12 Samh 2012, 11:59
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs will meet the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore TD tomorrow afternoon Tuesday 13 November.
12 November 2012
The Tánaiste’s presence at the meeting will allow Committee Members to question him in advance of the upcoming meeting of the General Affairs Council (GAC), to be held in Brussels on 20 November.
The GAC meeting will consider:
- Negotiations on the Multi-annual Financial Framework, which will shape EU budgets from 2014 to 2020;
- Implementation of the Compact for Growth and Jobs, agreed at the October European Council meeting, and
- The European Commission’s work programme for 2013.
Chairman of the Committee Dominic Hannigan TD said: “Our Committee meeting tomorrow afternoon is a valuable opportunity to explore Irish government policy with Tánaiste in advance of the key monthly General Affairs Council meeting. Negotiations on the Multi-annual Financial Framework, which sets the EU's overall budget from 2014 to 2020, are entering a decisive phase with a special meeting of the European Council to consider the matter on 22 and 23 November. The stakes have been heightened for Ireland following the recent defeat for the British Government in a House of Commons vote. The Committee will raise with the Tánaiste the implications for Ireland of any change in the approach of our closest neighbour to the European Union.”
“Previous Committee discussions have focussed on how European Union policy can help curb unemployment, and particularly youth unemployment, in the worst affected Member States. The last European summit in October agreed to advance the Compact for Growth and Jobs. We intend to raise with the Tánaiste how the implementation of policies to foster employment throughout the Union can be accelerated. With the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union commencing in January, we also have a clearer picture of the agenda items that will define the presidency, which we intend exploring with the Tánaiste tomorrow.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow Tuesday 13 November at 3:30 p.m. in Committee Room 1, Leinster House 2000. Committee proceedings can be viewed online via this link.
Follow the EU Affairs Committee Facebook page for updates.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +353 1 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
Committee Membership
Deputies
Dominic Hannigan, TD (Chairman)
Paschal Donohoe, TD (Vice-Chairman)
Seán Crowe, TD
Timmy Dooley, TD
Bernard J Durkan, TD
John Halligan, TD
Colm Keaveney, TD
Seán Kyne, TD
Joe O’Reilly, TD
Senators
Colm Burke,
Fidelma Healy Eames,
James Heffernan,
Terry Leyden,
Kathryn Reilly