Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 235: To ask the Minister for Defence the plans his Department has to promote Ireland's EU Presidency among the Irish public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2796/04]

Michael Smith (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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Promoting the Irish Presidency of the European Union to the public is a key priority of Ireland's EU Presidency programme and forms part of a wider commitment by the Government to communicating information about the EU to the public.

I understand that my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, will provide a more detailed outline of plans in this regard in response to a similar question which has been tabled by the Deputy. However, I would like to highlight some initiatives, including the EU 2004 Presidency website, which is managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and features a range of user-friendly information on all aspects of the Presidency from details of events and meeting venues across Ireland to the latest press releases on developing issues. In addition, it is envisaged that the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Roche, will chair a conference of Ministers from existing, acceding and candidate states on 7 and 8 April to review existing EU information strategies and to discuss how the EU might be communicated more effectively to its citizens.