Mary Coughlan
Question:9 Miss Coughlan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the bilateral meetings, if any, it is planned to hold with EU Heads of Government, other than the British Prime Minister. [14920/95]
Written Answers. - Bilateral Meetings.
James McDaid
Question:15 Dr. McDaid asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the meetings, if any, he has had recently with Ireland's EU Commissioner, Pádraig Flynn. [15454/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 15 together.
I assume that Deputy Coughlan's question relates to the Taoiseach's plans for bilateral meetings particularly in the context of Ireland's forthcoming Presidency.
Preparation for Ireland's Presidency of the European Union from 1 July to 31 December 1996 has been under way for over a year now. As part of the planning process and in preparation for Ireland's Presidency of the European Union, including the European Council to be held in Dublin in December 1996, the Taoiseach intends to maintain bilateral contacts, concentrating particularly on the Presidency, with Heads of Government of the European Union member states over the coming year.
For example, the Taoiseach met Prime Minister Gonzalez, the current Chair of the Council, in Madrid on 3 October and again in Dublin on 4 December. He met with President Santer in Madrid on 5 November. On 6 November, the Taoiseach had a substantive meeting with Prime Minister Juncker of Luxembourg en route to the funeral of the late Israeli President, Mr. Rabin, and while in Tel Aviv had a brief meeting with President Chirac of France. Details of further meetings are being worked out at present.
In addition to a series of bilateral meetings, the Taoiseach will have a number of opportunities to discuss issues on the European Union agenda with the Heads of State or Government at the European Council in Madrid next week and at one or more European Council meetings during the Italian Presidency. Heads of State or Government will also meet in the the context of the Europe-Asia Summit in Bangkok at the beginning of March 1996. During these summits there will be the opportunity for the Taoiseach to meet bilaterally with his European colleagues to discuss issues of relevance to Irish bilateral interests and to the Irish Presidency.
For my own part, I will continue to hold meetings with colleagues over the coming months. For instance, I visited Helsinki in October for a meeting with my Finnish opposite number. The Italian Foreign Minister, Mrs. Agnelli, who precedes me as Chair of the Council, will visit Dublin for bilateral discussion later this month. Meetings with the Belgian and Dutch Foreign Ministers have also been arranged.
In addition, of course I will have the opportunity to meet my counterparts at every meeting of the General Affairs Council as well as at the European Council and other meetings scheduled between now and the start of our Presidency. I have had two meetings this year with the President of the European Parliament and I will continue to meet with members of the Commission.
In this context, I had a luncheon meeting with Commissioner Flynn in Brussels on 10 November. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss current issues on the European Union agenda in view of the forthcoming Intergovernmental Conference and Ireland's Presidency of the Union in the second half of 1996 and to brief the Commission on preparations which we are making for the Presidency.
As the Minister responsible for co-ordinating the Presidency, I am encouraging all Ministers with Presidency responsibilities to ensure that they hold bilateral meetings with their counterparts in member states, with relevant Commissioners and members of the European Parliament in the lead up to our Presidency. It is our view that adequate preparation for the Presidency will enable us to ensure that Ireland's Presidency will be in a position to advance the European Union agenda.