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Department of the Taoiseach Roinn an Taoisigh Developments In Department of the Taoiseach Roinn an Taoisigh Developments in relation to the European Union Annual Report to the Houses of the Oireachtas for 2016 This Report is submitted in accordance with the requirements of Section 4 of the European Union (Scrutiny) Act 2002. 1 Introduction The Department supported the Taoiseach in his role as a member of the European Council and his attendance at four European Councils and three additional Summit level events. The European Council’s discussions dealt with the ongoing migration crisis in the Eastern and Central Mediterranean and in Europe, the negotiations and outcome of the UK referendum on leaving the EU, and the future of Europe. The Department also coordinated six specific bilateral visits and meetings with EU leaders – PM Muscat, Malta; President Anastasiades, Cyprus; President Hollande, France; Chancellor Merkel, Germany; and Prime Minister Cameron and Prime Minister May, UK. Promoting Ireland’s interests in the European Union is of paramount importance as our economic wellbeing is intrinsically interlinked with it. The Department is coordinating with all relevant Departments/Agencies to ensure an effective whole-of-government approach to the Brexit negotiations that takes full account of the Government’s negotiating priorities. The Government’s preparation for the result of the UK Referendum on EU membership was extensive. Contingency work was done prior to the Referendum and, since the result, intensified analysis and scenario planning has been carried out across all key sectors. There has also been extensive engagement and consultation including through the All-Island Civic Dialogue process. Following the UK referendum result, significant organisational change was implemented, including the movement of a considerable amount of EU related functions and resources back to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and a restructuring within the Department of the Taoiseach to create a new International, EU and Northern Ireland Division. This Division supports a new Cabinet Committee to oversee the overall Government response to Brexit, as well as the Cabinet Committee on European Affairs. The Department also supported the Minister of State for European Affairs, the EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection both at the European Council and at eight General Affairs Council meetings which considered preparatory work for European Councils and enlargement of the Multiannual Financial Framework. The Taoiseach, along with 15 other EU leaders, wrote to the President of the European Council in December, to reaffirm the importance of the Digital Single Market and a new Interdepartmental Committee, chaired by the Minister of State, has been established to coordinate and oversee its implementation in Ireland. 2 Taoiseach’s visit to The Netherlands and Germany, 6/8 January 2016 The Taoiseach led a trade mission to The Netherlands and Germany from 6 to 8 January, where his programme focused on increasing export markets, advancing trade opportunities and attracting investment. http://www.merrionstreet.ie/en/News- Room/News/Taoiseach_to_lead_trade_mission_to_The_Netherlands_and_Germany.html Meeting with Prime Minister Cameron 25 January 2016, London The Taoiseach travelled to London to meet with British Prime Minister on 25 January and they discussed the forthcoming EU/UK negotiations. They also reviewed progress under the Ireland/UK Joint Work Programme, developments in Northern Ireland and other areas of mutual interest. European Council 18/19 February 2016, Brussels The Taoiseach attended the meeting of European Council on 18/19 February 2016 in Brussels. The meeting considered and agreed on a settlement for the UK within the EU. Leaders also discussed Migration and the situation in Syria and Libya. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/european-council/2016/02/18-19/ Meeting of Heads of State or Government with Turkey 7 March 2016, Brussels The Taoiseach attended the Heads of State of Government meeting with Turkey on 7 March. The meeting addressed the migration situation. The leaders discussed with the Turkish Prime Minister, EU-Turkey relations and the progress made in the implementation of the Joint Action Plan. Turkey confirmed its commitment in implementing the bilateral Greek-Turkish readmission agreement to accept the rapid return of all migrants not in need of international protection crossing from Turkey into Greece and to take back all irregular migrants apprehended on Turkish waters. 3 European Council 17/18 March 2016, Brussels The Taoiseach attended the meeting of European Council on 17/18 March in Brussels. The meeting discussed further steps to address the migration crisis and EU-Turkey cooperation. They also held a debate the economic situation and on climate and energy. The Taoiseach reported to the Oireachtas on the outcome of the European Councils of 18/19 February and 17/18 March and the meeting of Heads of State or Government with Turkey on 7 March – http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/takes/dail2016032200013?o pendocument#L00300 EU/UK Referendum 23 June 2016 On the 23 June the UK voted in a referendum to leave the EU. On 24 June the Government adopted a Contingency Framework identifying key policy issues to be managed by Government Departments arising from the referendum vote in the UK to leave the EU. http://www.merrionstreet.ie/MerrionStreet/en/News- Room/Releases/Government_Brexit_Contingency_Plans_announced.html European Council 28/29 June 2016, Brussels The Taoiseach attended the meeting of European Council on 28/29 June in Brussels. The meeting focused on the political consequences of the UK referendum. The leaders also addressed other pressing issues: tackling the migratory crisis, deepening of the single market to boost growth and jobs, and enhancing the security of the EU by working more closely with NATO. The Taoiseach reported to the Oireachtas on the outcome of the European Council – http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/takes/dail201607050 0022?opendocument#U03400 4 General Affairs Council January - June 2016 (Netherlands Presidency) The General Affairs Council (GAC) met six times, viz: 18 January, 16 February, 15 March, 11/12 April (Informal), 24 May, and 24 June. In addition to the regular preparation for and follow-up from European Council meetings, the GAC discussed a broad range of issues in the period, including: the Netherlands’ Presidency Programme; the 2016 European Semester; Inter-Institutional Agreement on Better Law Making; Investing in Jobs and Growth, the European Structural and Investment Programme and the Multiannual Financial Framework, Inter-Institutional Legislative Programme and Transparency. Ireland was represented at the GAC by the Minister of State for European Affairs and Data Protection, Dara Murphy T.D. EU Engagement The Department seeks to promote EU engagement through a number of initiatives including - Blue Star Programme This is an EU education Primary Schools programme which has been running since 2011 which aims to foster a better understanding and knowledge of the European Union among our primary school children of the European Union and how the EU affects our lives. This is done through a programme of projects by the children on a range of topics broadly related to the EU. The civil society element of the programme changes each year and this year relates to Climate Change and COP 21. Blue Star has been very successful and in the current academic year there are over 180 schools, from all 26 counties, participating. Support for the programme, which is managed by European Movement Ireland following award of the contract through a public tender, also comes from European Commission and European Parliament Offices here as well as from the Department of Education & Skills. http://www.bluestarprogramme.ie/ EU Jobs Campaign This initiative aims to raise awareness of career opportunities at EU level and provide targeted support to competition applicants. In 2015, the EU Jobs Campaign participated in over 15 promotional events targeting university and professional audiences in Ireland and Brussels. The EU Jobs work plan for 2016 aims to build on the campaigns’ events-based and online promotion and to engage further with potential competition applicants, including for Irish language competitions and the promotion of international careers. 5 A particular impetus for this initiative is the ‘demographic cliff’ which we are facing in terms of the falling numbers of Irish officials working in the EU institutions, as many who were recruited in the 1970s and onwards are now retiring. http://www.eujobs.ie/ Europe for Citizens Programme This is a European Commission programme which aims to raise citizen engagement in EU matters generally across the EU. As an EU-wide programme, with no set funding allocated to individual member states, competition for funding is very competitive. To bolster Irish interest in the programme this Department tendered for a new National Contact Point for Ireland in 2015 subsequently awarded to the NGO, The Wheel. Since then The Wheel has raised awareness of the programme nationwide by running a number of information events and targeting eligible organisations across the country. Irish NGOs presently successful in receiving funding under the Europe for Citizens programme include – Ballymun Job Centre - Comprising five partners, Our Social Europe is a Civil Society Project which aims to increase civic engagement of citizens
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