On 19 December 2013, Gediminas Kirkilas, Chairman of the Seimas Committee on European Affairs, met with Philomena Murnaghan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ireland to Lithuania, to discuss issues associated with the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. A new Trio Presidency of Ireland, Lithuania and Greece will take over on 1 January 2013. Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council in the first semester of 2013; it will be replaced by Lithuania in July and Greece will complete the Trio Presidency in the summer of 2014.

During the meeting, the Irish Ambassador and the Chairman of the Committee on European Affairs discussed the EU Presidency priorities of both countries, reaffirmed the need for both countries to closely cooperate throughout the trio presidency period and maintain a close dialogue between the Embassy of Ireland and the Seimas Committee on all relevant issues.

It was agreed that on 16 January 2013 the Ambassador of Ireland would present the priorities and programme of the Irish Presidency to the Seimas Committee on European Affairs.

Particular attention was paid to the negotiations of the EU Member States on the Multi-annual Financial Framework 2014-2020. In December 2012, the EU Member States failed to reach an agreement on the Framework. The final agreement is expected during the Irish Presidency in the first semester of 2013. Both Philomena Murnaghan and Gediminas Kirkilas hoped this would happen, even though both shared the view that reaching an agreement on the EU budget would not be an easy task.

Ireland, which will hold the Presidency of the Council for the seventh time, has won a reputation for its efficiency and impartiality in presiding over the Council. Being similar to Ireland in terms of size and limited resources, Lithuania should particularly benefit from working together with Ireland in the Trio Presidency.

The Irish Presidency priorities consist of three main objectives: stability, jobs and growth. This includes stability of the financial and banking system, reduction of unemployment, especially among young people, creation of new jobs (mainly in the digital sector of the European economy, small and medium business and trade) and economic growth.

Philomena Murnaghan began her diplomatic career in 1974. She served as an Irish Ambassador to Austria, France, the United States of America and the Irish Mission to the United Nations in New York. Philomena Murnaghan was appointed Ambassador to Lithuania in September 2010. Before her present appointment, she worked as an Ambassador of Ireland to Argentina.

Morta Vidūnaitė, Advisor to Gediminas Kirkilas, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas,

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