The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan, will today attend the Justice and Home Affairs Council meetings in Luxembourg with his European counterparts. Topics for discussion include a new procedure for gathering electronic evidence within the EU (e-evidence), insolvency, fundamental rights, and migration including the European border and coast guard. There will also be an item on securing European elections from data misuse.
I look forward to engaging with my European colleagues on a range of important topics this week. The issues that matter the most to the European citizen are often Justice and Home Affairs issues, such as security and migration, with the most effective solutions achieved by working together.
In relation to Home affairs, Ireland has shown solidarity with our EU colleagues throughout the Summer in dealing with the controversial issue of persons picked up by ships in the central Mediterranean. I’d like to see progress on the development and implementation of strategic solutions to the problem. While significantly less individuals are travelling than in 2015, migration flows remains a key area of concern. There are no simple solutions however, and it is important to take the time to develop effective multi-dimensional responses, to discourage individuals placing themselves at risk, to facilitate those who most need our help quickly, and to share the responsibility fairly.
On the Justice agenda, I will be intervening on the e-evidence dossier, an issue of particular importance for the Irish economy, when so many global digital firms have chosen Ireland as their EU base. We are anxious to ensure that an appropriate balance is struck between the needs of all of individuals, judicial authorities, and the companies involved, and I am confident that we can reach a good solution.
Finally, I’ll be present for an exchange of views with the Director of the Fundamental Rights Agency, Michael O’Flaherty, who continues to do good work in highlighting the existing challenges to fundamental rights protection in the EU, including minority groups under threat and ensuring that rights offline are also rights online. The Fundamental Rights Agency continues to develop data to support evidence-based policies that help to safeguard fundamental rights for all. I am looking forward to hearing how the Agency’s latest initiatives can support us in our work in this regard.