Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 February 2026
118. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline her Department's priorities in advance of Ireland holding the European Presidency, including specific actions in relation to Ireland's diplomatic engagement, coordination with EU member states; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8619/26]
View answerIreland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the eighth time from 1 July to 31 December 2026. This will be an important opportunity for Ireland to lead and shape the European agenda, and the Government has made a firm commitment to resource and deliver a successful Presidency in 2026.
Preparations for the Presidency across all strands of policy and logistical planning are well underway, led by my Department, working closely with the Department of the Taoiseach, and with the active participation of all Departments across Government.
Our policy priorities for the Presidency are currently being developed, against the backdrop of the EU's Strategic Agenda for 2024-29, the legislative work programme set out by the European Commission and Ireland's own EU priorities. In defining our priorities, we will also be taking account of the evolution of the Council’s legislative agenda through the current Cypriot Presidency.
Consultations with other Member States, including through my own bilateral meetings with my European counterparts, will also inform the development of our policy programme. Upon taking up the position of Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in November, one of my first engagements was with my European Union counterparts at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. At the December Foreign Affairs Council, I undertook a number of bilateral engagements with Foreign Ministers from Spain, Lithuania and Finland. Last week, while at the January Foreign Affairs Council, I had the opportunity to meet bilaterally with Foreign Ministers from Slovenia, Sweden, Italy and Poland. Last week I also visited Paris, where I discussed preparations for the Irish Presidency with my French counterpart. Other Ministers are also meeting on an ongoing basis with European counterparts, and these exchanges are helping to shape Ireland’s policy approach for our Presidency term.
Work on the development of our Presidency priorities is focusing on three broad thematic pillars, which reflect the pillars of the Strategic Agenda: values, security and competitiveness.
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that stakeholder groups have their voices heard as we develop our policy approach for the Presidency, and I wish to acknowledge the significant contribution that a wide range of organisations and individuals have made towards work on the development of our policy programme.
A series of consultation meetings with stakeholders from across business, civil society, trade unions and other interest groups took place last year and further stakeholder engagements are planned in the time ahead. A call for written submissions on the development of Ireland’s policy priorities, hosted on gov.ie, was launched on 5 November and closed on 12 December, with 484 submissions received in total.
Other Government Departments are also engaging in sector-specific Presidency consultations with relevant stakeholder groups. These consultations will allow consideration to be given to a broad range of different policy issues, from diverse voices throughout Ireland, as our Presidency policy programme continues to be developed.
Following the conclusion of this process, the Government will agree and publish our programme of policy priorities for the Presidency in June 2026, shortly before the start of Ireland's Presidency term.
