European Parliament President Roberta Metsola welcomes Taoiseach Micheál Martin to Strasbourg as Ireland sets out its priorities for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Metsola warns that Europe is entering “a critical six months” as citizens demand a safer, stronger and more confident Union — one that stands tall globally while improving lives at home. She says the European Parliament and the Irish Presidency are moving in the same direction, with a shared focus on competitiveness, security and values.

Micheál Martin presents an ambitious Irish Presidency agenda built around the Single Market, business growth, EU-US trade, partnership with the UK, energy security, artificial intelligence, enlargement, Ukraine, the Middle East and the next EU budget.

His message is clear: Ireland wants to remove barriers in the Single Market, help businesses scale across Europe, conclude the European Grids Package, promote European values in AI, advance Ukraine and Moldova toward EU membership, support a two-state solution in the Middle East, increase pressure on Russia, and act as an honest broker in the difficult negotiations on the EU’s next budget.

The European Parliament agenda confirms that Ireland’s Presidency priorities include competitiveness, Ukraine, the Middle East, enlargement, energy security, AI and the EU budget, while the official Irish Presidency programme is built around three pillars: competitiveness, values and security.

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