Finian McGrath
Ceist:181 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the Bilderberg Group; and the role of Irish civil servants and former politicians. [28184/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 12 June 2012
Ceisteanna (90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
Joanna Tuffy
Ceist:195 Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Finance if he attended a meeting in the Westfield Marriot, Chantilly, Virginia, USA, from 1 to 3 June 2012; if he was there in an official capacity; if he will provide details of the matters discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27825/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Clare Daly
Ceist:196 Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will explain his attendance at the Bilderberg private meeting of industrialists, politicians and bankers in Chantilly from 1 to 3 June; if he attended in his official capacity; if the State paid for the visit; the discussions that took place in relation to Ireland; and the reason these discussions were not reported in the press. [27832/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:197 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the cost to the State of his recent attendance at the annual Bilderberg meeting in Chantilly, Virginia, US; the basis on which the former Attorneys General Paul Gallagher and Peter Sutherland attended the meeting as representatives of Ireland and if he will provide details of the cost to the State for both attendees. [27837/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Michael McGrath
Ceist:198 Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he attended the recent Bilderberg Group meeting in the United States in his official capacity as Minister; if so, if he will provide full details of the travelling delegation from Ireland; the costs associated with attending the event; the purpose of attending this event; if he will provide details of his participation at the event including any bilateral meetings he held; if he will provide details of the issues he raised concerning Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27860/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Maureen O'Sullivan
Ceist:199 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if he attended the Bilderberg meeting on 1 to 3 June 2012 in an official capacity; the matters that were discussed in relation to Ireland while his Department stated the meeting as an opportunity to sell Ireland; if State funds were used to facilitate his attendance; his views on whether the private networking between corporate and political personnel in a capacity without fixed membership, a democratic mandate and without public consultation risks an imbalance in political discourse and challenges the democratic ideals of transparency and accountability to the voting electorate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27871/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
Ceist:204 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Finance if he attended the Bilderberg Meetings in Chantilly, Virginia, USA, from 31 May to 3 June 2012 and if so, was he there in an official capacity; if the State paid for his attendance; if he will disclose the issues that were discussed regarding Ireland. [27927/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 181, 195 to 199, inclusive, and 204 together.
I attended the Bilderberg meeting in Westfield Marriot, Chantilly, Virginia, USA, from 1 to 3 June 2012. I, like a number of my European colleagues (both Ministers and EU Commissioners), was invited to attend given my position as Minister for Finance. I travelled alone and the total cost associated with my travel and accommodation came to €4,358.33. For further information, I would point Deputies to the Bilderberg Meetings website (www.bilderbergmeetings.org), which includes information on the organisation’s governance, steering committee, meetings and associated press releases. At this meeting and its workshops I took the opportunity to set out to my fellow attendees the opportunities that exist in Ireland for investors and multinational companies. I also outlined the significant progress Ireland is making in restoring stability and growth to the economy.
The Government is focussed on encouraging as much investment as possible into Ireland and over recent months we have seen the strong level of inward investment in our economy and have seen the announcement of over 1,000 jobs per month from Foreign Direct Investment so far this year. I would point out to Deputies that a number of the business attendees represent companies which have very significant investments in Ireland that support thousands of Irish jobs.