Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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279. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the work Ireland has undertaken as the chair of the High Council of the European University Institute in Florence, Italy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37128/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The European University Institute (EUI) is a postgraduate research institution established by the Member States of the European Union. The convention establishing the EUI was signed in April, 1972 and Ireland acceded to the convention in March 1975. The EUI's functions include advanced post-graduate and post-doctoral teaching, and research across four Departments - History and Civilisation, Economics, Law and Political and Social Sciences.

Article 5 of the Convention sets out the authorities of the Institute, being the High Council, the Principal of the Institute and the Academic Council. Article 6 outlines the composition and responsibilities of the High Council, which involves the main guidance of the Institute, directing its activities and supervising its development. This includes, for example, the appointment of the Principal and the Secretary of the Institute, the approval of the Institute's budget and giving a discharge to the Principal in respect of the implementation of the budget, the approval of the general teaching policy, the creation of posts for professors assigned to the Institute and the creation of interdisciplinary centres within the Institute.

Article 6 also provides that the High Council be composed of representatives of the Governments of the Contracting States and that the office of President of the High Council shall be held for one year by a representative of each of the Contracting States in turn. Ireland holds the office of President of the High Council from March 2013 to March 2014. The President works closely with the Principal of the Institute, its Secretariat and the other Contracting States represented on the High Council in directing the activities of the Institute, supervising its development and discharging the responsibilities of the High Council set out in the Convention.