Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 October 2025
327. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the way in which her Department is preparing for the forthcoming EPSCO meetings on 17 October and 3 December 2025; whether the Irish Government has a preparatory role given the forthcoming Irish presidency of the Council of Ministers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54207/25]
View answerThe first Informal meeting of Health Ministers under the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU took place in Copenhagen on 15-16 September 2025.
The Department does not have a preparatory role in the organisation of the EPSCO (Health configuration) Council meetings taking place during the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU (July – December 2026).
The North-South, EU & International Unit within the Department coordinates attendance, briefings and preparations to all informal meetings of health ministers and formal EPSCO Health Council meetings, including:
• the recent Informal meeting of Health Ministers under the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU in Copenhagen on 15-16 September 2025; and
• the upcoming EPSCO (Health) Council meeting on 02 December 2025 in Brussels.
The EPSCO Council meeting taking place on 17 October 2025 in Luxembourg is a meeting of the EPSCO Council under its social policy configuration. As such, the Department of Health will not lead on the preparations to this event but will contribute as needed to briefing requirements from other Departments.
