Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Jun 2001

Vol. 538 No. 3

Written Answers. - Official Engagements.

Derek McDowell

Question:

72 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of formal ministerial Council meetings and informal ministerial Council meetings attended by each member of the Government since June 1997; the venue in each case; the name of those who substituted for the member of the Government; and the principle items for discussion at the meetings in question. [17800/01]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

I refer the Deputy to the reply which I provided to an almost identical question in this House on 28 November last. I am, of course, happy to recapitulate the points which I made then and in particular to reiterate that the information which the Deputy has requested relating to formal Council meetings is already available in the public domain.

There are approximately 16 Council formations at present, some of which meet as often as 12 times per year. Irish Ministers and Ministers of State attend the various Council meetings according to their areas of functional responsibility. Following each Council meeting, a comprehensive Council press release is issued which gives the venue, a list of those attending from each member state and full details of the agenda. These press releases are, of course, available in the public domain. Each one issued since 1 January 1995 can be accessed on the EUROPA website. I can provide the precise website address if required.

Once every six months, the Presidency-in-office invites the Ministers attending individual Council formations to an informal gathering. These meetings take place in the country holding the Presidency. They serve the useful function of allowing EU Ministers to confer informally, often about longer term and strategic issues, without the pressure of more immediate work which can often dominate Council agendas. There are no agendas for informal meetings. No formal business is transacted and no conclusions are adopted.

I have attended informal meetings of Foreign Ministers, known as "Gymnich" meetings, on two occasions since my appointment. At the first such meeting, held at the Azores on 6-7 May 2000, Ministers discussed the future of Europe, the western Balkans, expenditure on the EU's foreign policy priorities, European security and defence policy, Austria, the situation in Zimbabwe, the next EuroMed ministerial meeting, developments in Sierra Leone, EU-Turkey relations and Russia. At the Gymnich meeting held at Evian Les Bains, France on 2-3 September 2000, Ministers discussed the future of Europe, the Middle East peace process, the EU's external relations and the western Balkans.

As a result of an injury received in a minor traffic accident, I was unfortunately unable to attend the Gymnich meeting in Nykoping, Sweden on 5-6 May this year. I understand that Ministers discussed enlargement, the two Koreas, the Middle East, western Balkans and the EU's approach to human rights. EU Foreign Ministers were joined for lunch on 6 May by Foreign Ministers for the candidate countries for a discussion on the future of Europe.

My predecessor also attended informal meetings of EU Foreign Ministers at Mondorf-le-Bains, Luxembourg in October 1997, Edinburgh in March 1998, Salzberg in September 1998, Reinharthausen, Germany in March 1999 and Saarriselka, Finland in September 1999.

With regard to informal gatherings attended by other Ministers, invitations are normally issued directly by the chairman in office of each such Council formation to the relevant Irish Minister. By their nature, such meetings are conducted through informal procedures, without the direct involvement of my Department. Should the Deputy require information about the attendance of Ministers other than those for Foreign Affairs, he might direct his question to each of the Ministers concerned.