Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 132: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action being taken by the Government to implement the Lisbon strategy, in view of the recent report by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2629/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Implementation of the Lisbon strategy is a priority for the Government. As the Deputy is aware, it is a ten year strategy covering a wide range of issues relating to economic, social and environmental renewal which fall within the responsibility of individual Departments. The Department of the Taoiseach has overall responsibility for co-ordinating Ireland's approach to the strategy, including as regards the mid-term review of implementation which is on the agenda of the European Council on 22 and 23 March.

In preparation for the mid-term review, during the Irish Presidency last year, the European Council invited the Commission to establish a high level group to review the strategy, the report of which is referred to in the Deputy's question. Under the chairmanship of former Netherlands Prime Minister Wim Kok, the high level group brought forward its report in November 2004. The Government has welcomed the approach taken in the report which emphasises growth and competitiveness, progress on which is critical if key Lisbon objectives are to be achieved by 2010. European Union Heads of State or Government agreed at the November European Council that the Commission should pay regard to the report when preparing proposals for the mid-term review of the strategy. I look forward to considering the proposals in that regard to be adopted by the Commission today.

The high level group recommended also that governments make progress on establishing reform partnerships, as agreed at the 2004 spring European Council, involving social partners, public authorities and representatives of civil society to develop complementary strategies for change. In Ireland, the Government has already secured the agreement of the parties concerned for our social partnership structure to serve as a reform partnership for the purpose of assisting in the review of the Lisbon strategy. Accordingly, the social partners were consulted by the Government in the preparation of our national contribution to the mid-term review.