To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the EU has spent on providing information in Ireland on the treaty of Lisbon; and if he will make a statement. (277126)

I am not aware of how much the EU has spent on providing information in Ireland specifically on the treaty of Lisbon. I understand that the European Commission will provide €1.8 million for 2009 and 2010 to improve the provision of public information on the EU in Ireland. Similar arrangements exist in other EU member states. Communications activities will cover a large variety of European policy areas. For 2009, the priorities are the European Parliament elections, energy and climate change, 20th anniversary of the democratic changes in Central and Eastern Europe and Europe’s response to the financial crisis and economic slowdown.

Further information can be found on the European Commission’s website at:

http://ec.europa.eu/ireland/press_office/news_of_the_day/public-info-contr_en.htm