From:Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne TD, today (9 July) addressed European Movement Ireland’s Presidency Reception.

Speaking at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Minister Byrne reflected on the first days of the Irish EU Presidency and set out key items on the agenda for the first EU General Affairs Council meeting, under the Irish EU Presidency, which will take place next Tuesday, 14 July.

Minister Byrne confirmed that simplification will feature strongly on the agenda of his first General Affairs Council as chair.

Minister Byrne commented: “I am glad to confirm that simplification will feature on the agenda of my first General Affairs Council as chair and I intend to have simplification on every agenda of the General Affairs Council, during the Irish EU Presidency, to drive that agenda. The ‘One Europe One Market’ Roadmap sets out 28 proposals, that have been targeted for agreement by the end of 2026, so there will be significant expectations on us as Presidency to make progress on these files. Time is of the essence when it comes to meeting key simplification targets.”

The event, which brought together stakeholders, Ambassadors, and members of European Movement Ireland, marked the beginning of the Irish EU Presidency, which commenced on 1 July 2026.

At the EMI event, Minister Byrne outlined Ireland’s Presidency policy programme, presenting Ireland’s priorities of competitiveness, values and security. The Minister also reiterated the words of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who stated that Ireland’s priorities were closely aligned with those of the Commission itself.

Speaking at the reception, Minister Byrne said: “Last week in Cork, I was glad to join the Taoiseach and government colleagues in meeting with President von der Leyen and the College of Commissioners. The valuable exchanges reflected the increasingly interconnected nature of the Union’s policy agenda, with contributors consistently highlighting that Europe’s long-term competitiveness depends not only on economic growth and innovation, but also on security, democratic resilience, social cohesion and delivering tangible benefits for citizens throughout the green and digital transitions.

“Ireland has always believed in Europe – not just what it delivers for us, but in what it represents. Throughout our Presidency, we carry that belief with us. We are determined to use this EU Presidency to show how much we value citizen engagement, and to deliver greater public outreach.”

The event also included addresses by the CEO of EMI, David Geary, and EMI Board Member, Catherine Day.

European Movement Ireland is an organisation which fosters greater engagement with the European Union among the Irish public and its stakeholders. Their recent ‘Island of Ireland EU Poll 2026’ released in May 2026 revealed that public support for Ireland’s EU membership stands at 82%.