DFI joins Community and Voluntary Pillar in meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs ahead of Ireland’s EU Presidency

Last week, DFI, as part of the Community & Voluntary, C+V Pillar, met with Minister for Foreign Affairs, Thomas Byrne, on 13 November 2025 to discuss priorities for Ireland’s upcoming EU Presidency in 2026.

During the discussion, the C+V Pillar outlined how Ireland’s Presidency can champion a strong Social Europe grounded in wellbeing, equality, rights, and inclusion, ensuring that economic and digital progress is matched by social ambition.

The Pillar highlighted three priority areas for the Presidency:

• Strengthening Social Europe: prioritising social rights and embedding anti-poverty measures at EU level.

• Elevating civil society and social dialogue: ensuring communities and lived experience shape policy, not just respond to it.

• Highlighting poverty and inequality: making these core considerations across EU policy, funding, and long-term planning.

We welcome the opportunity to contribute to early dialogue on Ireland’s Presidency and looks forward to continued collaboration to ensure that social progress is front and centre of Ireland’s leadership role in Europe.