Ministers announce further preparations for Ireland’s EU Presidency

Ministers announce further preparations for Ireland's EU Presidency

• From: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

• Published on: 11 March 2026
• Last updated on: 11 March 2026

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee TD, and Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne TD, today announced that preparations are moving into their final phase for Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union later this year. During Ireland's EU Presidency term, which will begin on 1 July, Irish Ministers will be responsible for chairing meetings of the Council and steering the EU's legislative and policy agenda, and wide range of high-level EU meetings will be hosted in Ireland.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to resource and deliver a successful Presidency, as it is essential for Ireland's position, influence and reputation in the EU, and for advancing the Union's agenda against a complex geopolitical background.

Minister McEntee said: "The start of Ireland's EU Presidency is now less than four months away, and across Government we're focused on making sure everything is in place for the work ahead. I recently briefed Cabinet on the progress being made on preparations, which are being led by my Department in close partnership with the Department of the Taoiseach and with the active involvement of all Ministers and Departments.

"We've also been discussing Ireland's policy priorities for the Presidency, and that work is now well advanced. As part of this, we're engaging closely with other EU Member States and with the EU institutions.

"The views shared by people, businesses and organisations across Ireland through our stakeholder consultations have been very valuable in helping to shape our approach, and I want to thank everyone who took the time to contribute.

"We've also reviewed plans for the programme of EU meetings and events that will take place across the country during the Presidency. Our aim is to ensure that communities right across Ireland can benefit from the opportunities and profile the Presidency brings, in line with the commitments in the Programme for Government.

"The Presidency also offers a real opportunity to start a broader national conversation about Ireland's role in the European Union and the benefits EU membership brings. We will have initiatives such as the Presidency County Pairings programme and plans for youth and schools engagement, which will help ensure people of all ages, in every part of the country, have a chance to be part of our Presidency and take part in the discussion about Ireland's place in Europe."

Minister Byrne commented: "On 1 July, Ireland will take on a significant leadership role in driving the EU policy agenda. Significant work been undertaken to date to ensure that Ireland delivers an EU Presidency that successfully delivers for the EU, for Europe, and for our people.

"In preparation for our EU Presidency, I have enjoyed visiting communities across Ireland and hearing the ideas of young people and community members, on what they want to see delivered during the Irish EU Presidency. Through extensive stakeholder consultations, we have also gained a widespread range of perspectives, as we advance our EU Presidency policy priorities.

"I have also met with a majority of our European partners to date in their capitals and elsewhere, to ensure that our EU Presidency priorities take account of the interests and needs of all sectors of society across Europe. I look forward to continuing this engagement across Ireland, and across Europe, in the period ahead as we navigate these challenging times and protect the interests of our people."

Notes for Editors:

Ireland will hold its eighth Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 July to 31 December 2026. Ireland will take over the Presidency from Cyprus, and the Irish Presidency will form the first part of an eighteen-month "Trio Presidency" also involving Lithuania and Greece.

During the Presidency, Irish Ministers will be required to chair meetings of EU Ministers in the Council, steer the Council's legislative and policy agenda, and interact on behalf of the Council with the other EU institutions. Irish officials will be required to chair more than 170 Council preparatory bodies, and to lead engagement with other EU institutions at technical and expert levels on legislative files.

During the Presidency, a major programme of meetings and events will be hosted in Ireland. These will include a meeting of the European Political Community, an informal meeting of the European Council, and 22 informal meetings of Ministers from across the EU.

Ireland's priorities and policy programme for the Presidency will be finalised and published in June, shortly before the start of the Presidency term. A process of domestic stakeholder consultations to inform the development of Ireland's Presidency priorities included an open call for public submissions, which closed in December 2025 and received 484 responses. These submissions have been published on the gov.ie website.

ENDS

Press Office

11 March 2026