Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 May 2013
88. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which Ireland’s EU Presidency has succeeded in addressing the most pressing issues in the course of its term of office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23620/13]
View answerIn preparing for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Government sought to focus the agenda on the most urgent issues facing Europe today; promoting stability, stimulating sustainable economic growth and creating jobs in Europe.
During its first four and a half months in office, steady progress has been made on the Presidency’s policy objectives. In the remaining seven weeks of the Presidency the Government will further intensify its efforts to drive its Presidency programme forward and to deliver strong and tangible results for the EU and its citizens. Fighting unemployment and the causes of joblessness, particularly among young Europeans, has been one of the most pressing priorities of the Irish Presidency.
We were pleased to have secured agreement in February on the Youth Guarantee programme. The decision reached at the February European Council on a €6bn fund to tackle youth unemployment in the worst-affected regions in the EU was also significant. The Presidency will continue to make progress on initiatives such as the Erasmus for All programme aimed at ensuring that all citizens, but particularly young people, have access to the skills and education to equip them for today’s job market. As Presidency, Ireland also identified the research and innovation sector as an area with strong growth potential and we are working hard on initiatives such as the Horizon 2020 funding programme and the European Research Area to support future growth and employment in this fast-growing sector.
The Irish Presidency also placed a strong emphasis on measures aimed at strengthening and modernising the Single Market to deliver growth and job creation. The agreement secured on the Accounting Directive and the Union Customs Code will contribute to reducing the administrative burden on businesses, in particular SMEs. The Re-Use of Public Sector Information agreement that the Presidency brokered in April also offers strong potential to spur growth and support the creation of new jobs in Europe. The Unified Patent Court (UPC) agreement will not just help business by providing a one-stop shop for registering and protecting patents within the EU, but will also contribute to driving growth in the digital Single Market. Our ongoing work in driving forward policy on key issues including e-identification regulation and the data protection package is proceeding well. The Presidency will host the Digital Agenda Assembly in Dublin in June which we hope will contribute to the development of this critical sector of the Irish and European economies.
The Irish Presidency is also working to advance the EU’s external trade agenda with third countries in order to open new markets for Europe’s exporters and to create jobs. Good progress is being made in trade negotiations with a number of countries in Asia. One of our top priorities in the trade area remains securing a mandate for the start of negotiations on a Trade and Investment Partnership with the US given the very great potential for growth and job creation that such an agreement could generate on both sides of the Atlantic. This will remain a key focus for the remainder of the Presidency.
The Irish Presidency is also attaching major importance to measures which promote stability and confidence in Europe’s economy. In parallel with its focus on growth and jobs, we have placed a strong emphasis on restoring health to the EU’s banking system to support future growth, protect tax-payers and avoid past mistakes. Good progress has been made on advancing the Banking Union package of legislation, with agreements secured by the Presidency on the Capital Requirements Directive IV and Single Supervisory Mechanism. We are now working on other elements of the Banking Union, in particular the Banking Resolution and Recovery proposal. The Presidency has also secured agreement in other areas including on proposals such as the Mortgage Credit Directive and the “Two Pack” legislation which improves budgetary surveillance and coordination in the euro area.
Following the decision taken at the European Council last February on the EU’s future financing, the Taoiseach and I have met on a number of occasions with the President of the European Parliament (EP) to address the issues preventing the Parliament from giving its approval to the proposed Multiannual Financial Framework for the period 2014 to 2020. Ireland considers that timely agreement on the budget is critical given the implications for EU initiatives which support the creation of employment, economic growth and social cohesion in Europe. The Taoiseach and I met EP President Schulz and Commission President Barroso in Brussels on 6 May, and I am pleased that our discussions formed the basis of further negotiations on resolving outstanding differences which I attended earlier this week. The Presidency remains open and fully committed to working with all partners to secure a deal on the budget to ensure that it is put to work at the earliest opportunity to support employment and growth in Europe.
The Presidency has also brokered agreements on a wide range of other issues including protecting citizens from serious cross-border threats to health, strengthening provisions on water quality in the EU, improving the safety of workers in offshore oil and gas prospection and protecting workers in contact with electromagnetic fields. And we look forward to delivering more agreements over the coming weeks.
The Government has invested a great deal in this Presidency, because we believe that Ireland’s future and its future interests in Europe are best served by being an active and constructive Member State. Building on the progress made to date, every member of Government will work over the coming weeks to deliver results that contribute to a better Europe.
