Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The preparations for the upcoming Irish Presidency of the EU Council in 2013 have been under way since mid-2010. The Departments of the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and Trade are the lead Departments in planning for the Presidency. Two interdepartmental committees have been established. The interdepartmental committee for co-ordinating the Presidency, chaired by the Minister of State, Deputy Creighton, is responsible for policy aspects. The interdepartmental administrative planning group, chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, deals with administrative, logistical and resource elements. Officials from all Departments, including my Department and the permanent representation to the EU are represented on these committees.

On the issue of defence, formal and informal meetings are held during each EU Presidency. In consultation with the European External Action Service, EEAS, Ireland will facilitate a formal meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in defence Ministers format and a formal defence policy directors meeting. Both of these formal meetings will be held in Brussels. It is also my intention to host, in Ireland, a number of informal meetings and seminars, including a defence Ministers informal. Usually, the subjects of discussion at the informal meetings range from current military operations, co-operation between the EU and other international organisations, the development of EU military capabilities and ongoing developments in the European Defence Agency.

The agendas for Ireland's Presidency defence related meetings will be considered in consultation with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton, the EEAS and our trio partners, Lithuania and Greece. Both my officials and I will be in regular contact with the High Representative, the EEAS and our trio partners in the lead-up to Ireland's Presidency in order to prepare the defence agenda.

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