McCreevy looking forward to Ecofin meeting

The Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, has said he looks forward to making good progress at the second meeting of the Council of Economics and Finance Ministers of the European Union (Ecofin Council) in Brussels tomorrow.

Speaking today, McCreevy said : "Our first three Ecofin Council meetings, January to March, are very much focused on the Lisbon Agenda.

"It is very important that we push forward energetically with the Lisbon Agenda that aims to make the EU the world's most competitive knowledge-based economy by 2010."

European Finance Ministers will consider a number of key issues for promoting the Lisbon Agenda and any issues will be forwarded to the European Council of heads of state or Government that is to meet in Brussels at the end of March.

The March European Council is dedicated specifically to the Lisbon Agenda and will be chaired by the Taoiseach as part of the Irish Presidency.

The other main item on the Ecofin Council's programme will be the continued examination of Member States' programmes under the Stability and Growth Pact.

Four countries' programmes were examined at the January Ecofin meeting and seven more, including Ireland's, will be examined tomorrow.

"The Council attaches great importance to examining Member States' performance under the Pact," Charlie McCreevy said.

"These examinations serve to encourage improved economic and budgetary performance by Member States, in which we all have a common interest," McCreevy added.

The Minister said that he expected the Irish programme to be well received, reflecting a good economic and budgetary performance.

Greece, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Britain will also have their programmes examined.