Ahern leads EU summit team

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern leads an Irish delegation today to the two-day European Council spring summit in Brussels.

Mr Ahern will be accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern and Minister for Finance Brian Cowen with their officials.

The main focus of the summit, which will be attended by EU leaders, will be the economic and environmental performance of the EU.

In particular, the council will consider more ambitious targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and for the use of renewable energy.

The Taoiseach will tonight attend a working dinner for EU leaders hosted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Chancellor Merkel will brief her EU colleagues on the German presidency’s plans for a declaration to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which first established the European Economic Community.

This declaration will form the centrepiece of the celebrations, which will take place in Berlin on March 25.