Minister Burke stresses Ireland's continuing need for EU funding

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Ray Burke, T.D., has met with the Luxembourg President of the European Union's Council of Ministers, Mr Jacques Poos, to discuss current EU issues.

The visit of Mr Poos is part of his tour of EU capitals to discuss the priorities of the Luxembourg Presidency. Today's meeting focussed on the signing and ratification of the Amsterdam Treaty, the plans for a Special EU Summit on employment to be held in November, Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), Agenda 2000 which covers the future financing of EU policies, including the structural funds and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and continuing preparations for the launching early next year of the negotiations on the further enlargement of the Union's membership. The Ministers also exchanged views on a number of foreign policy issues, including the Middle East and the situation in the former Yugoslavia.

Commenting on the visit of Mr Poos, Minister Burke said that "the Luxembourg Presidency comes at an important time in the EU's evolution. It coincides with the signing next month of the Amsterdam Treaty and with important decisions due to be taken at the December meeting of the European Council in Luxembourg on enlargement and the Union's future evolution. In November, the Luxembourg Presidency will also preside over a special European Council devoted to the crucial issue of employment".

On Agenda 2000, Minister Burke said that "we want to ensure a continuity of EU effort in pursuit of its cohesion objectives so that the economic progress we have recorded in recent years can be continued and become an enduring reality". The Minister said that it would be vital for Ireland "to ensure the maintenance of funding arrangements sufficient to sustain and consolidate recent economic gains, and to deal with our continuing development needs". In the agricultural sector, Minister Burke stressed to his Luxembourg colleague the need, for the sake of rural communities, "to protect the incomes and secure the future of farmers and their families" in whatever agricultural policy reforms may be necessary. Top