Press release
Minister Neale Richmond attending EPSCO Council
From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Published on
Last updated on
Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail Neale Richmond is joining his fellow Ministers with responsibility for employment and social affairs at today’s meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) Council in Brussels.
The European Commission will be represented at the meeting by Ms. Dubravka Šuica, Vice-President for Democracy and Demography and the Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Mr. Nicolas Schmit.
This formal meeting of the EPSCO Council is the first held under the Swedish Presidency and will be chaired by Mr. Johan Pehrson, Minister for Employment and Integration.
Commenting on the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council Minister Richmond said:
"It is an honour to represent Ireland today at my first EPSCO Council meeting and to meet my European counterparts. I look forward to contributing to the discussions and to hearing from our Ukrainian colleagues who are attending. As Russia’s war in Ukraine enters its second year, it is timely that we are discussing how to best address some of the challenges faced by Ukrainians trying to rebuild their lives and integrate into their new homes across Europe."
Employment and social affairs Ministers will have an exchange of views on the employment and social situation in the EU, with a particular focus on the labour market situation of temporarily displaced persons from Ukraine, as well as on the European Semester 2023, with a focus on competitiveness and skills.