Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2026
885. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide details of bilateral engagements undertaken by her or officials in her Department with Member States in relation to the proposed European Union Equal Treatment Directive in advance of Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37089/26]
View answer886. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the planned role of EPSCO council formations and relevant council working parties in progressing discussions on the proposed European Union Equal Treatment Directive during Ireland's Presidency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37090/26]
View answer898. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the ministerial counterparts with whom she has discussed the proposed European Union Equal Treatment Directive in bilateral engagements; the dates on which those discussions took place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37169/26]
View answer899. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if Ireland intends to allocate dedicated time during EPSCO Council meetings or relevant EU Working Parties to the consideration of the proposed European Union Equal Treatment Directive during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37170/26]
View answer900. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the Government considers political agreement on the proposed European Union Equal Treatment Directive achievable during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37171/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 885, 886, 898, 899 and 900 together.
Ireland has been a long-standing supporter of the adoption of the Equal Treatment Directive. As the Presidency, Ireland will act as an honest broker for the Council during our term, work with all Member States to understand their views, and will seek to progress this file.
As regards its current status, the Equal Treatment Directive is an active Council file, and I wish to recognise the leadership and remit of the Cyprus Presidency on this matter. The Cyprus Presidency are currently pursuing their mandate to lead the Council negotiations on the file. I understand the Cyprus Presidency intend to provide the EPSCO Council with a progress report on work during their Presidency on this file on the 29 June 2026. Ireland is working closely with the Cyprus Presidency and will be ready to take on responsibility as required for this file on 1 July.
Supporting the work of the Danish and the Cyprus Presidency, Ireland has continued to back efforts to reach unanimity at Council. As part of our Presidency preparations, I have met multiple times with Commissioner Lahbib to discuss the Directive, and officials are actively engaging with Member States at technical levels. I have also raised the Directive in the bilateral engagements I have had with ministerial counterparts. As appropriate, time at the EPSCO Council and at EU Working Parties will be made available to progress this file. Officials from the Department will continue their engagements with their counterparts, and I will also continue to engage bilaterally with Member States on this file as appropriate.
I am confident that Ireland's Presidency will continue the important work of delivering on the goals of the Union of Equality strategies aimed at safeguarding and promoting rights and protecting the most vulnerable from discrimination.
Preparations for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU are intensifying across Government and Ireland's full policy programme will be published, as is usual practice, shortly before the start of our Presidency term, in June 2026.
