Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 9 Mar 1999

Vol. 501 No. 6

Written Answers. - EU Meetings.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

115 Mr. Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the name of the European Council of Ministers, if any, relevant to her Department; the number of council meetings she has attended since taking office; the number of meetings attended by an official or permanent representative in her absence; the number of meetings she has had with her equivalent European Ministers outside the Council of Ministers format since taking office; if officials from her Department meet regularly with Commission or other national officials; if so, the regularity with which they meet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6721/99]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

The information requested regarding meetings of the European Council of Ministers which are attended by myself, Minister of State with responsibility for labour, trade and consumer affairs, Deputy Tom Kitt, and the Minister of State with responsibility for science, technology and commerce, Deputy Treacy, is set out in the following table:

European Council	Date of Meeting	Head of Irish Delegation
Industry Council	13 November 1997	An Tánaiste
	7 May 1998	An Tánaiste
	3-4 October 1998 (Informal Council	Deputy Permanent Representative
	16 November 1998	An Tánaiste
Internal Market Council	3-4 October 1997 (Informal Council)	Minister Kitt
	27 November 1997	Minister Kitt
	13-15 February 1998 (Informal Council)	Minister Kitt
	30 March 1998	Minister Kitt
	18 May 1998	Deputy Permanent Representative
	24 September 1998	Minister Kitt
	9 November 1998	Minister Kitt
	7 December 1998	Deputy Permanent Representative
	25 February 1999	Minister Kitt
Consumer Affairs Council	3 November 1997	Minister Kitt
	23 April 1998	Minister Kitt
	3 November 1998	Minister Kitt
Social Affairs Council	22 June 1997	Deputy Permanent Representative
	4-5 July 1997 (Informal Council)	Deputy Permanent Representative
	7 October 1997	Minister Kitt
	6 November 1997	Minister Kitt
	17 November 1997	Minister Kitt
	15 December 1997	Minister Kitt
	12-14 March 1998 (Informal Council)	Minister Kitt
	7 April 1998	Deputy Permanent Representative
	3-4 June 1998	Minister Kitt
	8-10 July 1998 (Informal Council)	Minister Kitt
	27 October 1998	Deputy Permanent Representative
	20 November 1998	Minister Kitt
	1-2 December 1998	Deputy Permanent Representative
	4-6 February 1999	Minister Kitt
Research Council	10 November 1997	Minister Treacy
	12 February 1998	Minister Treacy
	22 June 1998	Minister Treacy
	13 October 1998	Minister Treacy
	22 December 1998	Minister Treacy

Minister of State Kitt also attended two meetings of the General Affairs Council which were held on 11 December 1997 and 18 May 1998 to discuss trade issues.

Minister of State Kitt met the then British Trade Minister on 25 July 1997. He also met with the Austrian and British Ministers who have responsibility for EU Labour and Social Affairs matters in Dublin on 23 February and 22 May 1998 respectively. He had a meeting with the Austrian Trade Minister in Dublin on 26 June 1998. On 3 October 1998, in response to his invitation, the Austrian Minister for Women's Affairs and Consumer Protection addressed a forum in Dublin entitled Consumer Policy and the Amsterdam Treaty. In addition, the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, held discussions with the British Trade Minister on 11 January 1999 on the occasion of his visiting Dublin.

The Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, met with his European colleagues at a Colloquium of Research Ministers which took place in London on 28 April 1998. Officials from my Department meet regularly with officials from other EU member states and the European Commission during, or at the margins of, meetings of Council and European Commission working groups. Such meetings take place almost on a daily basis. Officials also have bilateral meetings with the Commission from time to time.