Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 6 May 1998

Vol. 490 No. 5

Written Answers. - Departmental Appointments.

Nora Owen

Question:

105 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of committees, expert groups, outside agencies and study groups he has set up since July 1997; the topic each group is examining; the number of members in each group; when each group is due to report; and the costs, if any, associated with each group. [10687/98]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

The following are the details requested by the Deputy:

1. An interdepartmental committee on the possible development of the Boyne site was recently established at my behest to examine how best to encourage and facilitate an understanding of the historic Battle of the Boyne in the context of promoting reconciliation and mutual understanding on the island of Ireland.

The other Departments represented on the committee are the Departments of the Taoiseach, Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the

Islands, Environment and Local Government, Office of Public Works and Bord Fáilte.

The inaugural meeting of the committee was held on 12 March 1998. It is not possible at this early stage to say when the work of the committee will be completed.

2. The Department of Foreign Affairs chairs an Interdepartmental Group on Agenda 2000 which has been meeting since July 1997 and reports to the Ministers and Secretaries General Group on EU policy. Agenda 2000 is the term given to the Commission's Communication of July 1997 and to its subsequent detailed proposals in March 1998 on the future financial framework of the European Union for the period 2000 to 2006, including the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and of the structural and cohesion funds.

The other Departments represented on the Group are the Departments of the Taoiseach, Finance, Agriculture and Food and Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

The Group follows the ongoing negotiations in Brussels on the Commission's proposals which are expected to run into 1999 and reports regularly to the Ministers and Secretaries General Group.

3. Responsibility for the Communicating Europe Initiative, established in 1995 in the Department of the Taoiseach, was passed to the Department of Foreign Affairs in July 1997. The purpose of this initiative is to promote a greater public awareness and knowledge of European Union affairs. A committee was established to advise me on actions that might be taken under the initiative. This committee, which comprises representatives of the European Parliament and European Commission Offices in Dublin, the Institute of European Affairs, the Irish Council of the European Movement and several Government Departments, meets under the chairmanship of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

There are no additional costs associated with the administration of these groups. A budget of £100,000 is provided to fund actions under the Communicating Europe Initiative.