Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2001

Vol. 543 No. 2

Written Answers. - Official Engagements.

John Bruton

Ceist:

625 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the reason she did not attend the EU Council of Culture Ministers on 16 May 2000; the public engagements she undertook that day; and the agenda and outcome of the Council of Ministers meeting of 16 May 2000. [25993/01]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera):

I was in the United States on 16 May 2000, accompanying the President, at the opening of the Island – Arts from Ireland – Festival in the Kennedy Center in Washington. This was a long-standing engagement. The $3.5 million festival was a major showcase in the United States of the very best of Irish art and culture. The Government contributed $800,000 towards the cost of the festival. I have forwarded a copy of the agenda of the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 16 May. The items giving rise to decisions were items 4 and 5 and these were formally adopted. I had ensured that my Department made an appropriate input to these items at the earlier drafting and discussion stages and there were no outstanding issues of concern to Ireland.

John Bruton

Ceist:

626 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the reason she did not attend the EU Council of Culture Ministers on 26 September 2000; the public engagements she undertook that day; and the agenda and outcome of the Council of Ministers meeting of 26 September 2000. [25994/01]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera):

I was unable to be present at the Council of Culture Ministers meeting on 26 September 2000 because it coincided with a plenary session of the North-South Ministerial Council, at which my attendance was required given my responsibilities for two cross-Border Implementation Bodies – Waterways Ireland and An Foras Teanga. The agenda for the Council meeting in question follows for the Deputy's information. It will be seen that the main substantive point related to the approval of the MEDIA PLUS Programme for the support of the Audiovisual Industry 2001-2005. Discussions on this issue had been in progress for some months and it was clear that final decisions would be taken at the Council meeting on 26 September 2001.

Meeting of EU Ministers with responsibility for Cultural and Audiovisual Affairs

Brussels, 26 September 2000

Agenda

1.	Adoption of the provisional agenda.
2.	Adoption of the “A” points.
3.	Media Plus-Programme in support of the Audiovisual Industry (2001-2005)
4.	Other business.
	–National subsidies to the film and audiovisual industries.

Outcome

RE: – Item 3. The Council instructed the Permanent Representatives Committee to work towards reaching a comprehensive agreement at the Culture/Audiovisual Council on 23 November 2000, the aim being the entry into force of the MEDIA PLUS programme on 1/01/01.

RE: – Other business. The President noted that was a general agreement on the essential role played by national aid for audiovisual and film work to promote cultural diversity in Europe and the need for greater legal certainty. In the light of the discussion, the Presidency decided to convene an informal meeting of members states and Commission experts in October 2000.