Sean Fleming
Question:408. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection to report on his recent meeting with the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee. [68343/25]
View answerThursday, 15 January 2026
Questions (408)
Written answers
In November '25, I attended the European Parliament in Strasbourg for a series of high level discussions with European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee (EMPL), the Parliament’s lead committee on employment and social policy.
I met EMPL Chair Li Andersson and senior members of the European Parliament, including Irish MEPs, as part of Ireland’s preparations for its upcoming EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2026., outlining Ireland’s commitment to prioritising a strong social Europe during its Presidency, with a particular focus on reducing poverty, strengthening social protection systems, and ensuring equal opportunities for all, in particular for people with disabilities and other marginalised groups. The Committee members provided a detailed update on EMPL’s active legislative agenda, including reforms to EU social security coordination and proposals to expand the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund.
In addition, I attended a meeting of the European Parliament Intergroup on Traditional Minorities, National Communities and Languages where, in my capacity as Minister for the Gaeltacht and the Irish Language, I updated the group’s members on a range of issues including the Government’s work in reinforcing the role of Irish as the community language of the Gaeltacht as well as its promotion at national level, including efforts to enhance the use of Irish in public services in Ireland.
Meetings were also held with Commissioner McGrath to discuss data protection in the welfare system, combatting organised welfare fraud and the rights of persons with disabilities and with Irish MEPs to discuss a range of issues including LEADER funding in the context of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the European Union’s long-term investment budget, that is now entering an intensive negotiation phase between the European Council and the European Parliament.