THE Minister of State for European Affairs, Mr Gay Mitchell, yesterday began a two day visit to the European Parliament to meet key MEPs and the Commission as part of Ireland's preparation for the presidency this year.
Mr Mitchell also presented the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr Daniel Tarchys, with a video copy of the Channel 4 programme on child abuse and infanticide in China, Return to the Dying Rooms, and the series of Irish limes reports by Nuala O'Faolain on child prostitution in the Philippines. He urged Mr Tarchys "to use every power and influence of the Council to pursue these issues".
During his visit to the parliament Mr Mitchell met its president, Mr Klaus Hansch, Ms Pauline Green, president of the Socialist Group, Commissioner Padraig Flynn, the Irish MEPs and the chairpersons of several key committees.
Mr Mitchell said later that a senior Irish diplomat would be part of the EU "troika" mission going to China this month which would raise the question of the, treatment of children.
On the Irish presidency, he said that the Government would be paying particular attention to the European Parliament in order to ensure it gave it at least as much attention as the Spanish presidency, which has just ended.