Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 11 Dec 2001

Vol. 546 No. 3

Written Answers. - EU Council Meetings.

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

173 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Finance the meetings, formal and informal, of European Union Councils relevant to his portfolio held since June 1997; the number of such meetings personally attended by him; and where not so attended, the person who led the Irish delegation at such council meetings. [31939/01]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

The Councils relevant to my Department are (i) the Economic and Finance Ministers' Council – ECOFIN, (ii) the Budget Council, and (iii) the European Council.

There have been 49 formal meetings of ECOFIN since July 1997 and I have attended all of these meetings. In addition, there have been ten informal meetings of ECOFIN Ministers since July 1997 and I have attended all of these meetings. I will also be attending both the formal and informal meetings of ECOFIN Ministers which take place, respectively, on 13 and 14 December 2001. It is normal for Ireland to be represented at the Budget Council by a Minister of State and I have continued with this practice.

ECOFIN Ministers can take part in the working sessions of the European Council at the invitation of the Presidency, alongside heads of state or government and Ministers for Foreign Affairs. This has been the case on nine occasions since July 1997 and I have attended each of these European Council meetings. I will also be attending a similar working session of the Laeken European Council on 14 December next.

The list of meetings requested by the Deputy is set out as follows:

Dates of Meetings of the ECOFIN Council since July 1997:

2001: 4 December; 6 November; 16 October; 10 July; 15 June; 5 June; 7 May; 22 March; 12 March; 12 February; 19 January;

2000: 26 November; 7 November; 17 October; 29 September; 17 July; 19 June; 5 June; 8 May; 13 March; 28 February; 31 January;

1999: 29 November; 8 November; 8 October; 12 July; 25 May; 10 May; 15 March; 8 February; 18 January;

1998: 31 December; 1 December; 23 November; 12 October; 6 July; 5 June; 19 May; 3 May; 1 May; 21 April; 9 March; 16 February; 19 January;

1997: 1 December; 17 November; 5 November; 13 October; 7 July.

Dates of Informal Meetings of the ECOFIN Council since July 1997:21/23 September 2001, 20/22 April 2001; 8/9 September 2000; 7/8 April 2000; 9 December 1999; 10/12 September 1999; 16/8 April 1999; 25/27 September 1998; 20-22 March 1998; 12/14 September 1997.

Dates of Budget Council Meetings since July 1997:21/22 November 2001, 20 July 2001, 23/24 November 2000; 20 July 2000; 25/26 November 1999; 16 July 1999; 8 December 1998; 24 November 1998; 17 July 1998; 27 November 1997; 24 July 1997.

Dates of European Council Meetings attended by ECOFIN Ministers since July 1997:15/16 June 2001; 23/24 March 2001; 19/20 June 2000; 23/24 March 2000; 10/11 December 1999; 24/25 March 1999; 11/12 December 1998; 15/16 June 1998; 12/13 December 1997.