Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:71 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of times the interdepartmental committee on Agenda 2000 has met in 1999 [4262/99]
Written Answers. - Agenda 2000.
The Interdepartmental Group on Agenda 2000, chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs, was established in July 1997 to consider Ireland's overall strategy in relation to the Agenda 2000 negotiations and to report in that regard to the Ministers and Secretaries General Group on EU policy chaired by the Taoiseach.
The interdepartmental group met regularly for that purpose up until the Vienna European Council on 11 and 12 December 1998 reiterated its firm commitment to reach overall agreement on Agenda 2000 at the European Council on 24 and 25 March this year.
With a view to co-ordinating Ireland's approach in the decisive final phase of the negotiations, the Government decided to establish a Cabinet Sub-Committee on Agenda 2000 as well as an expert technical group to support that sub-committee, both of which are chaired by the Taoiseach.
Accordingly, the Interdepartmental Group on Agenda 2000 has not met this year.