Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2026
230. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the EU Presidency county pairings announced in January; the requirements and obligations for local authorities in relation to this; the engagement that has taken place with local authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17091/26]
View answerDetails of the EU Presidency County Parings initiative were announced on 16 January. The initiative aims to engage communities across the country on Ireland’s European relationships during the term of our Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of this year. As part of the initiative, each county in the State has been paired with another EU Member State, and it is envisaged that EU Member State Ambassadors in Ireland will visit the relevant county to undertake a programme of public engagements focused on Ireland’s European relations and our role in the European Union.
Local authorities across the country have been encouraged to support the County Pairings initiative. At the time of the announcement, the Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne TD, and I jointly wrote to Mayors and Cathaoirligh in each local authority to outline the initiative and notify the local authority of the relevant pairing. In that letter, we asked the local authority to nominate a point of contact to work with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to take the initiative forward.
It is suggested that each local authority might facilitate a one-day visit by the Ambassador of the relevant EU Member State, accompanied by the Irish Ambassador in the relevant EU Member State capital. Each visit would involve a programme of public engagements, which could include a joint talk at a local library and a visit to a school. Ambassadors may also choose to engage with other sporting, community, youth and civil society organisations.
Where a nominated point of contact has been received, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is facilitating introductions to the relevant embassies to ensure that the local authority is aware of the visit programme being prepared, the dates of the visit, and has an opportunity to engage with the planning process.
Officials in my Department have also met with the Local Government Management Agency to discuss the County Pairings initiative, and will remain available to engage with local authorities on this matter.
I am pleased to see that the initiative has been met with much enthusiasm, as the County Pairings offer a unique opportunity for local authorities to strengthen ties with our EU neighbours and showcase the best of our communities.
Local authorities may choose to expand their engagement with the County Pairing initiative, or the EU Presidency more broadly. To facilitate this, I was pleased to announce, alongside Minister Byrne, the launch of the 2026 Communicating Europe Initiative on 24 February.
The focus of projects this year is on Ireland's 2026 Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the County Pairings programme. The Communicating Europe Initiative provides support to projects which further public awareness of the impact of the EU in our daily lives. In recognition of the role of local authorities in communicating Europe to communities across Ireland, €310,000 has been made available to support programmes developed by local authorities in support of the County Pairings initiative. There is also an allocation of €465,000, which will be available to support voluntary organisations, educational bodies and civil society groups for projects intended to deepen public awareness of the role that the European Union plays in our daily lives. It is envisaged that the maximum individual grant awarded will be in the order of €10,000.
Further details on how to apply to the Communicating Europe Initiative are available on Ireland.ie : www.ireland.ie/en/eu/communicating-europe-initiative/
