Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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214. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of formal and informal Council of the European Union meetings that have been held since 27 June 2020 under the remit of his Department; and the number of formal and informal meetings, respectively held virtually. [10817/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Education policy issues are dealt with at EU level as part of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYCS) Council. Education policy issues can range from those related to Early Childhood Education and Care to Higher Education, and so representation at such meetings may be from either the Department of Education or the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

Four such meetings took place since  27 June 2020:

- Informal Education Ministers Council, Osnabruck, Germany. 16/17 September 2020. Attended by Irish Ambassador to Germany (hybrid format)

- EU Education Ministers Council, 30 November 2020. Attended by Minister Harris (videoconference)

- Informal Education Ministers Council, 22 January 2021. Attended by officials (videoconference)

- EU Education Ministers Council, 19February 2021. Attended by Minister Foley (videoconference)

In addition, there has been one formal Ministerial Council meeting and three Informal virtual meetings since 27 June on research and innovation issues.

Minister Harris attended two Informal videoconference meetings on 27th November 2020 and 3rd February 2021. The Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU attended one formal Competitiveness Council (Research and Innovation) meeting in Brussels (29 September 2020). Representatives from the then Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation attended an Informal videoconference in July 2020.