25 Jun 2014, 09:24
Minister for Justice and Equality Frances Fitzgerald will today, Wednesday, 25th June 2014, brief the Justice Committee on the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting which took place from 5th and 6th June.
Committee Chairman David Stanton TD said: “The Justice and Home Affairs Council, which is made up of justice and home affairs ministers from all EU member states, develops cooperation and common policies on various cross-border issues, with the aim of building an EU-wide area of justice. Cross-border issues include guaranteeing fundamental rights, free movement of citizens, civil protection, asylum and immigration matters, common investigations into cross-border organised crime, the EU's security strategy, including the fight against terrorism and organised crime, cybercrime and violent radicalisation.
“The Council meeting of 5th-6th June had a very packed agenda. The Commission updated the ministers on the implementation of the initiatives identified by the Task Force Mediterranean, while Ministers also discussed the issue of European foreign fighters and returnees from a counter-terrorism perspective, in particular with regard to Syria. The ministers also debated the future development of the area of freedom, security and justice, adopted conclusions on a Commission EU anti-corruption report and reached a general approach on a regulation on Europol, a directive on procedural safeguards for children suspected or accused in criminal proceedings and a regulation amending the Council regulation on insolvency proceedings.
“Our Committee has an important oversight role on the Government’s interaction with the European Union on policy related to justice and home affairs we are looking forward to getting an indepth briefing from the Minister on the meeting.”
This meeting will start in Committee Room 2 at 10.30am on Wednesday, 25th June 2014.
Committee proceedings can be followed live here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Media Enquiries to:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
Committee Membership
Deputies: Niall Collins (FF); Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (FG); Alan Farrell (FG); Anne Ferris (LAB) [Vice-Chairman]; Seán Kenny (LAB); Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (SF); Finian McGrath (IND); John Paul Phelan (FG); David Stanton (FG) [Chairman]
Senators: Ivana Bacik (LAB); Martin Conway (FG); Rónán Mullen (IND); Denis O’Donovan (FF); Katherine Zappone (IND); Tony Mulcahy (FG).