Ireland's youngest EU experts are smooth operators

Meet Ireland’s youngest experts on the political, economic and cultural complexities of the European Union. And it’s all thanks to fruit smoothies.

Almost 250 students from three Cork primary schools became the first graduates yesterday of a novel six-week programme called My Big Friendly Guide to the European Union — the BFGtoEU.

Devised by Dr Emmanuelle Schön-Quinlivan, a lecturer in European politics at UCC’s Department of Government and Politics, the programme was designed not to sell the EU, but to develop awareness and critical thinking about the EU, about Ireland’s role in it, and about the advantages and disadvantages of being part of the club.