Ukraine needs moral, financial and military support from Europe to end Russia<\/a>\u2019s brutal aggression. Europe needs the dynamism and ingenuity of Ukraine to defend itself from Russia. <\/p>\n Awkward though it may be for neutral Ireland, Europe urgently needs to organise its defence. Ukraine has expertise in drone warfare and a 900,000-strong army with more than a decade\u2019s experience fighting Russia. Viktor Orb\u00e1n\u2019s election defeat<\/a> in April and recent Ukrainian success in striking Moscow<\/a> and Russian-occupied Crimea have made this a propitious time for Ukraine. <\/p>\n The disgraceful continuation of alumina exports from Aughinish to Russia<\/a>, and the scheduled curtailment of accommodation for Ukrainian refugees<\/a> have cast doubt on Ireland\u2019s commitment.<\/p>\n Our EU presidency could send a powerful signal to Russia, Ukraine, Europe and the world by commencing work on a draft EU accession treaty, as proposed by Sergiy Kyslytsya<\/a>, an adviser to president Volodymyr Zelenskiy<\/a>, in this newspaper in April.<\/p>\n Fintan O\u2019Toole<\/p>\n Journalist<\/p>\n Ireland has rightly made online safety for children<\/a> a priority for the EU presidency. But when it comes to specifics, the Government\u2019s pitch has been pathetically weak. Age verification and \u201ceducational supports\u201d seem to be the main proposals. <\/p>\n Yet everybody knows that nothing much will change until the social media<\/a> giants are defined like every other industry: as producers of products for which they are liable and accountable. You can\u2019t sell a teddy bear without conforming to strict safety standards and you shouldn\u2019t be able to target content at children without doing the same.<\/p>\n The legal frameworks are already emerging. The European Court<\/a> has ruled that companies using algorithms are not merely \u201chosting\u201d content \u2013 they are pushing it<\/a>. But this principle must be fully enshrined in law and, more importantly, translated into urgent action.<\/p>\n Miche\u00e1l Martin<\/a>\u2019s legacy from his time as minister for health was the smoking ban. He\u2019s now at a Big Tobacco moment with Big Tech<\/a>. The tobacco companies produce and push an addictive and toxic product \u2013 so do the social media giants. <\/p>\n This is the great child abuse scandal of our times and only the combined clout of the EU can stand up to the power of these rapacious oligarchs. Martin can go down in history if he forces the EU to wake up to its responsibilities to protect its youngest citizens.<\/p>\n Muireann Lynch <\/p>\n Energy economist<\/p>\n The transition to decarbonised energy systems relies on renewable fuels as well as renewable electricity. But there are concerns that using electricity to produce these renewable<\/a> fuels, particularly hydrogen, will lead to an overall increase in fossil fuel usage. To combat this, the European Union has introduced strict rules on the requirements for these fuels to count as \u201crenewable\u201d \u2013 but there is emerging evidence to suggest that these rules are too stringent, with unintended consequences for the energy transition in Europe. <\/p>\n China is powering ahead in hydrogen and alternative fuel investment while the EU is lagging, hindered by red tape that is not evidence-based. The Irish presidency should prioritise reviewing these rules to enable the optimal usage of sustainable<\/a> alternative fuels.<\/p>\n Madeleine Johansson<\/p>\n Socialist councillor<\/p>\n Ireland\u2019s presidency of the EU provides people with an opportunity to reflect on the union and its purpose. For many, the EU represents a progressive community across national borders. But behind the liberal veneer is a neoliberal project designed to work in the interests of the bosses. <\/p>\n Recall that 42 per cent of the cost of Europe\u2019s banking crash was paid by Ireland. This had devastating impacts in working-class communities, where community development programmes were dismantled, public services slashed and thousands of workers lost their jobs. <\/p>\n The fiscal treaty locks in austerity and privatisation. Corporations ensure that the EU works for them by spending hundreds of millions on lobbying \u2013 more than \u20ac380 million in 2025 alone. In light of this, what one thing could Ireland achieve during the presidency? <\/p>\n I don\u2019t expect the Government to achieve anything that would benefit the working class \u2013 but perhaps it can clarify for workers that the EU does not represent them. I\u2019m not arguing for a Brexit<\/a> for Ireland. Britain\u2019s exit on the basis of right-wing Tory politics has not improved the lives of workers in Britain. But a socialist Ireland with workers in the driving seat would have to break with the EU to regain control of our economy in the interests of the working class. <\/p>\n Justine McCarthy<\/p>\n Journalist<\/p>\n The EU\u2019s bootlicking of Israel amid its massacring rampages against Palestinians<\/a> is fraying allegiance to the bloc in its own member states. That includes Ireland, one of its most loyal.<\/p>\n Miche\u00e1l Martin\u2019s Government has recognised the state of Palestine<\/a> and barred two Israeli government ministers from this country, but it has diluted the Occupied Territories Bill<\/a>. It needs to hold its nerve as it assumes the EU presidency to negotiate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and outlaw all trade with the Occupied Territories.<\/p>\n The reasons are incontrovertible. <\/p>\n The UN says that since Hamas<\/a> attacked Israel in October 2023, 116 Palestinian communities in the West Bank<\/a> have been partially or wholly displaced, dislocating nearly 6,000 people. The World Health Organisation<\/a> says 1,175 Palestinians \u2013 including 246 children \u2013 were killed there up to last May. More than 75,000 people \u2013 mostly civilians \u2013 have died in Gaza<\/a>, where humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate despite a so-called ceasefire. Israel has introduced the death penalty for Palestinians<\/a>, increased its area of control in Gaza since the ceasefire, and is assisting settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to disrupt the region\u2019s geographical contiguity and \u201cbury the idea of a Palestinian state\u201d.<\/p>\n Martin must persuade the EU 27 that justice and humanity outweigh the bloc\u2019s \u20ac43.3 billion annual trade with Israel.<\/p>\n Michael McDowell<\/p>\n Senator and columnist<\/p>\n Ireland should use its brief EU Council of Ministers presidency to pursue three difficult strategic goals.<\/p>\n First, Ireland should begin a behind-the-scenes process of mapping out and agreeing generous terms to facilitate the UK rejoining the EU<\/a>. That is Ireland\u2019s most important, and least spoken, policy interest. It is also the most important policy goal for the EU as a whole.<\/p>\n Second, Ireland should begin a discussion at council level on how to repatriate full responsibility to each member state for its own immigration<\/a> and asylum policies, while preserving freedom of movement rights for EU citizens.<\/p>\n Third, Ireland should get the EU to restate and reinvigorate respect for one of its foundation pillars \u2013 the principle of subsidiarity.<\/p>\n None of these will give immediate, tangible results in a six-month time frame. But all are essential for a strong, democratic and healthy future for the EU. <\/p>\n Dermot Hodson<\/p>\n Professor of political economy and author of Circle of Stars: A History of the EU and the People Who Made It<\/p>\n The average EU presidency involves about 2,000 meetings. Ireland won\u2019t be a bystander<\/a> in these discussions \u2013 it will be actively involved in efforts to find common ground between the union\u2019s 27 member states on a host of pressing issues. <\/p>\n Advancing negotiations over the commission\u2019s \u20ac2 trillion budget proposal<\/a> is a clear-cut priority, but it is not the only one. Ireland will also chair talks on the tech sovereignty package, a set of proposals to build European autonomy in areas like cloud computing, chip production and open-source technologies. <\/p>\n Whether fairly or not, Ireland is seen as \u201cBig Tech\u2019s small Member State\u201d so this package is an opportunity to demonstrate independence and deliver on an issue that a majority of EU citizens<\/a> want urgent action on.<\/p>\n Ireland will also oversee active accession negotiations with Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Ukraine. While we won\u2019t see a repeat of 2004 \u2013 when Ireland\u2019s EU presidency helped to secure the accession of 10 new member states \u2013 there is a chance that Montenegro<\/a> might be ready to join the EU by the end of the year. <\/p>\n [\u00a0A clear front-runner has emerged in the race to join the EU – can it cross the finish line?Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/5V7VQJOKGJFJVDWSAJK6NCEVK4.JPG\")
The controversial Aughinish Alumina plant in Co Limerick. Photograph: Alan Betson <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/YXVZCRYCET7KE2DRKIH7HXHJWM.jpg\")
A worker refuels a truck at a hydrogen refueling station during a media tour at the Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone in Beijing, China. Photograph: EPA <\/p>\n![\"Taoiseach](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/5224656QXPBDIJBFUXPM2M6WTQ.JPG\")
Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin speaks to the media after the meeting of European Parliament Conference of Presidents, kicking off events for the start of Ireland’s EU presidency. Photograph: Sam Boal\/Collin Photos <\/p>\n![\"President](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/UBJFVSRRLANQRAAB2ZCENUJKZE.jpg\")
President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatovic, speaks during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France. Photograph: Jean-Christophe Verhaegen\/AFP via Getty Images <\/p>\n
![\"Border](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/664XBPG2ALFN26JHQNJUSWDW5Y.jpg\")
Border guards attend medical training before departure to the frontline in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine. Photograph: EPA Ben Tonra<\/p>\n