Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the formations of the EU Councils of Ministers on which she sits; the number of meetings of that Council held from 9 March 2011 to date in 2012; the number of those meetings she attended; the number attended by a Minister of State; the number attended by an Irish official; and if she will provide the names of those who attended in tabular form. [56542/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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In my role as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I am a member of the EU Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council of Ministers. Since my appointment as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in March 2011, there have been four EU Youth Councils i.e. 19 May 2011, 28 November 2011, 11 May 2012 and most recently 27 November 2012. With regard to my attendance at these meetings, I was represented at the meetings on 19 May 2011 and 28 November 2011 by an official of my Department and by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Ireland to the EU - their details are set out in the following table. I participated in proceedings of the latter two meetings. As part of my responsibilities during the Irish Presidency from January to June 2013, I am looking forward to chairing the proceedings of the Council of Youth Ministers which will be held in mid-May 2013.