Meath to host a number of high-level meetings during EU Presidency

Meath is set to host a number of high-level meetings during Ireland's Presidency of the European Union next year, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne has confirmed.

Ireland will assume the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months in the second half of 2026, with the role involving chairing negotiations and helping broker agreement among the EU's 27 member states.

Speaking to the Meath Chronicle, Minister Byrne said that while most of the work would be carried out by ministers and officials in Brussels, a number of important meetings would take place across Ireland, including in Meath.

"There will be a number of high-level meetings in Meath during the Presidency," he said.

Locations have yet to be disclosed, with the Minister explaining that details have not been made public for security reasons.

As part of the Presidency, almost 300 meetings are expected to take place outside Dublin, many of them involving officials and delegates from across Europe.

Minister Byrne said the Presidency would also provide opportunities to strengthen links between counties and European partners through a county-pairing initiative.

"We approached the county pairing system and I paired Meath with Italy, and I think that's already seen some good contact that will continue during the Presidency and beyond," he said.

Housing and artificial intelligence are expected to feature prominently during Ireland's six-month term.

"Housing is going to be a big feature of the Presidency," Minister Byrne said.

"There will be a housing summit and there will be an AI summit as well. We're trying to drive forward the economic and social agenda of the European Union and think about how we benefit people and get results for the people of the European Union, including Ireland." Agriculture will also be high on the agenda, with negotiations on the EU's long-term budget and Common Agricultural Policy expected to intensify.

"The agricultural policy is up for negotiation as part of the multi-annual financial framework, which is the long-term budget of the EU," he said.

"Those negotiations started last summer and will continue and probably conclude during our Presidency."

Trade and investment are also expected to dominate discussions amid continuing uncertainty around tariffs and global markets.

"Trade is going to be a big feature of the Presidency," the minister said.

"Minister McEntee will host the trade ministers' meetings in Ireland and it's a good opportunity for us to be there at the top of the table. "We're such a big trading economy and we'll have a chance to intensively support the agenda of the European Commission, which is to ensure we have as many export markets as possible, because that means jobs on the ground for people."

Asked why people locally should care about Ireland taking over the Presidency, Minister Byrne said it was a source of national pride.

"It's a point of pride for the country that we not only take this job but that we do a good job," he said. "Every country takes it every 13 and a half years and we want to do it well.

"It's not just about government ministers. The vast majority of meetings will be chaired by Irish civil servants and I think we can be proud of the work that everybody associated with the Presidency does."

Looking ahead, Minister Byrne said one of his ambitions was to see agreement reached on the EU's long-term budget, while enlargement of the Union and reducing barriers to business would also be priorities.

"I'd like to see if we can agree a long-term budget for the EU. I'd like to see if we can enlarge the EU, which is massive on the agenda at the moment, and also make it easier to do business in the EU," he said.

"We have to keep relating it back to jobs for people on the ground. That's really what it's about." The minister also noted that the upcoming Presidency will be the first Irish Presidency since the Irish language became a full official language of the European Union.

"It will be the first Irish Presidency with Irish as an official language," he said.

"I already use Irish at every EU meeting for one agenda point and I think it is important that we proudly stand with all the other countries of the European Union with our own language."