Holding the EU presidency next year will give Ireland an opportunity to manage the EU agenda and find ways of advancing policies that will improve the lives of people in Ireland and abroad, Minister of State for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton has said.
Speaking at a conference on the EU presidency today, Ms Creighton said Ireland could demonstrate that "we are a constructive and committed Member State that belongs at the very heart of the EU decision-making process".
"In defining our main strategic priorities, we have been mindful of the need to focus on issues that are of strongest concern to citizens and governments right across the EU today," she said.
Ms Creighton said the financial crisis would likely remain a concern during Ireland's presidency but that attention needed to turn to the "challenge of getting the European economy back on track" by improving global competitiveness, promoting economic growth and creating jobs.
"This will be the central theme of the Irish presidency and this national priority is shared by governments and citizens across Europe."
Ireland will hold the EU presidency from January to June of next year. The Government has budgeted €60 million for the six-month stint, compared to the €92 million spent the last time the State held the presidency in 2004. This is despite the fact that EU membership has since increased from 17 countries to 27.
Geraldine Byrne Nason, second secretary general at the Department of the Taoiseach, said that the impression from Brussels was that "the gloss" had gone off Ireland following the economic collapse.
Holding the presidency would give the State a chance to make a positive impression on the world stage once again, she said, as it would hopefully coincide with a return to bond markets and the end of Ireland's bailout programme.
Former European commissioner and attorney general David Byrne said much would be expected of Ireland's EU presidency given the success of its previous stints.
Mr Byrne said selecting priorities for the presidency would be a "delicate task". He said it would be best to promote common interests across the EU while also focusing on initiatives that Ireland believed to be important.
He said the presidency could seek to forward a number of public health initiatives such as directive on healthy ageing, clinical trials and reducing the consumption of tobacco products.
