Everyone back to my place, say Ministers

GOVERNMENT ministers’ home constituencies will reap financial dividends from Ireland’s EU Presidency next year.

The finishing touches are being made to the calendar of events for the EU Presidency, which begins on January 1, but Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy, Minister for Foreign Affairs Brian Cowen and Minister for Health Micheál Martin are among the Ministers to schedule EU ministerial summits and conferences in their home bases.

At this stage, probably the most high-security event of the Presidency will be the meeting of European and Mediterranean countries, including Israel and Palestine, in Dublin in May.