James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 39: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the recent riots in some EU member states were discussed at the recent General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5325/09]

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of the most recent meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council; and if he is satisfied with the statement issued in the final conclusions. [5200/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 63 together.

I attended the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Brussels on 26 January 2009. This was the first such meeting under the Czech Presidency and provided an opportunity for the Presidency to outline its priorities for the months ahead, which are the economy, energy and Europe in the World.

This meeting of the Council focused on energy security, the Middle East Peace Process, Ukraine/Russia and Guantanamo. There was no discussion of recent riots in EU Member States. As our meeting took place against the background of severe storms in Southern Europe, my colleagues and I took stock of the situation in Italy, Spain and France and of the arrangements for the provision of assistance.

Speaking at the Council, I highlighted the importance of energy security for geographically peripheral regions such as Ireland and the need to promote energy interconnections as part of the development on an integrated EU energy market. I stressed the need for the Commission to propose a geographically-balanced set of energy projects for funding under the European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP). I am pleased to say that the Commission subsequently included the electricity interconnector between Ireland and Britain in its package of proposals for EU funding.

During the External Relations session my colleagues and I discussed the situation in Gaza, in the light of meetings during the previous days with the Foreign Ministers of Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. The following priorities were identified:

immediate humanitarian relief for the population of Gaza;

prevention of illicit trafficking in arms and ammunition;

sustained re-opening of crossing points on the basis of the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access;

rehabilitation and reconstruction; and

the resumption of the peace process.

To this end, it was agreed that the European Union would develop a Work Plan in close cooperation with its Quartet partners and regional actors and in a manner consistent with our shared wider approach to the region.

The Council also availed of the opportunity to welcome the decision by US President Barack Obama to close the Guantanamo detention centre within a year. While the primary responsibility for closing Guantanamo rests with the US, my colleagues and I discussed whether there were ways in which we could assist the US in accommodating former detainees, given our common interest in upholding human rights and the rule of law, and combating terrorism.