John Bruton
Ceist:10 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to Austria. [13376/98]
Vol. 492 No. 2
10 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to Austria. [13376/98]
11 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the preparatory meetings, if any, he will have before the European Council meeting in Cardiff, Wales, in June 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13377/98]
12 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to Austria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13394/98]
13 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the issues he intends to raise at the European summit at Cardiff, Wales, on 15 and 16 June 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13398/98]
14 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his visit to Austria and his meeting with the Austrian Prime Minister. [13403/98]
15 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Taoiseach his priorities for the summit of EU leaders in Cardiff, Wales; the plans, if any, he has to meet other EU heads of Government in advance of the summit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13507/98]
16 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach when the next Irish Commissioner to the European Commission will be nominated by the Government to the Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13689/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 16, inclusive, together.
I met in Vienna, on 4 June last, the Austrian Chancellor, Mr. Viktor Klima, who will become President in Office of the European Union on 1 July 1998.
We discussed a wide range of European issues, including the forthcoming European Council in Cardiff and the priorities for the Austrian Presidency of the European Union during the second half of this year.
The Austrian Presidency will have the task of completing the final stage of preparations for the introduction of the euro, and this commenced on 4 June last, with the inaugural meeting of the Euro-XI group in Luxembourg. In addition, it will fall to the Austrian Presidency to make substantial progress on the Agenda 2000 negotiations.