Ireland will host the Presidency of the EU from 1 July until the end of the year. In this article, Danielle Barron looks at what will be happening from a health perspective over the coming months.
Ireland didn’t make it to this summer’s World Cup, but that doesn’t mean we won’t get to perform on the international stage this year. Beginning 1 July — and for the first time since 2013 — Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for a period of six months, a time that many say offers Ireland an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the wider European health agenda.
Ireland’s Presidency Programme was launched with great fanfare on 10 June where it was explained that it will be built around three priorities: competitiveness, values and security. It is set to be an extremely busy time — more than 250 key events will be held in Dublin and nationwide during the Presidency, while major summits will see senior EU figures visiting Ireland.
Ireland will host 22 informal Ministerial meetings, alongside a summit meeting of the European Political Community and an informal meeting of the European Council, meetings that Government figures say provide an opportunity to showcase the best of Ireland to our European partners.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health told the IPU Review that during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Minister for Health takes on a leadership, coordination, and diplomatic role at EU level. Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will chair the EPSCO Council (Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs) when health issues are discussed and also represents the Council in talks with the European Parliament and Commission, as well as hosting informal ministerial meetings and high-level conferences.
There is an ambitious agenda specifically for health throughout the period of the Presidency. Life sciences, competitiveness, digital health infrastructure and cardiovascular disease prevention have all been highlighted by the Health Minister, who has been vocal about these priorities in the run-up to Ireland assuming the Presidency.
“Our health agenda for the Presidency, under the theme ‘investing in health to enable competitiveness’ aligns with the three overarching priorities of values, security and competitiveness,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Health. “Population health and wellbeing underpins European security and resilience. Innovation in healthcare delivery and accelerated progress in the life sciences will be vital for better health and sustainable economic prosperity across the EU in the years ahead.”
In terms of legislation, Ireland’s most prominent health legislative priority for the Presidency is the Biotech Act I, published in December 2025, which Minister Carroll MacNeill described as a strategic priority for EU competitiveness and sovereignty. The legislation streamlines regulatory requirements across clinical trials, advanced therapy medicinal products and biomanufacturing, and is backed by €10 billion in investment funding mobilised through a joint initiative with the European Investment Bank for 2026 and 2027. The Minister has previously said in the Dáil that the “flagship legislation” will “dominate health policy discussions” during Ireland’s Presidency. The Medical Devices Regulation and In Vitro Diagnostics Regulation is also up for discussion, while other issues that are “expected to progress” during the Presidency include the Critical Medicines Act and the WHO Pandemic Agreement Annex on Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing.
“These initiatives will not only reshape how medicines and medical technologies are developed, regulated, supplied and accessed by patients in the EU, they will directly address EU structural competitiveness gaps in the EU,” added the spokesperson.
The Health Minister has also indicated her intention to tease out the EU Safe Heart Plan during the Presidency, and Ireland’s obligations in this regard, as the EU seeks for countries to align on tackling cardiovascular disease. The Plan includes stated aims to reduce premature cardiovascular deaths by 25 per cent by 2035 through improved prevention, screening, and treatment across all Member States and emphasises shifting from treatment to prevention, as well as calling for stronger action against tobacco and smoking. “We will also support the implementation of the EU Safe Hearts Plan by advancing the anticipated Council Recommendation on Cardiovascular Health Checks if it is published early in our Presidency,” said the Department’s spokesperson.
In recognition of the Presidency, there have been specific budgetary allocations of €2.062 million for the Department of Health, €800,000 for the Health Products Regulatory Authority, €228,000 for the Food Safety Authority, and €50,000 to €100,000 for the Health Research Board.
EU Health Ministers will descend on Dublin for a two-day informal meeting on 30 September and 1 October. The meeting will be chaired by Minister Carroll MacNeill and will convene Health Ministers from EU Member States and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) nations, along with the European Commissioner responsible for Health and Animal Welfare, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Europe, and the head of the European Medicines Agency.
Also in October, a meeting of the Board of HERA — the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority — will take place, with a view to strengthening networks on health emergency preparedness between EU Member States.
In November, a high-level meeting will take place titled ‘Maximising EU potential through Health — Securing Our Future Through Prevention, Innovation and Equity’. This major conference will see politicians, policymakers, researchers, civil society, clinicians, patients and advocates from Ireland and across Europe come together to, “collaborate for a healthier, more equitable future for health and wellbeing across the EU”, with the ultimate objective of driving forward innovative, evidence-based approaches for prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The Health Minister has noted that issues of cancer and inequalities — policy and practice, integrating cancer prevention as part of survivorship care and cervical cancer elimination — will be discussed at the conference. “The issues of vaccination and prevention, cancer screening, targeting health inequalities and survivorship are among the main priorities of the EU Beating Cancer Plan,” she said.
Many other “Presidency-associated” events will take place between July and December, the Health Minister has also said.
The spokesperson for the Department of Health said Ireland will emphasise the importance and impact of the EU’s approach to integrating mental health into all policies and will explore ways of strengthening Europe’s health security architecture by ensuring mental health remains integral to resilience, crisis preparedness and the management of cross-border health threats.
Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler will host a high-level conference on mental health in UCC in Cork on 15 October entitled, ‘Resilient Europe: Mental Health as a Strategic Asset for Europe’s Strength and Competitiveness’, as well as an EU Presidency-associated event on ‘Lived Experience in Mental Health’, in Waterford on 16 October.
Minister for Public Health Jennifer Murnane O’Connor will represent the Government at the WHO EU Summit of Mayors on Health and Climate Action bringing together local, national and EU leaders around a shared agenda, leveraging strong links within the WHO Healthy Cities Network to advance climate-resilient, healthy and equitable urban development. Minister Murnane O’Connor will also host a number of high-level conferences, including the 2026 Annual Conference of the European Society for Prevention Research on the theme of ‘Innovation in Prevention to Support Health Equity’ in Dublin from the 15 to 18 September. The event will showcase cutting edge prevention research across health, education, social care, justice, and community settings, to strengthen cross-sector collaboration and to bridge gaps between science, policy, and practice. The Minister will also host the National Drug Coordinators Meeting from 19 to 20 November in Carlow. The meeting will bring together senior officials working on drugs policy from Member States as well as representatives of the European Commission and the European Drugs Agency to discuss the intersection of drug use and homelessness.
Minister for Older People Kieran O’Donnell is working with and supporting key Presidency-associated events focused on ageing and dementia, including the 36th Alzheimer Europe Conference from 27 to 29 October 2026, bringing together people with lived experience, carers, researchers and policymakers to advance innovation in care and treatment. The Minister will also highlight the National Age Friendly Recognition and Achievement Awards on 8 October 2026, showcasing Ireland’s global leadership in prevention, innovation and health equality as the first country to achieve full national affiliation to the WHO Global Network of Age Friendly Cities and Communities.
Secretary General of the IPU, Clare Fitzell, said Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union presents a significant opportunity to showcase pharmacists’ contributions to healthcare delivery and policy development across Europe.
“Hosting the Presidency is always beneficial for Ireland, particularly in the health arena,” Ms Fitzell said. “Ireland will welcome health ministers and senior officials from across Europe to Ireland at the end of September, and that coincides closely with World Pharmacists Day. It gives us a valuable opportunity to demonstrate the role pharmacists play in delivering accessible healthcare and to highlight how Ireland has been at the forefront of expanding and evolving pharmacy services.”
She added; “Ireland is often regarded as a progressive country in a European context in terms of how we utilise pharmacy professionals. Community pharmacists are increasingly being recognised as an integral part of primary care, and the Presidency provides an opportunity to share that experience with our European colleagues and continue building momentum for further innovation.”
Ms Fitzell said the Presidency will also provide insight into emerging European health priorities: “We often see Ministers and policymakers return from European discussions with renewed focus on particular areas of healthcare policy. It will be very interesting to see the issues that come to the fore during Ireland’s Presidency and how those discussions shape future health policy both nationally and across Europe.”
On the proposed EU Biotech Act, Ms Fitzell said community pharmacists are following developments closely, particularly the potential for pharmacies to play a greater role in patient-centred clinical research.
“The recognition of pharmacies within the Biotech Act is a positive development because it reflects the reality that community pharmacies can support more accessible, decentralised clinical trials.” However, Ms Fitzell highlights that pharmacists and community pharmacies are far more than distribution points for medicines: “Pharmacists as medicine experts have a professional role in supporting patients through counselling, adherence monitoring, safe use of medicines, pharmacovigilance and ongoing follow-up.”
She added; “Community pharmacies across Europe are already demonstrating how they can contribute to clinical research in ways that are convenient for patients and integrated into routine care. The challenge now is ensuring the final framework enables pharmacy participation in a practical and proportionate way, rather than creating unnecessary barriers.”
Ms Fitzell added that Ireland’s size and close professional networks give it a unique perspective for gathering insights, which is beneficial when helping shape the European health agenda.
“One of Ireland’s strengths is that we’re a relatively small country with a highly connected healthcare community. Policymakers, regulators and frontline healthcare professionals are not far removed from one another, which helps create a strong understanding of how legislation translates into patient care.”
Ms Fitzell concluded; “That proximity to practice allows us to understand the real-world impact of policy decisions and brings a valuable perspective to European discussions. Ireland has a genuine opportunity during the Presidency to help shape policies that are practical, patient-focused and grounded in healthcare delivery.”
Danielle Barron
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