Vol. 470 No. 1
307 Mr. Pat the Cope Galleagher asked the Minister for the Marine the reason no informal Council Meeting of EU Marine Ministers is being held in Ireland during its Presidency of the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18277/96]
As other member states do not, unlike Ireland, have a single ministry with responsibility for the marine sector as a whole, an informal Council on Marine issues was not considered to be particularly practical or realistic. However, the Presidency is hosting a number of high level meetings on fisheries, maritime transport and marine research, involving all member states which will significantly progress solid working initiatives in the marine area during our term. The events held to date have been widely acknowledged as successful and worth while and have proved an excellent basis for doing business.
