merrion street

The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality Frances Fitzgerald TD is
in Bratislava today (Thursday) to attend a two-day meeting of EU Justice
and Home Affairs Ministers at the beginning of the Slovak Presidency of the
Council of the European Union.

The ongoing migration crisis, borders and cybercrime are amongst the items
for discussion.

Speaking in advance of the meeting The Tánaiste said:

“Our meeting over the next two days provides an important opportunity to
discuss again how the EU is responding to the continued, unprecedented
humanitarian crisis in the area of migration. Work is ongoing on the
various elements of the EU’s response. We have made good progress in some
areas, the numbers arriving in Greece have been reduced dramatically and I
look forward to hearing from colleagues as to what is being done in their
countries.

For my part, I will be updating colleagues on the progress that we are
making in Ireland on delivering on the Irish Refugee Protection Programme
(IRPP). Just last week I chaired the latest meeting of the IRPP Taskforce
and I will be informing colleagues that Ireland will have reached it’s 520
person quota for resettlement by Autumn. We will now be accepting a further
260 persons on resettlement from Lebanon as part of our overall commitment
to accept up to 4,000 persons under the IRPP”.

The meeting will also discuss a number of Justice focussed items including
Cybercrime and Encryption of data, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office,
and e-Justice.

Ministers will receive presentation by Commissioner Jourova on her
recently-published proposal for a revised Brussels IIa Regulation as it
relates to jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement of decisions in
cross-border matrimonial matters and matters of parental responsibility.