Minister McEntee presents Ireland's EU Presidency priorities to European Parliament Committees

Minister McEntee presents Ireland's EU Presidency priorities to European Parliament Committees

• From: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

• Published on: 14 July 2026
• Last updated on: 14 July 2026

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence, Helen McEntee TD, today (14 July) presented Ireland's EU Presidency priorities to three European Parliament Committees during a visit to Brussels.

Minister McEntee outlined Ireland's foreign affairs priorities to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, trade priorities to the Committee on International Trade, and security and defence priorities to the Committee on Security and Defence.

Presenting to the Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Minister McEntee laid out Ireland's commitment to progressing key foreign policy priorities for the EU over the next six months. These include advancing further sanctions against Russia and providing financial assistance to Ukraine, with the goal of undermining its war effort and preparing Ukraine for accession, and promoting active engagement in support of dialogue in the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Palestine. The Minister also discussed Ireland's commitment to supporting EU efforts towards peace and security in Lebanon, Syria and the Gulf.

Minister McEntee also presented to the Committee on International Trade. She outlined Ireland's intention to pursue an open, rules-based trade policy, to advance trade negotiations with important partners in Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, and to uphold the Joint EU-US Statement on Tariffs. The Minister also highlighted that enhancing our own competitiveness in key sectors like life sciences is necessary for an independent EU trade policy.

At the Committee on Security and Defence, the Minister set out Ireland's ambition to deliver progress on a number of key EU security and defence priorities during its Presidency. These include maintaining strong EU support for Ukraine, advancing negotiations on the Military Mobility package, strengthening Europe's defence industrial base through the AGILE programme and the European Competitiveness Fund, enhancing maritime security, progressing the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions, including work towards a new EU mission in Lebanon, and strengthening Europe's resilience against cyber, hybrid and critical infrastructure threats. The Minister also highlighted Ireland's commitment to advancing EU preparedness, defence capability development and partnerships with organisations including NATO and the UN.

Speaking following her Committee appearances, Minister McEntee said: "I welcomed the opportunity to present Ireland's Presidency priorities to the European Parliament's Committees on Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Security and Defence. As co-legislators, the European Parliament is an essential partner in delivering on our ambitious Presidency agenda over the next six months.

"Our discussions today were a valuable opportunity to hear directly from Members of the European Parliament on their priorities and to identify where we can work together to make the greatest progress."

The Minister continued: "International Trade, Security and Defence, and Foreign Affairs all form different parts of my Ministerial brief across two Departments. In today's increasingly complex geopolitical environment, however, they are deeply interconnected and mutually reinforcing.

"Ireland's Presidency is focused on delivering practical results. Over the next six months we will work closely with the European Parliament to maintain steadfast support for Ukraine, strengthen Europe's resilience, advance key defence legislation, boost Europe's defence industrial capacity, reinforce our shared security, and progress the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy missions, including work towards a new EU mission in Lebanon. I look forward to working constructively with Parliament to deliver on these priorities."

ENDS

Press Office

14 July 2026