Ministerial Meetings

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 May 2014

Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Questions (226)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

226. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide details of all official foreign trips he and Ministers of State in his Department intend to take between now and the end of 2014; if he will detail whom they will be meeting on these trips; the purpose of the trip; the duration of the trip; if there are plans to use all of these trips to promote Ireland as a good place for doing business and as a destination for foreign direct investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21858/14]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

As the Deputy will be aware, I normally attend the meetings of the Eurogroup and the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin) each month. These regular meetings provide an important opportunity to engage with my fellow EU Finance Ministers and members of the European Central Bank. From time to time there are additional special Finance Ministerial meetings but as of now the schedule of meetings for the remainder of the year is as follows:

Greek Presidency

Luxembourg

Eurogroup 19 June

Ecofin 20 June

Italian Presidency

Brussels

Eurogroup - July 7

Ecofin - July 8

Milan

Eurogroup - 12 September

Informal Ecofin 12&13 September

Luxembourg

Eurogroup - 13 October

Ecofin - 14 October

Brussels

Eurogroup - 6 November

Ecofin - 7 November

Brussels

Eurogroup - 8 December

Ecofin 9 December

In addition to the above meetings, I also plan to attend the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington from 10 to 12 October, 2014.

I also plan to visit Singapore and China from 26 October to 2 November, 2014.

Each visit I undertake is used to promote Ireland and to build strong relationships that enable us to influence decisions which affect our interests.

Minister of State Hayes has no proposed visits currently scheduled.