EU presidency a chance for Ireland to show a sense of purpose - The Irish Times - Thu, Sep 20. The Irish Times - Thursday, September 20, 2012 THE GOVERNMENT is stepping up preparations for Ireland’s presidency of the European Union in the first half of next year. Numerous challenges are in store, no matter what happens in the European arena before then. The rotating presidency is a lesser thing since Herman Van Rompuy took charge of EU summits in 2010 and Cathy Ashton became foreign policy chief. Nevertheless, it will still fall to the Government to advance a large and complex body of new legislation in ministerial councils and in talks with the European Parliament.
After the humiliations of the bailout, this presents an opportunity in the ongoing campaign to recast Ireland’s battered image. When Ireland last held the presidency, in 2004, the atmosphere was markedly different. It was under Irish presidency too that the EU completed its biggest enlargement, with the accession of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Sustainable Development Strategy: 18 Jul 2012: Written answers.
Phil Hogan (Minister, Department of Environment, Community and Local Government; Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)Link to this: Individually | In context I welcome the fact that Heads of State and Government and high level representatives, following a prolonged and difficult negotiation process, achieved an agreement at the recent Rio+20 Conference.
Of course, there are areas of the outcome document – The Future We Want - where the EU would have hoped for a more ambitious outcome. Nevertheless, if implemented properly, it provides a firm basis for working with our international partners to achieve global sustainable development, including poverty eradication. The Conference secured renewed political commitment for sustainable development, and also recognised the need to promote sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems while facilitating ecosystem conservation, regeneration, restoration and resilience in the face of new and emerging challenges.
Speech By European Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton to the EMI/PAI Presidency Conference: “Ireland’s priorities for the EU Presidency” Thank you for the invitation to provide an outline of the emerging priorities for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Council during the first six months of 2013. Today’s Conference provides a timely opportunity to highlight some of the issues that will dominate our Presidency agenda in eight months’ time. The Government strongly believes that membership of the European Union is vital to Ireland’s ongoing recovery and to its future. The Presidency will give Ireland an opportunity to demonstrate that we are a constructive and committed Member State that belongs at the very heart of the EU decision-making process.
We believe that we can help to address the problems that the Union faces, and we look forward to working closely with partners to ensure that the EU emerges from the crisis stronger. There are also significant reputational benefits if the Presidency is managed effectively. Finally, there are a range of interlinkages between policy areas. MFF negotiations. Joint Committee on European Union Affairs - 22/Mar/2012 General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister of State. EU Presidency: 3 Jul 2012: Written answers.
Eamon Gilmore (Tánaiste; Minister, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Dún Laoghaire, Labour)Link to this: Individually | In context Presidency preparations are now at an advanced stage and have been operating at an intense level for more than a year.
The principal focus across a very wide range of policy areas and Council formations will be on stimulating sustainable economic growth and job creation across Europe. On 1 June a draft calendar of meetings to be held in Brussels during the Presidency was circulated to partners. In parallel planning is proceeding in consultation with Government Departments on the meetings that will be held in Ireland during the period. Regular contact with Cyprus and our Trio partners, Lithuania and Greece, has been maintained at ministerial and senior official. At official level, discussions have been held in Brussels and in capitals between the Trio partners to discuss our 18-month joint programme.