Just pair-fect... counties onto a twinner with EU

THE Government has announced a new initiative which will see counties across Ireland paired with European Union member states during Ireland's presidency of the bloc.

- BY RUAIRI SCOTT BYRNE

Helen McEntee, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Thomas Byrne, the Minister of State for European Affairs, revealed details of the scheme, which aims to engage communities across the country with Ireland's European relationships during the upcoming Irish EU presidency.

The presidency of the Council of the European Union rotates among the member states in turn every six months.

Ireland will assume the presidency between July 1 and December 31, and will therefore host various formal and informal meetings of different official bodies throughout that period.

Under the new scheme, during the EU presidency term, ambassadors of EU member states in Ireland, accompanied by the Irish Ambassador in the relevant EU member state capital, will visit counties across Ireland to undertake a programme of public engagements focused on Ireland's European relations and its role in the EU.

Each county in the State will be “paired” with a a specific member state of the EU for the duration of the presidency.