Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 17, inclusive, together.

On 16 June, I met Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Belfast on the occasion of the visit of President George W. Bush. On 13 July, I attended the Euro-Mediterranean Summit which formally launched the "Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean". This summit, in Paris, was an initiative of President Nicolas Sarkozy. The summit was an important step in strengthening and widening existing relations between the EU countries and countries from the Mediterranean region. The summit also provided a stronger basis from which the EU and Mediterranean partners can co-operate on responses to common challenges such as climate change and security of food supplies. While at the summit, I also met bilaterally with Prime Minister Brown, as well as speaking to a number of other Heads of State and Governments. At the invitation of President Sarkozy, I also attended the French national day celebrations along with other Heads of State and Government in Paris on 14 July.

President Sarkozy visited Dublin on 21 July. This was the first official visit within the Union by President Sarkozy in his role as President of the European Council. During our meeting we discussed the Lisbon treaty and the outcome of the Irish referendum. I explained that the Irish Government fully respects the verdict of the Irish people and that the Government needed to develop a fuller understanding of the concerns that affected the outcome of the referendum, before moving to identify a way forward for the Union which could have the support of all member states. President Sarkozy confirmed that he too respected the outcome of the Irish referendum, but welcomed the fact the ratification process is continuing in other member states and expressed his commitment to the Lisbon treaty. We undertook to work closely together in the following months.

On 24 July, I met with Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis of Latvia in Government Buildings as part of the Prime Minister's working visit to Dublin. Our discussions focused on economic issues and the outcome of the referendum on the Lisbon treaty. An extraordinary European Council was held on 1 September to discuss the Russia-Georgia situation. I spoke informally with a number of EU Heads of State and Government on the margins of that summit. I had a discussion with Prime Minister Rassmussen of Denmark on the margins of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit on 25 September. I have also spoken by phone with a number of other Heads of State and Government. President Barroso and I had a meeting on the margins of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit and we have also spoken by phone.

When President Sarkozy visited Ireland in July, he and I agreed that we would meet again, in Paris, before the October European Council meeting. That meeting took place on 1 October. I was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. We discussed the Lisbon treaty and I outlined the main findings of our recent survey. I also explained that an Oireachtas committee would now examine the matter in some detail. I told him I would give a thorough progress report to the October Council meeting. We agreed to maintain our close contact in the following weeks and months. We also discussed the financial markets and I briefed him on the Irish Government's bank guarantee scheme. We discussed briefly the Commission's proposals for climate change, and the need for greater flexibility to ensure member states would meet their CO2 emission reduction targets.

I attended a meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the eurozone countries in Paris on 12 October. This meeting was convened by President Sarkozy in response to the ongoing uncertainty in financial markets. Along with the presidents of the European Central Bank and the European Commission, we agreed on a declaration setting out a range of measures which individual member states may avail of, according to their national circumstances, in order to provide greater liquidity and, where necessary, capitalisation to financial markets. The agreement reached in Paris is a very important step in the ongoing international effort to provide reassurance to the financial markets and to the general public.

I attended the European Council in Brussels on 15 and 16 October. I was accompanied by the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs. As I will make a statement to the House on the Council shortly, I will now merely give a summary account of its proceedings. Discussions at the Council took place against the context of the crisis in the financial markets. The European Council affirmed that it is determined to take co-ordinated and thorough action to restore the smooth running of the financial system, thus ensuring the normal and effective financing of the economy and a return towards growth and employment. The Council also endorsed the principles of the concerted action plan agreed in Paris by the eurozone countries. Climate change and energy issues were also discussed.

At the Council I presented a progress report on the post Lisbon treaty referendum situation in Ireland, which is something I undertook to do when the issue was last addressed at the European Council in June. I informed my colleagues of the substantive steps taken since 12 June, and the findings that have emerged. I outlined my aim that by December, we will have identified the necessary steps that need to be taken with a view to defining the elements of a solution and a common path to follow. The conclusions of the Council, which have been placed in the Oireachtas Library, accurately reflect that position.

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