Vol. 494 No. 4
137 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of European General Affairs meetings held since July 1997; the number of meetings he has attended personally; the number of meetings attended by junior Ministers in his Department; the number of meetings attended by the permanent representative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18611/98]
The General Affairs Council has met on 17 occasions since 1 July 1997. Since I was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs on 8 October 1997, the General Affairs Council met 14 times, including two special sessions held in Geneva and devoted to trade matters. I attended seven of the remaining 12 meetings of the Council.
My predecessor attended one meeting of the Council in July 1997 and the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ms O'Donnell, attended meetings of the Council twice, on 6-7 October 1997 before my appointment and on 24-25 November 1997. The permanent representative to the European Union represented Ireland on two occasions, on 15 September 1997 and on 26 January 1998.
A list setting out attendance at meetings of the General Affairs Council in the period under reference is attached. This list details my own attendance, attendance by representatives on my behalf and my other commitments which made that necessary.
Meetings of General Affairs Council since July 1997.
|
22 July 1997 |
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Burke. |
|
15 September 1997 |
Permanent Representative of Ireland to the EU, Ambassador Denis O'Leary. |
|
6-7 October 1997 |
Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ms O'Donnell (prior to taking up duty as Minister for Foreign Affairs). |
|
10 November 1997 |
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Andrews. |
|
24-25 November 1997 |
Minister of State, Ms O'Donnell. (On day prior to this meeting completed a week long series of Anglo-Irish meetings in both Belfast and London followed by European Employment Summit in Luxembourg.) |
|
8 December 1997 |
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. David Andrews. |
|
11-12 December 1997 (Geneva) |
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr. T. Kitt. |
|
26 January 1998 |
Permanent Representative of Ireland to the EU, Ambassador Denis O'Leary. (Attended Anglo-Irish Strand II Talks, London.) |
|
23 February 1998 |
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Andrews. |
|
30-31 March 1998 |
Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Mr. Fahey and Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr. T. Kitt. (On both dates attended Anglo-Irish talks, Castle Buildings, Belfast.) |
|
27 April 1998 |
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Andrews. |
|
18 May 1998 (Geneva) |
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr. T. Kitt. |
|
25 May 1998 |
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Andrews. |
|
8-9 June 1998 |
Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Mr. ÓCuív. (Concluded a visit to Palermo for the Euro-Med FM meeting and visit to South Africa to meet President Mandela.) |
|
29 June 1998 |
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Andrews. |
|
13 July 1998 |
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Andrews. |
|
5-6 October 1998 |
Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Mr. Cullen. (Accompanied President McAleese on State visit to Canada.) |
