Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together.

The Cabinet committee on EU affairs met last month on Wednesday, 23 October in advance of the October European Council meeting in Brussels.

During Ireland's successful Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of this year, the Tánaiste and I met Ministers daily to discuss a range of EU policy areas. The full calendar of Presidency events and meetings, and the need for rapid responses to EU policy questions daily, meant it was not always possible to maintain the regular structure of meetings of the Cabinet committee.

Now that we are in the post-Presidency period, with a focus on capitalising on the goodwill and expertise that was generated in the first six months of this year, a more regular schedule of meetings was resumed. In total, the Cabinet committee has met four times in 2013. I chaired meetings on 5 May, 13 May, 14 June and 23 October.

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