Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the contributions of the Deputies to this debate. It is important the House has an opportunity before European Union summit meetings to discuss the issues that will arise and to have its input. It struck me, however, that some of the contributors appeared to be speaking as if the 29 June meeting never happened and the conclusions were never made.

I will travel to Brussels on Thursday morning to represent Ireland as the incoming holder of the Presidency of the European Union at the tripartite social summit. This forum meets twice a year ahead of the spring and autumn European Councils. It is an important opportunity for an exchange of views between the social partners, the European Commission and the current and subsequent holders of the Council Presidency. The discussions on Thursday will focus on promoting growth, jobs and social inclusion, with a particular emphasis on the involvement of the social partners. I look forward to having a constructive dialogue with the EU social partners on the EU's growth and employment priorities. These issues will be at the heart of discussions at the European Council meeting. They are subjects that are of the greatest importance to our citizens and they will be at the heart of our Presidency.

Having agreed the compact for growth and jobs in June, the Heads of State and Government will now return to it to review progress on its implementation. The compact represents an important achievement from the June Council meeting. Ireland had consistently made the point that as well as necessary structural reforms and consolidation, member states and the EU must have a clear focus on the creation of sustainable jobs and growth. It is through growth not just here at home, but also in our main trading partners and markets, that we will be able to get our people back to work and our economy back on a sustainable footing. The compact provides a clear framework for actions at national, EU and euro area levels, and it is important the European Council would take stock and set additional orientations, as necessary, with a view to ensuring it promotes growth and employment. However, the compact will mean little to people across Europe if it does not contribute to employment and jobs, especially among young people. We must strengthen the European Council follow-up on this point and we will continue to do that in Brussels this week.

The other main element under the economic policy that this meeting of the European Council will address is President Van Rompuy's interim report on strengthening economic and monetary union. As the Taoiseach said, if the European Union is to remain credible, the commitments that were made at the end of June must be honoured in full. The Commission has brought forward a proposal for a single supervisory mechanism. It is important that work on that be advanced as a matter of urgency. The June meeting made a very clear decision to separate bank and sovereign debt. What must happen now is to see that decision implemented in practice. That is being worked upon and is part of the discussions this Government is having with the ECB and our partners.

If I may borrow the football analogy mentioned earlier, there is a fundamental difference between Giovanni Trapattoni's record and this Government's record in Europe. Trapattoni returned from Europe without a win or a single point, while this Government has won all its games in Europe, including the reduction in the interest rate and the decision to separate bank and sovereign debt. I have every confidence we will deliver the best possible outcome for the Irish taxpayer in respect of the bank debt deal. It is not a question of when it will be done, but of the substance of the agreement we will secure.

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