JOINT COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN AFFAIRS debate -
Tuesday, 29 Jul 2008

Business of Joint Committee.

Chairman

The minutes of the meeting of 15 July have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed. Are the minutes of the meeting of 23 July agreed? Agreed.

Next on the agenda is correspondence deferred from our last meeting. No. R176 is correspondence forwarded for the information of the committee by the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny detailing decisions taken by that committee at its meeting of 15 July. Is it agreed that we note the correspondence? Agreed.

No. R177 is an e-mail from the initiative, a soul for Europe, inviting the committee to attend a conference in Berlin on 14 and 15 November 2008. The topics to be covered include the relationship between business, culture and policy making and harnessing the power of young members of civil society to promote Europe's development. Perhaps we should return to that matter.

Deputy Noel Treacy

We should note it and put it on the agenda for consideration in September.

Chairman

We will ask the secretariat to prepare a proposal regarding attendance. We may not be able to attend but if we can we will send a delegation.

Item R178 is a letter from the European Parliament enclosing documents adopted by the parliament at its part session from 4 June to 5 June. Is it agreed that this is for notation? Agreed.

Item R179 is a letter from the National Forum on Europe to the committee from its chairman, Dr. Maurice Hayes. Is it agreed that this be noted? Agreed.

Correspondence received relating to the last meeting has been circulated. Item R180 is an invitation to a plenary meeting of COSAC from 2 November to 4 November. This is for notation and will be dealt with at a later stage. It is important that we attend that meeting and that we be trenchant in our discussions with our European colleagues because they are trenchant with us.

Item R181 is correspondence received from Mr. Brendan Kelly of Financial Services Ireland, to which I have referred. I propose that this be noted. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I do not intend to go into private session as the remaining business can be dealt with at the next committee meeting in September. I propose that we ask the secretariat to focus, in the interim, on arrangements for visiting the western Balkans, which we seek to visit in connection with the future of Europe. We will deal with this in late September. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Deputy Noel Treacy

Is our next meeting to be on 9 September.

Chairman

It is. Is that agreed? Agreed.

There is one other item to deal with, item 5. A draft report on the attendance at the Crans Montana forum in Monaco was circulated to members at our last meeting. The report was specifically circulated to the delegation that attended the conference for amendment. Some minor amendments were suggested and have been made. If there are no further amendments the report will be formally agreed. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Deputy Noel Treacy

We pay tribute to our staff members who produced a very good report.

Chairman

Yes, I particularly pay tribute to Eimear for her tremendous work on that report.

The draft report of the joint committee's contribution to the European Commission on its annual policy strategy was circulated for consideration at our last meeting but consideration was postponed. The draft adopts the contribution on the annual policy strategy already agreed by the joint committee on 1 July and subsequently issued to the European Commission. This report simply includes an introduction to the contribution and records the formal decision of the joint committee. Is it agreed that the report, as circulated, be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas? Agreed.

The joint committee adjourned at 4.40 p.m. until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 9 September 2008.