I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 95 together.
There have been 14 formal and informal meetings of the EU Culture Ministers since June 1997, five of which I have attended personally. The informal meetings that I was unable to attend were attended by senior officials of my Department.
The main culture items on the formal Council agenda over the period 1997-2000 have been the adoption of the single framework programme for culture – Culture 2000 – with a budget of 167 million euros over the period 2000-04 and the decision on the capital of culture event for the period 2005-19. The main political debate on these two items took place at the formal Council meeting on 17 November 1998 which I attended.
On the audio visual side the main focus has been on the development of a new audio visual programme, MEDIA PLUS, which is still under discussion and which will be the main item on the agenda for the Council of Ministers later this month under the auspices of the French Presidency which I will be attending. Public service broadcasting and the funding of public service broadcasters is also a matter of current debate under the French Presidency which will submit a report to the Council later this month.
I am satisfied that Ireland's interests were represented satisfactorily at the Council of Ministers meetings since I took office.