Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

As Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs, I am pleased to speak in the Chamber today on the occasion of Europe Day and to have the opportunity to outline the challenges and opportunities presented by holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of next year. The Presidency is a responsibility imposed on all member states in rotation to manage the business of the Union for six months. It is one of the tangible demonstrations of the equality of each member state, regardless of size or wealth. It is a responsibility that Ireland has discharged with distinction on six previous occasions and our ambition must be to do no less this time around.

Managing the Presidency will present many challenges, particularly at a time when resources are tight. The day-to-day management of the EU agenda has become more complex with the expansion of the Union to 27 member states and with the new institutional arrangements introduced under the Lisbon treaty.

At the same time, the Presidency presents a unique opportunity, particularly now at a time of crisis. In our past presidencies, we won a reputation for managing the business of the Union in an efficient, impartial and effective manner. We have the chance again to demonstrate that can-do attitude to our partners and to show that Ireland is fully back in business. In our Presidency we also have the opportunity to shape and define policies that can have a beneficial impact on the lives of millions of our fellow citizens in Ireland and also across the EU. This is why I urge Members of the Oireachtas to share through the various sectoral committees their views on Ireland's Presidency objectives. Earlier this year I met a range of NGOs and civil society bodies and encouraged them to use this opportunity to contribute to Ireland's Presidency agenda and I have been extremely impressed by the ideas and proposals that have emerged from this process.

Next year is to be officially designated as the European Year of Citizens, and our Presidency will coincide with the 40th anniversary of Ireland's accession to the EU in 1973. I would like to see our Presidency as an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be a citizen of the Union and on the changes that Irish society has experienced over the past four decades. Many will recall the benefits that have flowed from our accession to the EEC in 1973, but I am concerned that a newer generation does not take them for granted, whether it is a fairer society for each and every citizen, a cleaner environment, or the right to work, study and live in 26 other states, not to mention the significant labour rights introduced due to our membership and the immense strides in the area of equality and women's rights throughout the European Union, particularly in Ireland.

I would also like next year to be an opportunity not only to consider the benefits of our membership, but also to think about Ireland's place in Europe and our contribution to its future. We have often thought only of Europe in terms of what resources we can get from it, through the CAP, cohesion funding, Structural Funds and so on. However, we have responsibilities as members of the Union and it is not good enough for us to sit back and wait for others to decide on future positions, the future policy agenda and the future shape of the Union. That is for us to do too. We have a responsibility as a member state.

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste have already outlined some of the main themes of our Presidency that have emerged at this stage of planning. Defining the Presidency programme is an evolving process. Over the coming months, we will work closely with our partners as we refine the programme and we will also be mindful of the progress made by Denmark, which currently holds the Presidency, and Cyprus which will follow from July.

Work is also proceeding on co-ordinating calendars and arrangements for the hundreds of meetings that will take place in Ireland, Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg during the Presidency. In the light of our current circumstances, we aim to run an efficient but cost-effective Presidency. As part of our strategy to contain costs, we will hold many Presidency events in a single State-owned venue, Dublin Castle. Work is also ongoing to develop the Presidency website - eu2013.ie - which will be, for many, the main contact with the Presidency next year. In addition to providing detailed news and information on the Presidency, we will use the website to provide information about Ireland and to promote tourism to Ireland and Irish goods and services.

I also initiated a working group to focus on ways to maximise the promotional opportunities presented by the Presidency. This brings together the main State agencies as well as other stakeholders. I also co-chair a group with the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht which is assessing how the Presidency can be used to promote Irish culture internationally and to develop cultural events in Ireland to mark the Presidency. We will be under an increased focus next year from the international media and from other states which will be carefully assessing how we perform. We must use to demonstrate our capabilities and strengths as a nation.

Strengthening Oireachtas engagement in EU affairs is a key priority of the Government. This priority is part of the terms of reference of the Interdepartmental Committee on EU Engagement, which was established earlier this year by Government decision and which I chair. At the core of the issue of Oireachtas engagement is the relationship between the Government and the Houses of the Oireachtas. Other countries, most notably the German federal government and its parliament, have agreed formal co-operation agreements with regard to EU matters. These agreements outline the respective commitments between government and parliament such as, for example, in relation to constructive dialogue and flow of information. I believe that such an agreement in an Irish context would be a powerful symbolic statement of our commitment to transparent and accountable EU decision-making, in the spirit of the Lisbon treaty. The agreement would operate within the current legislative parameters, in that it would build upon the current arrangements in place under the European Union (Scrutiny) Act 2002 and would underpin the commitments on European Union matters in the programme for government, such as the appearance of Ministers before Oireachtas committees to discuss the agendas of upcoming EU Council meetings.

I intend to invite the Ceann Comhairle to nominate officials from the Houses of the Oireachtas service to engage in discussions with my officials with a view to developing such an agreement in the coming months in the lead-in to Ireland's 2013 Presidency of the EU. I am proud to represent Ireland as Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs during the Irish Presidency and look forward to using the Presidency to strengthen Ireland's standing abroad. I look forward to a constructive debate here and to hearing the contributions of both government and opposition parties and to an engaging question and answer session.

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