Taoiseach attends EU Summit

The Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen T.D., after contributing to the Budget 2009 debate in the Dail, will today, Wednesday, attend the Brussels European Council Meeting.

The Taoiseach will be accompanied by the Minister for Finance Mr. Brian Lenihan T.D., the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Micheál Martin T.D. and the Minister of State for European Affairs, Mr. Dick Roche T.D.

Discussions at the Council will cover environmental, energy and financial matters with the crisis in the financial markets likely to dominate.  There will also be a follow up to the Extraordinary European Council of 1 September on the situation in Georgia. 

The Lisbon Treaty is also on the agenda.  The Taoiseach said “ I will present a progress report on developments here in relation to the situation following the referendum on 12 June – something I undertook to do when this issue was last addressed at the European Council in June. I expect that December’s European Council will return to the subject at greater length.”

ENDS