European Council Meetings

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2012

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Ceisteanna (418)

Patrick O'Donovan

Ceist:

464 Deputy Patrick O’Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the EU Council of Ministers on which he sits; the number of meetings of that Council that have been held between 2007 and 2011; the number of those meetings that he attended; the number that were attended by the relevant Minister of State; the number that were attended by an Irish official; and if he will provide the names of those who attended in tabular form. [5467/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan)

In my capacity as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, I sit on the European Council of Environment Ministers.

In the period from 2007 to 2011, the European Council of Environment Ministers met formally on twenty one occasions and informally on ten other occasions. The dates of these meetings and a record of Ministerial attendance are set out in the tables below. In general, the Assistant Secretary in the Environment Division, and relevant officials depending on the meeting agenda, also attend, along with officials from the Irish Permanent Representation to the EU.

Date of Formal Council Meeting	Ministerial Attendance
20th February 2007	Minister Dick Roche
28th June 2007	Minister John Gormley
30th October 2007	Minister John Gormley
20th December 2007	Minister of State Tony Killeen
3rd March 2008	Minister John Gormley
5th June 2008	Minister John Gormley
20th October 2008	Minister John Gormley
4th December 2008	Minister John Gormley
2nd March 2009	Minister John Gormley
25th June 2009	Minister John Gormley
21st October 2009	Minister John Gormley
23rd November 2009	Minister John Gormley
22nd December 2009	Representation at official level
15th March 2010	Minister John Gormley
11th June 2010	Minister of State Ciaran Cuffe
14th October 2010	Minister of State Ciaran Cuffe
20th December 2010	Representation at official level
14th March 2011	Minister Phil Hogan
21st June 2011	Minister Phil Hogan
10th October 2011	Minister Phil Hogan
19th December 2011	Minister Phil Hogan

Date of Informal Council Meeting	Ministerial Attendance
1st-3rd June 2007	Minister Dick Roche
31st August-2nd September 2007	Minister John Gormley
11th-13th April 2008	Minister of State Tony Killeen
3rd-4th July 2008	Minister John Gormley
14th-15th April 2009	Minister of State Michael Kitt
24th-25th July 2009	Representation at official level
15th-17th January 2010	Minister John Gormley
11th-13th July 2010	Minister of State Ciaran Cuffe
24th-26th March 2011	Minister Phil Hogan
11th-12th July 2011	Minister Phil Hogan