Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 October 2012
136. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the meeting that he has attended recently to discuss Ireland's forthcoming presidency of the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34338/12]
View answerAs Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union nears, many of my recent high-level meetings have focussed on the emerging priorities for Ireland’s six month term in office. During all meetings I have stressed that the priority of the Irish Presidency will be to work on measures dedicated to creating jobs (particularly for younger Europeans), including by working to stimulate growth across the EU. Many of the meetings have also focussed on the busy foreign policy agenda that Ireland, working closely with the European External Action Service (EEAS), will face during its Presidency in 2013. I have also discussed our emerging objectives in the General Affairs Council which I will chair during our Presidency including the EU’s future budget negotiations.
On 3 October the Government met with the College of European Commissioners in Brussels to discuss the emerging themes and priorities for the Presidency. We were pleased with the outcome of the meeting which confirmed that there is broad agreement between the Government and the European Commission on the principal priorities and objectives that Irish Ministers have identified for the Presidency at this stage of planning. I also met with Catherine Ashton, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, and our discussions also focused to a large extent, on plans for Ireland’s Presidency and in particular the Foreign Affairs Council agenda. I met with Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, during his visit to Ireland on 3-4 October. We had a useful and constructive discussion on the emerging Irish Presidency priorities and I stressed the high importance that the Irish Government attached to maintaining strong working relations with the European Parliament. Meetings that I held last week with the French and Norwegian Foreign Ministers, the Danish European Affairs Minister and Secretaries General from EU Foreign Ministries also focused, to a large extent, on EU issues and in particular the upcoming Presidency.
