Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans of his Department to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10417/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome on 25 March, 1957 is a milestone in the history of the Union. As I have indicated already in the House, it is entirely appropriate that we avail of the opportunity presented by the anniversary to highlight the contribution the European Union has made to our national well-being. Citizens throughout the Union should also have the opportunity of celebrating the peace and prosperity achieved by Europe over the past half century.

The German Presidency is preparing a declaration on the occasion of the anniversary for adoption by EU Heads of State and Government during their meeting in Berlin this weekend. We fully support the Presidency in their intention to produce a text that will, in straightforward terms, recall the immense achievements of the Union, the distance we have travelled since the adoption of the Treaty, and our shared determination to meet the challenges of the future in the interests of our citizens.

In Ireland, we are planning a number of events during the year to mark this important anniversary. My Department is coordinating its efforts with, among others, the Department of An Taoiseach, the Department of Education, the European Movement, the National Forum on Europe, the Central Bank, An Post, the Institute of Public Administration, the Institute of European Affairs, the European Commission, and the European Parliament. I would refer the House to the special weblink on EU 50 on my Department's website www.dfa.ie which provides information on EU 50 events. This will be updated periodically during the year.

As I have noted previously, I believe that it is especially important for our young people, who have not had direct experience of the transformation of Ireland since we joined the European Communities, to be made aware of Europe's remarkable progress over the past fifty years. The events envisaged include a commemorative coin and stamp to be issued later this month; a series of schools' competitions; a DVD for distribution to schools; and a programme of lectures at various third level institutions throughout the country. My Department will fund a special commemorative newspaper supplement on the European Union and Ireland which will appear next week and which will be sent to every secondary school in the country. A public event will be held at Farmleigh in July and, later in the year, a commemorative book of essays will be published. I shall also, next week, host a formal reception for the diplomatic corps and others to mark the anniversary.

In addition to events at home, we will be represented also at events abroad. These include an exhibition of paintings in Rome and the Europalia festival in Brussels. Our Embassies will also participate in a number of events in other capitals.