Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2026
584. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the list of events and engagements that he or his Department will be attending as part of Ireland's Presidency of the European Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53611/26]
View answer585. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the occasions in which he is scheduled to host EU Ministerial counterparts in Ireland during Ireland's Presidency of the European Council; the locations of such scheduled engagements; the details of entertainment that is proposed for each engagement; the estimated cost to his Department of each such engagement, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53612/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 584 and 585 together.
The only event during Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union where I will be hosting Ministerial counterparts in Ireland, is the informal meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers (JHA) on 16 and 17 July 2026 in Dublin Castle. The JHA Council is responsible for European Union policies on combatting crime, judicial cooperation, police cooperation and cooperation on immigration, borders and asylum issues.
The informal meeting will allow Justice and Home Affairs Ministers from across the EU to exchange views and engage in informal and open discussions on important topics of common interest.
As is traditional, during the course of the meeting, there will be a dinner for attendees which will also showcase traditional Irish music, craft and food. In line with the approved approach to managing informal Ministerial meetings, the costs associated with the dinner are being paid centrally by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. All Presidency related expenditure is being monitored carefully and any costs arising are subject to prudent financial planning to ensure value for money.
My Department will host a further 22 official level meetings in Ireland during our Presidency and more information on these events can be found here: irish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/events/. We will also host an informal meeting of Schengen Senior Officials, and a meeting of the European Union Administrative Approach, in the Irish College in Leuven.
In relation to attendance at other events during the Presidency, I will chair meetings of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg in October, and in Brussels in December. I will also represent the Council at justice and home affairs related dialogues with the Western Balkans in November in Montenegro, with Central and Latin American countries in December in Brussels, and with the USA in December in Washington, D.C.
Officials in my Department are chairing a large number of working parties which are convened in Brussels. It is currently estimated that up to 200 such meetings will be chaired by Ireland during the Presidency.
