Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 February 2004
110 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her priorities for the remainder of the Irish Presidency of the European Union; the events that are arranged by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3860/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy overall focus for the Irish Presidency is to advance the EU social policy agenda generally and, in particular, make progress in realising the ten year goals set by the Lisbon European Council in 2000. One of the ambitious goals of the Lisbon agenda is to achieve greater social cohesion. Following submission of the second round National Action Plans on Social Inclusion, 2003-2005, the Commission adopted its second report on social inclusion in December 2003. A joint Council-Commission inclusion report will be considered by the Council of Ministers in time for presentation to the spring European Council.
The Irish Presidency will progress an initiative taken by previous Presidencies by hosting a third meeting of people experiencing poverty. Our aim is to further develop ways of promoting participation by, and consultation with, people experiencing poverty in the context of developing policies in this area. A key policy area is "Making Work Pay", which explores how the interaction between social protection and working arrangements affects people's decisions to seek, take up, and remain in work. As part of our contribution to modernising social protection systems, this issue was the main theme discussed at the informal Council of Ministers for employment and social policy which was held in Galway last month. The meeting considered three specific aspects, namely, prevention and activation measures, reconciling work and family life and prolonging working life. This issue will be advanced in the context of the Council's formal consideration of the joint employment report and preparations for the spring European Council.
The Irish Presidency will work to secure, for the first time, an agreed high level paper to be presented to the spring European Council. This will reflect in an integrated way key messages relating to the Council's work on social inclusion, pensions, demographic developments, making work pay, gender equality and the employment related policy challenges addressed in the report of the European employment task force and elsewhere.
The issue of migration will also be a priority for my Department during the Irish Presidency. We will be hosting a conference in April on the theme of "Reconciling Mobility and Social Inclusion". The main focus of the conference will be on the role of social and employment policies in achieving social inclusion for people moving within the EU.
A key legislative priority will be to work for adoption by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament of the proposals to simplify and modernise the EU regulations on social security of migrant workers. This will provide migrant workers moving within the EU with a more streamlined set of rules aimed at protecting their social security and health care rights. Following the accession of the ten new member states in May next, we will host a special conference in co-operation with the Hungarian Government and the Commission. The conference will address both the implications of the current reform of the regulations for all 25 states and the particular implementation challenges facing new member states in this field.
In the area of family policy and to mark the tenth anniversary of the UN International Year of the Family, the Irish Presidency will host a major international conference the title of which will be "Families, Change and Social Policy in Europe". I am happy that these events represent a substantial programme of work and a significant contribution to moving forward the EU social policy agenda.
