Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 April 2004
70 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance, further to Parliamentary Question No. 188 of 23 March 2004, the number and status of those invited to the function held in Portlaoise; the methodology used to extend the invitations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10412/04]
View answerThe total number of delegates who attended the EU regional Ministers' meeting in Portlaoise on 26-28 February 2004 was approximately 170.
The national delegations were from the administrations of the 15 existing member states, the ten new member states and the three candidate states of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. They were led by Ministers in the majority of cases. There were also delegations from a number of EU institutions, most notably the Commission, whose delegation was led by Commissioner Michel Barnier.
The meeting was chaired by the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Tom Parlon, as part of the Irish Presidency of the EU. The main functions held in connection with the meeting were two gala dinners to which all the delegates were invited. The Minister of State also invited just over 20 personal guests to each of the dinners. Invitations to the delegates were issued by hand and invitations to the personal guests were issued by post.
The meeting was regarded by the participants as being highly successful both on the policy and the organisational aspects. The development of regional policy in the EU is of obvious interest to the EU and to Ireland. It was therefore important both from the EU Presidency and from the national point of view that the meeting was so successful.
