The Green Party is today to join the European Movement, a leading lobby group that has campaigned to promote "the economic, political and social development of Europe".
Last night, Green Party chairman John Gormley said the Greens would join the organisation on Europe Day in the hope that they could "bring some influence in the important debate on the future of Europe.
"Europe Day gives us all the opportunity to reflect on the great successes of the European Union and to ask fundamental questions about the future direction of the project," he said.
The EU "has been good for Ireland" by broadening "our cultural horizons" and improving environmental and social standards, but there are "also areas which have given rise to legitimate concern".
The Greens, he said, remain concerned about the "continuing militarisation of the European Union and the fact that the European Union has become a vehicle for neo-liberal policies and not a bulwark against globalisation.
"The effects of globalisation and the European Commission's neo-liberal tendencies were major factors in the referendum defeat in France," said the Dublin South East TD.
A new convention should be created to draw up a new constitution to replace the one defeated in the French and Dutch referendums, rather than any more efforts to tinker with the existing version.
"In many ways the Green Party in Ireland is more pro-European and pro-integration than other Irish political parties. If Europe were to concentrate on achieving greater integration in the areas of the environment and energy, for example, it would immediately strike a chord with most European citizens.
"As a European party, part of the European Greens, we have always considered joining the European Movement and today is the appropriate time to do so."
The European Movement, which is chaired by Labour TD Ruairí Quinn, includes members of political parties, interest groups, public- and private-sector organisations and academics.