Date
|
Destination
|
Purpose of Trip/Number of Meetings
|
28-29 March
|
Brussels
|
(1) Meeting with Irish MEPs.
|
|
|
(2) Meeting with Chair of Employment and Social Affairs Committee of European Parliament.
|
|
|
(3) Meeting with Commissioner Flynn.
|
|
|
(4) Attendance of European Social Policy Forum.
|
|
|
(5) Bilateral Meeting with UK Parliamentay Under Secretary of State for Social Security.
|
|
|
(6) Social Affairs Council Meeting.
|
20-22 May
|
Strasbourg
|
(1) Meeting with Irish MEPs.
|
|
|
(2) Meeting with President of European Parliament.
|
|
|
(3) Meeting with Chair of Employment and Social Affairs Committee of European Parliament.
|
|
|
(4) Meeting with Commissioner Flynn and
|
|
|
(5) a series of eight meetings with representatives of various political groups in the European Parliament in advance of the Irish Presidency.
|
2-3 June
|
Luxembourg
|
(1) Social Affairs Council Meeting; and
|
|
|
(2) Bilateral meetings with French, German and Dutch Ministers.
|
7-9 June
|
Madrid and London
|
(1) Bilateral meetings with Spanish Minister for Social Affairs.
|
|
|
(2) Radio interview, London regarding Northern Ireland peace process.
|
23-24 July
|
Brussels
|
(1) Addressed Social Affairs Committee of European Parliament on Presidency Social Affairs agenda.
|
28-31 July
|
Athens
|
(1) Met Greek Minister for Social Affairs, Labour Affairs and Social Protection and Deputy Foreign Minister.
|
6-8 Sept.
|
Oxford
|
(1) Addressed and participated in Annual Conference of British-Irish Association on behalf of Government.
|
7-8 Oct.
|
Barcelona
|
(1) Addressed Conference on Social Policy and European Integration.
|
|
|
(2) National Newspaper interviews on Irish Government proposals to Intergovernmental Conference on the Social Exclusion issue.
|
12-13 Oct.
|
Helsinki
|
(1) Met Finnish Minister for Social Affairs and Health.
|
|
|
(2) Met Finnish Minister of State for Social Affairs to discuss matters arising out of the Irish Presidency and the proposal to include a provision in the Treaty on social exclusion.
|
|
|
(3) Addressed conference on European Social Policy.
|
16-17 Oct.
|
Brussels
|
(1) Addressed Conference on EU Social Policy at the European Parliament to mark World Day for the Eradication of Poverty
|
22-23 Oct.
|
Strasbourg
|
(1) Addressed Plenary Session of European Parliament — on social dimension of EU.
|
|
|
(2) Met UNESCO officials to discuss anti-Poverty actions.
|
28-29 Oct.
|
Bonn
|
(1) Met German Minister and Junior Minister for Social Affairs to discuss issues arising from Irish Presidency Programme.
|
1-2 Dec.
|
Brussels
|
(1) Social Affairs Council Meeting.
|
|
|
(2) Met Commissioner Flynn, Director-General Larsson and Council Officials.
|