Written Answers. - European Council Meetings.
Jim O'Keeffe
Question:
338
Mr. J. O'Keeffe
asked the
Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
the meetings, formal and informal, of European Union Councils relevant to his position or portfolio held since June 1997; the number of such meetings personally attended by him; and the details of the person who led the Irish delegation at such Council meetings when not attended by him.
[23330/03]
I have attended or been represented at a number of meetings of EU Ministers since becoming Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism in June 2002 as follows.
Arts-Cultural Institutions
I attended the formal Council of Ministers with responsibility for culture on 11 and 12 November 2002. In my absence, the delegation for the formal Council of Ministers meeting on 6 May 2003 was led by Mr. Michael Grant, assistant secretary of my Department. I have attended the following informal Councils of Ministers with responsibility for culture: Florence on 1 and 2 October 2003, and Thessaloniki on 24 May 2003.
My predecessor, Deputy de Valera, as Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, attended or was represented at the following formal meetings of the EU Council of Ministers: 24 November 1997 – attended by the Minister, Deputy de Valera; 22 May 1998 – represented by the deputy permanent representative; 17 November 1998 – attended by the Minister, Deputy de Valera; 28 June 1999 – represented by deputy permanent representative; 22 November 1999 – represented by the deputy permanent representative; 16 May 2000 – represented by the deputy permanent representative; 26 September 2000 – the deputy permanent representative; 23 November 2000 – attended by the Minister, Deputy de Valera; 23 May 2001 – attended by the Minister, Deputy de Valera; 21 June 2001 – attended by the Minister, Deputy de Valera; and 5 November 2001 – attended by the Minister, Deputy de Valera.
In addition, the Minister, Deputy de Valera, attended or was represented at the following informal meetings of the Council of Ministers as follows: 16 and 17 March 1998 – represented by senior Department officials; 11 and 12 September 1998 – attended by the Minister, Deputy de Valera; 18 and 19 May 1999 – represented by senior Department officials; 18 to 20 July 1999 – attended by the Minister, Deputy de Valera; 31 March 2000 – represented by senior Department officials; 20 to 22 July 2000 – attended by the Minister, Deputy de Valera; 21 and 22 May 2001 – attended by the Minister, Deputy de Valera; and 5 to 6 December 2001 – represented by senior Department officials.
Sport
Although there is no dedicated EU Council formation relating specifically to sport, I have attended or been represented at the following informal meetings of EU Ministers: informal meeting of EU sports Ministers on 21 and 22 November 2002 held in Aarhus, Denmark under the Danish Presidency and represented by senior Department officials; informal meeting of EU sports Ministers on 25 February 2003 held in Brussels under the Greek Presidency and represented by senior Department officials; informal meeting of EU sports Ministers on 8 and 9 May 2003 held in Athens under the Greek Presidency and represented by senior Department officials; informal meeting of EU sports Ministers held in Florence on 2 and 3 October 2003 under the Italian Presidency; informal meeting of EU sports Ministers on 17 May 2003 held in Almeria, Spain, and represented by senior Department officials.
My predecessor, Deputy McDaid, as Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, attended or was represented at the following informal meetings of EU Ministers: June 1998 in Paris – attended by the Minister, Deputy McDaid; May 1999 in Paderborn, Germany – attended by the Minister, Deputy McDaid; November 2000 in Paris – attended by the Minister, Deputy McDaid; October 1999 in Helsinki – represented by senior Department officials; May 2000 in Lisbon – represented by the then Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Deputy Eoin Ryan; November 2001 in Brussels – represented by the then Minister of State, Deputy Eoin Ryan; March 2002 in Brussels – represented by senior Department officials.
Tourism
There is no dedicated EU Council formation relating specifically to tourism. However, my predecessor, Deputy McDaid, as Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, was represented at the following informal meetings of EU Ministers: Lille in November 2000 – represented by the then Minister of State, Deputy Eoin Ryan; Bruges in July 2001 – represented by a senior Department official.
