Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Question 57: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the issue he intends to prioritise during the Irish EU Council presidency in the first half of 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2709/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ireland is aiming to run an efficient and cost-effective Presidency focused on making progress in promoting Irish interests through the EU's legislative agenda. Work by Ministers and their Departments to identify priorities and emerging issues in their policy areas that are likely to be of importance during Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2013 has been ongoing for some time. While it is too early to identify one specific issue as Ireland's main Presidency priority, job creation will be a particular focus. The Government plans to work closely with its EU partners to promote measures aimed at boosting Europe's competitiveness and to restore strong and sustainable economic growth in our Union. Another major cross-cutting issue that is likely to figure prominently during Ireland's Presidency is the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) which outlines plans for the EU budget from 2014. The Common Agriculture Policy, the Common Fisheries Policy, Cohesion Policy and Horizon 2020 (the EU's future framework programme for research and innovation) are just some of the important initiatives that are linked to the MFF process. The Government will support efforts by the Danish and Cypriot Presidencies during 2012 to reach agreement on the MFF. Even if agreement is reached, it will fall to the Irish Presidency to introduce implementing legislation.

While these are the main issues that the Government is likely to prioritise during Ireland's Presidency there is a range of policies and draft legislation across all of the EU's Council formations that the Government will seek to progress in 2013. Ireland's Presidency programme will be published in December 2012 and will, to some extent, be influenced by the progress made by Denmark and Cyprus during their Presidencies in 2012 and by issues already on the EU agenda. Intensive work will continue throughout 2012 at all levels of Government to define Ireland's Presidency programme and to identify key priorities.

The Government is also working to ensure close cooperation with the European Parliament during its Presidency, given the important role of the Parliament in the co decision process and in ensuring the effective delivery of Ireland's Presidency priorities.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Question 58: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures he has taken to date in preparation for Ireland's involvement in the EU Presidency in co-operation with Cyprus and Lithuania from the latter half of 2012; the discussions he has held with EU colleagues, in particular representatives from these specific countries; if any outside expertise has been sought; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2710/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ireland will assume the Presidency of the EU during the first six months of 2013. An important element of these preparations is close cooperation and coordination with the preceding and succeeding Presidencies and the EU institutions. The Government is working closely with Lithuania which will also hold its Presidency in 2013. I met twice last year with the Lithuanian Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of State for European Affairs has also met on two occasions with her Lithuanian counterpart. There have also been extensive contacts at official level.

Cyprus precedes Ireland as Presidency. I hope to meet soon with my Cypriot counterpart to discuss Presidency planning issues. The Minister of State for European Affairs met with her Cypriot counterpart and the Cypriot Foreign Minister during a visit to Nicosia last November.

Contacts with our partners will intensify at all levels over the coming months.

Planning for the Presidency has been underway since 2010 and is being led by in Dublin by two inter-departmental groups that are coordinating Presidency policy and logistics preparations, and the Irish Permanent Representation in Brussels. Officials in Dublin and in Brussels have engaged extensively with their Cypriot and Lithuanian colleagues. Ireland is also working closely with the EU institutions in advance of its Presidency, and several high-level visits and meetings are being planned in the run-up to the Presidency, including visits of a number of Commissioners to Ireland over the coming months. Contacts between the Government and the European Parliament have also increased, particularly with key Committee Chairpersons and rapporteurs. As with all recent Presidencies, there has been close coordination between Irish officials and the General Secretariat of the Council on issues including the preparation of the Presidency calendar, and coordination of the Council's Trio Presidency programme (which is a Council document). The General Secretariat of the Council has also assisted most recent Presidencies by providing training for officials from the Presidency state. Training for Irish officials (particularly for officials who will be chairing Working Groups during the Presidency) will start in February.