IRELAND’S FOREIGN affairs ministers have the worst record for attending European Union meetings, according to research conducted by a Danish newspaper.
The Copenhagen-based daily Berlingske Tidende conducted the research following a controversy over a decision by its foreign minister Lene Espersen to go on a family holiday to Mallorca rather than attend a meeting of ministers in Brussels.
The newspaper looked back at the attendance record of foreign ministers from all EU member states since 2001 and found that the class swots were Finland, with a 89 per cent attendance record, and Luxembourg, with a 91 per cent record.
By contrast, the Danes had the second worst absentee rate for foreign ministers over nine years, with 69 per cent. The only country with a poorer record, according to the report, was Ireland with a lowly 68 per cent.
Ireland’s ministers for foreign affairs since 2001 have been Brian Cowen (2000 to 2004); Dermot Ahern (2004-2008); and Micheál Martin, from 2008.
When a Minister is absent, a high-ranking official from the Department of Foreign Affairs usually substitutes.
The Department of Foreign Affairs was not in a position to clarify whether the attendance figures extending back to 2001 were correct or not, because such records are not readily available.
The only figures available are from May 2007 to the present, which show a much higher attendance rate by the current Minister, Micheál Martin.
A departmental spokeswoman said that Irish ministers attended 30 (or 90 per cent) of the 33 meetings held since 2007. However, the senior ministers (Dermot Ahern until 2008, and Mr Martin) attended a total of 27, with the junior minister Dick Roche attending three.
“Ministers try to ensure that Ireland is represented at Government level at all appropriate EU meetings,” said the spokeswoman.
“However, on occasions this is not possible. For example, meetings may be called at short notice or there may be Oireachtas commitments at home. On those occasions Ireland is represented by senior diplomats of the Permanent Representation to the EU.”