merrion street

The Minister for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton TD, is today stepping up engagement with the European Parliament ahead of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union starting 1 January 2013.

Speaking from Strasbourg where she is meeting over two days with key members of the European Parliament, the Minister said

“For any EU Presidency to succeed, an effective win-win relationship with the European Parliament has to be among the key goals. I am committed to forging such a relationship with the Parliament during our Presidency.”

“Irish Ministers have already laid the groundwork for good relations in over 35 visits to the Parliament in the last 18 months”

“The EU has a challenging programme of legislative work on issues of real importance to citizens around Europe which will be taken up by the Irish Presidency on 1 January next – initiatives to help create jobs, stimulate the economy and restore financial stability. I look forward to working with the Parliament to reach agreement on these initiatives during our Presidency”

In this, her sixth visit to the European Parliament, Minister Creighton is meeting with the key members of the Parliament’s negotiating team on the future EU €1 trillion Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF). She is also meeting with MEPs active on enlargement issues, including Iceland, Turkey and Serbia. The Minister is also meeting with Irish MEPs.