Written answers
Tuesday, 24 April 2012
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
European Council Meetings
9:00 pm
Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 188: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the formations of the EU Councils of Ministers on which he sits; the number of meetings of that council held from 9 March 2011 to date in 2012; the number of those meetings he has attended; the number attended by a Minister of State; the number attended by an Irish official; and if he will provide the names of those who attended in tabular form. [19996/12]
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Council of the European Union is a key decision-making institution of the EU, at whose meetings all EU Member States are represented. As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I have represented Ireland frequently at Council meetings. Since March 2011, I have attended 7 Foreign Affairs Councils, 1 General Affairs Council and 3 informal meetings of Foreign Ministers, the so-called "Gymnich" meetings.
On the occasions when I have been unable to attend, Ireland has been represented by a Ministerial colleague, generally the Minister of State for European Affairs. Since March 2011, Minister of State Creighton has attended 5 Foreign Affairs Councils and 10 General Affairs Councils.
Full details of attendance, at meetings of the General Affairs Council, the Foreign Affairs Council and the "Gymnichs", are listed below.
2012
Date | Meeting | Irish representation |
23 January | Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels | Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Eamon Gilmore T.D. |
27 January | General Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D |
27 February | Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels | Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Eamon Gilmore T.D. |
28 February | General Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D |
9-10 March | Informal Foreign Affairs Council, Copenhagen | Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Eamon Gilmore T.D. |
23 March | Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels | Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Eamon Gilmore T.D. |
26 March | General Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D |
23 April | Foreign Affairs Council, Luxembourg | Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Eamon Gilmore T.D. |
24 April | General Affairs Council, Luxembourg | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D |
2011
Date | Meeting | Irish representation |
11/12 March | Informal Foreign Affairs Council, Budapest | Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Eamon Gilmore T.D. |
21 March | General Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
21 March | Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
12 April | Foreign Affairs Council, Luxembourg | Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade,Mr. Eamon Gilmore T.D. |
13 April | General Affairs Council, Luxembourg | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
23 May | General Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
23 May | Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
20 June | Foreign Affairs Council, Luxembourg | Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade,Mr. Eamon Gilmore T.D. |
21 June | General Affairs Council, Luxembourg | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
18 July | Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels | Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade,Mr. Eamon Gilmore T.D. |
18 July | General Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
28 July | Informal Meeting of Ministers and State Secretaries for European Affairs, Poland | Minister of State with special responsibility for Public Service Reform and the OPW (Department of Public Expenditure & Reform)and with special responsibility for international tax issues and customs reform (Department of Finance),Mr Brian Hayes T.D. |
2/3 September | Informal Foreign Affairs Council, Poland | Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade,Mr. Eamon Gilmore T.D. |
12 September | General Affairs Council, Brussels | Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade,Mr. Eamon Gilmore T.D.Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
10 October | Foreign Affairs Council, Luxembourg | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
11 October | General Affairs Council, Luxembourg | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
22 October | General Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
14 November | Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
15 November | General Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
1 December | Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
5 December | General Affairs Council, Brussels | Minister of State with Special Responsibility for EU Affairs, Ms. Lucinda Creighton T.D. |
16 December | General Affairs Council (Cohesion), Brussels | Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform,Mr. Brendan Howlin T.D. |
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