Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the recent meetings he has attended on justice and law reform issues in Europe and in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13652/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Justice, Equality & Defence, I can inform the Deputy that I attend numerous meetings in Ireland and Europe in relation to a broad range of justice and law reform issues. I have regular meetings with different representative groups and organisations in which different facets of justice and the law are discussed. As the Deputy will appreciate, the subjects of these meetings can often be quite varied and complex.

As well as engaging with my Government colleagues on a daily basis, I also attend meetings of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence & Equality in which justice and law reform issues are discussed. This Committee acts as a forum for Oireachtas members from all parties to have a meaningful input into key legislation and policy areas which have real significance.

In terms of European meetings, I can inform the Deputy that since becoming Minister I have attended nine out of ten meetings of the Justice & Home Affairs Council (JHA) with my European counterparts (the tenth meeting which was scheduled at short notice was attended by Minister of State Kathleen Lynch). The most recent of these meetings took place in Brussels on Thursday 8 March 2012.