Speech by Minister for Labour Affairs Mr. Frank Fahey at the Launch of European Week

Galway on Thursday 8^th January 2004

I would like to thank the Galway Chamber of Commerce for their invitation to speak at this, the launch of the Galway European week. The Chamber and its members have laboured long and hard preparing for this event. Given the varied and exciting nature of the different activities contained in the week's programme I am sure that all of you will find this event very informative. Thanks are especially due to Terry O'Flaherty, the Lord Mayor of Galway, for hosting the launch of this highly significant event. It represents an opportunity for the people of Galway to see and hear at first hand the challenges and ambitions afforded by our EU membership, with a particular emphasis on commercial development.

I would like to offer a particularly warm cead mile fáilte to Her Excellency the Slovenian Ambassador. The Slovenian Embassy is the main supporter of this event and Her Excellency's presence here today is a clear sign of how social and political horizons in both Ireland and Slovenia have broadened. I am sure that Slovenian membership of the European Union will bring similar benefits to Her Excellency's homeland and that Slovenia, with its proud history and culture, will be a superb addition to the European Union.

There is a clear national consensus in this country in favour of enlargement and a strong feeling of empathy with all accession countries and the Irish Government are keen to strengthen political relationships between Ireland and the accession countries. Thirty years ago, as we joined the Union, we saw membership as helping to create the conditions for economic growth and social development. We also saw it as being, politically and psychologically, a means of consolidating our freedom, of becoming more confident and outward looking.

Irish membership of the European Union has brought not only economic progress but profound social progress as well. Equal pay and equal opportunity in Ireland owe much to our membership of the European Union. It has encouraged better conditions of employment, and improved health and safety regulation. In short, the European Union has been good for Ireland, and has played a vital part in raising our standard of living and our quality of life.

In returning to the European Week, I am particularly impressed with the broad range of activities that have been included in the programme for the next few days. Of particular interest in the context of my previous comments is the commercially driven "Doing business with the Applicant Countries" event. I also understand that the Commission Office will present a display on the accession countries.

However the week's events will also appeal to our younger people, what with a prize giving for a Schools Essay Competition, a Photographic Exhibition, third level debate on the issues involved in EU enlargement, and a media campaign carried by the press and radio.

All of this activity will of course dovetail with the forthcoming meeting of EU Ministers of Employment and Social Policy - which I am delighted to say that Galway is hosting next week. This is the first Ministerial meeting of the Irish Presidency and I and my co-host Minister Mary Coughlan are proud that it is taking place in the most westerly city of the EU. This day next week we will be extending a warm Galway welcome to 35 Ministers from across the EU.

We have at all stages of preparation and planning been conscious of the need to take into account the accession of the new Member States, and the effect that it will have on the functioning of the EU's institutions. We are very anxious to do everything possible to ensure that the transition from 15 to 25 is a smooth one and that the Union's institutions continue to function effectively in the new setting.

These are of course very serious and weighty matters but underpinning all of this activity there is the human, and, let us not forget, the social aspect of next week's meetings. I see the forthcoming Informal Council meeting as a great opportunity to show the best of Europe to Galway. I would hope that over the next week all of us - whether engaged in business, education, or political activity - do all in our power to show the best of Galway to Europe.

Finally, I would like to congratulate the Chamber of Commerce for bringing this fine week of events to fruition. I wish them every success with this venture. I will follow its progress with great interest and would like to pass on my best wishes to all of those working and participating in the various events. You will, I am sure, do Galway proud.

(A copy of this press release is also available on the departments website www.djei.ie/press.htm)

Ends/LA63