the context of Europe's transition to net zero, and disproportionately burdened by the cost of change. Yet, this new research from Project Tempo, which will be launched at this IIEA event, tells a more hopeful story and points to a constructive path forward. Drawing on extensive work across France, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Poland, it finds strong latent support among farmers for reform, provided it is fair and clearly defined. This event will present these findings and explore how policymakers, stakeholders, and farmers can work together to deliver a more inclusive and effective transition.   This research will be presented by Dagmar Droogsma, who leads Project Tempo's first thematic workstream on the transition to sustainable agriculture. She brings over 30 years' experience across government, industry, and civil society, more than two decades of which have been spent at the intersection of climate, environmental, and agricultural policy in the UK, across the EU, and at the UN. The event will be moderated by Tom Arnold, Chair of the Ireland Africa Rural Development Committee.   The presentation will be followed by an expert panel discussion featuring: Dr Pippa Hackett, former Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; organic farmer and Manager, Project BASELINE Ian Marshall OBE, former Senator, Seanad Éireann; Head of Business Development and Policy, CASE, Queen's University Belfast Dr Jeanne Moore, Policy Analyst, National Economic and Social Council (NESC)

As quantum technologies continue to rapidly develop, in this event, Oscar Diez, Deputy Head of Unit for Quantum Technologies at the European Commission, will outline the role of the forthcoming European Quantum Act. Mr Diez will particularly discuss how the EU can support the transition from scientific excellence to industrial capacity, including access to infrastructures, scale-up, skills, supply chains and market uptake. Mr Diez will also reflect on how the Quantum Act and wider Quantum Europe Strategy can play a role in helping to promote Europe’s competitiveness agenda and drive innovation in Europe. About the Speaker: Oscar Diez is the Deputy Head of Unit for Quantum Technologies at the European Commission, where he leads strategic initiatives to position Europe as a global leader in the quantum domain. Mr Diez is also an adjunct professor at IE University in Madrid. With a background in both academia and public sector innovation, he previously served as Head of the Datacentre at the European Medicines Agency in London. Dr. Diez holds a PhD in Computer Science from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and a Master’s in Open eGovernment from Stockholm University.

The Horn of Africa continues to be profoundly marked by political instability, conflict, and humanitarian crises. As the war in Sudan continues through its fourth year, longstanding tensions across the region intersect with geopolitical rivalries, against the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East, and the increasing relevance of the Red Sea to global trade and European security and economic interests. The EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Dr. Annette Weber, will address these complex dynamics and the prospects for peace, security, and economic development in the Horn, a region at the centre of shifting global alliances. Dr. Annette Weber was appointed as the EU Special Representative to the Horn of Africa in July 2021. With more than 25 years of experience in the regions, she is a leading expert on the Horn of Africa. She was engaged in mediation in Sudan and Ethiopia as Senior Advisor for the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (2019-2021). EUSR Weber has also lectured as a Professor of Conflict Studies, International Relations, and African International Relations at various universities in Germany, Austria, and Spain. From 2010-2012, she worked as a consultant in residence in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She has published extensively on peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea arena. This lecture is part of the Development Matters series, which is kindly supported by Irish Aid.

Ireland’s Energy Insecurity Description Security of energy supplies has always been vital for all economies, at least since the industrial revolution. In an era in which international trade is being weaponised more frequently, Ireland’s high dependence on energy imports is a growing vulnerability. This is, all the more so, in the context of a European security environment which has deteriorated markedly since 2022. In this edition of IIEA Insights, Eamonn O’Reilly will assess this island’s vulnerabilities, current government plans to address them, and what he thinks should be done to enhance energy security. Eamonn O’Reilly is Chair of the Energy & Climate Action Committee of the Irish Academy of Engineering. He is an engineer by profession and has worked on power plant projects in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Congo. Among other previous roles, he was Chief Executive of Dublin Port for 12 years until 2022, during which time he brought a programme of major port development projects from concept, through consenting, finance, and on to completion.

Neale Richmond is Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for International Development and Diaspora. He previously served as Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance, and as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Business, Employment and Retail, and the Department of Social Protection. Before this, he was elected as a TD for Dublin Rathdown in the 2020 General Election. In April 2016, he was elected to Seanad Éireann, on the Labour Panel, where he was the Fine Gael Spokesperson on European Affairs and chair of the Seanad Special Select Committee on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU. He served for seven years on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and for two years as a member of the EU’s Committee of the Regions, leading the Irish delegation, acting as Rapporteur on the Opinion on a more responsible trade and investment policy.

As Ireland prepares to take on its EU Presidency, beginning in July 2026, this panel will discuss the evolving agenda on EU enlargement. Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty and a renewed accession momentum, this discussion, which brings together perspectives from Dublin and Brussels, will assess the strategic, institutional, and political challenges facing the Union and enlargement. Panellists will consider the nature of enlargement as a strategic priority for the Union, and the delicate balance between deepening and widening the EU. This event has been organised in conjunction with the European Policy Centre Speakers include: Fabian Zuleeg, Chief Executive of the European Policy Centre; Brigid Laffan, Emeritus Professor at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute; Barry Colfer, Director of Research at the IIEA

Dr. Alice Edwards is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture — the first woman to hold the mandate in its 40-year history. She has documented human rights violations and advocated for justice, rehabilitation and peace on behalf of victims and survivors in major wars, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda, Mozambique, Russia-Ukraine, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, and Palestine and Israel. Previously, she served as the chief legal adviser at the UN Refugee Agency (2000-2015) and led the inter-governmental Convention against Torture Initiative (2016-2021), supporting states to ratify the Convention and strengthen implementation of international law. In 2024, she was nominated for Australian of the Year.