Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 Jun 2001

Vol. 539 No. 1

Written Answers. - Official Engagements.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

335 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will list each EU Council of Ministers meeting since July 1997 at which he was entitled to attend; and, in respect of each such meeting, if he attended or another Minister, a Minister of State, or another person represented him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19076/01]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The EU Council of Ministers' meeting which I am entitled to attend has responsibility for employment and social policy – previously labour and social affairs. The vast majority of the issues dealt with by this Council formation relate to employment and the remit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Generally there are much fewer items on the Council's agenda relating to social security, which comes within the remit of my Department.

There have been 26 meetings of this Council since July 1997 and the dates and head of delegation are as follows:

Date	Representing Ireland
07 Oct 1997	Minister Kitt
06 Nov 1997	Minister Kitt
17 Nov 1997	Ministers McCreevy, Kitt, Cullen
15 Dec 1997	Minister Kitt
07 Apr 1998	Deputy Permanent Representative
3&4 June 1998	Ministers Kitt, Martin
27 Oct 1998	Deputy Permanent Representative
20 Nov 1998	Minister Kitt
1&2 Dec 1998	Deputy Permanent Representative
09 Mar 1999	Deputy Permanent Representative
25 May 1999	Minister McCreevy
8-10 July 1999	Minister Ahern
22 Oct 1999	Minister Kitt
12 Nov 1999	Minister Kitt
29 Nov 1999	Deputy Permanent Representative
11 Feb 2000	Minister Ahern
Date	Representing Ireland
13 Mar 2000	Minister Kitt
08 May 2000	Minister Kitt
06 June 2000	Minister Kitt
08 July 2000	Minister Ahern
17 Oct 2000	Ministers Kitt, O'Donoghue
27&28 Nov 2000	Minister Kitt
20 Dec 2000	Deputy Permanent Representative
21-23 Jan 2001	Minister Wallace
06 Mar 2001	Deputy Permanent Representative
11 Jun 2001	Minister Kitt

Where the social security items on the agenda have not been of a nature which would have warranted my attendance at the Council meetings, senior officials of my Department and the Social Attache in the Permanent Representation to the EU, with responsibility in the social area, attended the Council meetings on my behalf. They fully briefed the head of delegation on the relevant issues and on the Irish position to be taken at the meetings.