Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which, in the course of Ireland’s Presidency of the EU, he expects to be in a position to influence the thinking amongst his EU colleagues and their colleagues in their respective National Parliaments towards a rediscovery of the original European ideals and visions of solidarity, collegiality, unity of purpose and commitment to a common goal; if in the course of Ireland’s Presidency, it might be possible to focus on such issues with a view to bringing about a situation whereby each nation within the Union takes ownership of the projects and commits itself to the fundamental principles; if it might be possible to establish a forum made up of all the stakeholders with the objective of identifying weaknesses in the existing structures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50154/12]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and his Department respond to the sometimes negative criticism directed at this country by a minority of EU national parliaments with a view to ensuring collegiality, support and solidarity in the context of the European project and that members of national parliaments recognise the need to take ownership of the European project as opposed to generating negativity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50459/12]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he sees it as a priority during Ireland's Presidency of the EU to initiate a programme of information for the membership of national parliaments with the objective of generating a unified approach to issues currently affecting the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50460/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 58 and 59 together.

Ireland will hold the Presidency of the European Union for the seventh time during the first half of 2013. This Presidency will also coincide with the 40th anniversary of Ireland’s accession to the European Union.

As in the past, our overriding objective will be to demonstrate that Ireland is a strong supporter of the European project and a committed member that is capable of contributing to progress on the EU’s wide agenda. Next year we will follow the guiding principle that governed our six previous Presidencies by seeking to deliver an efficient, impartial and results-driven Presidency. My ministerial colleagues and I look forward to working closely with our counterparts in Council and the European institutions to deliver concrete initiatives and real added value for all the citizens of the Union. We will adopt a constructive and pragmatic approach to these engagements during our Presidency. I know that this House will follow a similar example in its relations with other national parliaments.

The Lisbon Treaty recognises the contribution of national parliaments to the good functioning of the EU through their scrutiny of draft legislative acts, including checking for compliance with the principle of subsidiarity, and through their participation in inter-parliamentary co-operation between national parliaments and the European Parliament. This is facilitated by all member state national parliaments having at least one representative based in Brussels.

There is an established trend, particularly since the Lisbon Treaty, for national parliaments of the country holding the Presidency to host a number of interparliamentary conferences as part of the “parliamentary dimension” of the Presidency. For example, the Houses of the Oireachtas will host eight such meetings from January to June 2013, including the Conference of Speakers of EU National Parliaments, Conference of EU Affairs Committees of National Parliaments, Interparliamentary Conference on CFSP/CSDP and the Interparliamentary Conferences of Sectoral Committee Chairs.

2013 will also mark the European Year of citizens. During our Presidency we will work across all Council formations to make progress on a range of policy and legislation that better serves the needs of citizens across the EU.

The Government also sees the need to raise awareness of the wide range of rights we enjoy as EU citizens and to encourage greater engagement by citizens in the EU decision-making process, particularly as the Union takes further steps towards closer integration. Coinciding as it does with the 40th anniversary of our accession to the EEC, the European Year of Citizens also provides the opportunity for public reflection here in Ireland on four decades of EU membership.

To this end, the Government is planning a range of events for next year under the broad rubric of Communicating Europe. We intend to hold a public event in early January, a Citizens’ Dialogue, to mark the launch of the European Year of Citizens. This will provide a forum for a representative cross-section of citizens to voice their views, with participation by senior political figures both at national and European level. A number of similar meetings are planned in other Member States. We also intend to hold a series of regional Town Hall meetings as well as a conference in Dublin during Europe Week in May 2013 on the broad theme of the EU and the citizen. The overall aim will be to encourage grassroots citizen engagement in EU affairs.