Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defense, Thomas Byrne, signed an administrative cooperation agreement for the provision of simultaneous interpreting services, including Irish, at informal ministerial meetings and summits to be held in Ireland during the country’s term as president of the Council of the European Union (EU) from July 1 to December 31, 2026
The presidency of the Council rotates among the EU member states every six months. During this six-month period, the presidency chairs meetings at every level within the Council, helping to ensure the continuity of the EU’s work in the Council.
The agreement marks a significant milestone in Ireland’s linguistic and cultural engagement with the EU and provides an opportunity to reaffirm Ireland’s commitment to multilingualism, along with full integration of the Irish language, in European affairs.
Minister Byrne was joined by the Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Interpretation, Genoveva Ruiz Calavera, for the signing.
“Ireland’s 2026 EU presidency is a landmark because it is our first EU presidency since the Irish language assumed its full status as an official and working language of the EU,” Minister Byrne said. “I believe that the ability for ministers and officials from across the EU to engage fully in their own languages supports meaningful dialogue, effective negotiations, and good decision-making.”
Gov.ie (1/26/26)