Feestelijkheden op kasteel Dublin wegens drie EU mijlpalen (en)

Met dank overgenomen van Iers voorzitterschap Europese Unie eerste helft 2013 i, gepubliceerd op maandag 31 december 2012.

Flag-raising ceremony taking place on the occasion of the start of Ireland’s seventh EU Presidency, the 40th anniversary of our EU accession and the European Year of Citizens.

The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister of State for European Affairs will mark the start of a significant year for Ireland’s membership of the European Union at a ceremony in Dublin Castle on Monday 31 December 2012.

It is 40 years since Ireland’s EU accession and 2013 is the year of Ireland’s seventh Presidency of the Council of the EU (from January until June). It is also the European Year of Citizens.

The flag-raising ceremony, also to be attended by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Government ministers, members of the diplomatic corps and other guests, will include the release of 40 balloons by schoolchildren engaged in the EU-focused Blue Star programme for primary schools.

Both the Irish and EU anthems will be played by the Defence Forces Band, while An Irish Blessing will be performed by the award-winning Methodist College Choir from Belfast.

PUBLIC ACCESS

The public are welcome to attend the ceremony and can arrive from 10.00am through the Palace Street Gate, from which they can enter the Castle through its Lower Yard.

IMPORTANT: Media access from 9am, accreditation information

Media attending this event must be in place in Dublin Castle courtyard by 10.30am.

Entrance to Dublin Castle is only possible via the EU Presidency Media Centre located on Werburgh Street, which will be in use for the first time on this occasion. The Media Centre will be open from 9.00am.

Official identification, e.g. a NUJ/PPAI card, is needed to cover this event. Please have appropriate photographic ID available to gain access to the Media Centre, and ensure you arrive in good time to clear security.

Please note that the entrance is on a separate street from the main entrance to Dublin Castle, just past Saint Werburgh’s Church. The entrance will be clearly signposted - a map showing entrance can be found in our Press Centre.

Formal accreditation procedures will apply for all future Presidency events at Dublin Castle. For details on this see our accreditation page.

Satellite vans wishing to access Dublin Castle should contact Des Swords at des.swords@opw.ie.

For more information please contact press@eu2013.ie

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