30 Samh 2011, 09:24
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs met with Minister of State for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton yesterday 29 November in advance of the upcoming meeting of the key General Affairs Council in Brussels on 5 December.
Minister of State Creighton spoke on the “grave implications for Ireland”, were the Eurozone to break up. Notwithstanding concerns around the euro, she advocated that jobs and growth remain a top priority. She noted the Union-wide unease that growing bureaucracy and red tape from Brussels was hindering business and job creation.
Chairman of the Committee Joe Costello, TD, said: “Amid growing uncertainty in Europe, this was a timely meeting for the Committee. We thank Minister Creighton for her wide-ranging and candid address, in which she made an impassioned case for our continued positive and pro-active engagement with Europe.
“The Committee is also encouraged that Minister Creighton will raise in Brussels the 7.7% breach in spending of the Cohesion funds, highlighted in the 2010 Annual Report of the European Court of Auditors.”
Ends
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Committee on European Union Affairs Membership
Deputies
Joe Costello, TD (Chairman)
Paschal Donohoe, TD (Vice-Chairman)
Timmy Dooley, TD
Bernard J Durkan, TD
Colm Keaveney, TD
Seán Kyne, TD
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, TD
Joe O’Reilly, TD
Mick Wallace, TD
Senators
Colm Burke,
Fidelma Healy Eames,
James Heffernan,
Terry Leyden,
Kathryn Reilly