Inter-governmental conference/EU ConstitutionMember-states and accession states to be consulted. Report to be presented to a spring meeting of the European Council, comprising heads of government and prime ministers. If agreement is possible, well and good; if not, Ireland will not push the issue but leave it to the incoming Dutch presidency.
Enlargement
The theme of the Irish presidency, says the government, is "working together". May 1st, the day 10 new states join, will be a "Day of Welcomes" in Dublin with official celebrations, street events and a giant fireworks display.
New Neighbours Initiative
Ireland will seek to make the 10 new member-states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus) welcome by enhancing relations with them on the basis of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law.
The Lisbon Agenda
This is a programme of economic measures that aims to make the EU the most dynamic and competitive economy in the world by 2010.
The Tánaiste, Mary Harney, is particularly keen to push structural reforms and measures to promote economic growth. The spring council meeting will focus on a small number of key achievable objectives.
Employment Taskforce
The Government wants to build on a recent jobs report by Wim Kok, the former Dutch prime minister, and get EU agreement on policies that encourage investment in innovation, education and training, leading to more jobs for the unemployed, older workers and women.
Justice and Home Affairs
The Government will try to promote operational co-operation between immigration officers, police forces and judicial authorities across the Union to meet a May 2004 deadline which was agreed in the Amsterdam Treaty to fight drug- and people-trafficking and organised crime.
Common Foreign and Security Policy
One immediate task will be to prepare the Union to take over from the current Nato-led stabilisation force in Bosnia.
Security Strategy
The Government wants to advance the EU's multilateral approach to the fight against terrorism, the Middle East and the Arab world, weapons of mass destruction and the adoption of EU guidelines in support of human rights defenders; as well as working in partnership with the United Nations.
EU-US relations
The Government will continue to promote the roadmap initiated by the EU, US, UN and Russia for peace in the Middle East.
It will also work to repair EU-US relations following the Iraq war and support reconstruction in Iraq.