Irish EU presidency to focus on jobs

THE Government is to focus on job creation and resolving deep divisions over the European Union constitution in its six- month EU presidency.

Speaking at EU headquarters in Brussels, Foreign Minister Brian Cowen said the Irish programme will concentrate on the issues that interest ordinary people.

However, they have also inherited the huge task of putting the pieces back together again, following the collapse of talks to agree the constitution document last weekend. The pitfall compounds lingering bitterness among EU nations over Iraq, which also deeply split the union earlier this year.

However, Mr Cowen said the EU was not in an insuperable crisis, adding that time for reflection was needed by all sides. Expectations are high that Ireland will steer the union through a number of difficult issues between January and July next year. Mr Cowen said Ireland will also be responsible for ensuring the smooth entry of 10 new member states which will join the club on May 1. The Irish government will focus on implementing a series of reforms aimed at taking the EU out of a state of near economic depression and turning it into the world’s leading information led economy by 2010. They will also be responsible for making progress on a range of issues including asylum and immigration rules; developing the fledgling defence agreement; and tying down greater co-operation on fighting cross-border crime.

However, the most high-profile issues Ireland is likely to be involved in over the six months is enlargement from 15 to 25 countries on May 1.

Mr Cowen promised by March the Government will have consulted all the member states about the constitution and have drawn up a report on the best way forward. “It’s a question of when, rather than if, we conclude the constitution,” he said.

There will be around 200 meetings, seminars and conferences in Ireland and in Brussels Irish ministers will chair meetings of Foreign, Justice, Finance, Competition, Agriculture and other councils.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will represent the union at a series of international meetings, including the visit of the US President George W Bush to Dublin for the EU-US summit.

The Irish permanent representation in Brussels has been beefed up from 80 to more than 160 people. The presidency is expected to cost the Irish taxpayer up to 80 million.