Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs, said migration would be a priority for the Irish presidency of the EU Council next year. Photograph: Alan BetsonGovernment policy should make sure that Ireland is not seen as excessively easy to get into for migrants and asylum seekers, according to Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs. The migration issue will be a priority for the Irish presidency of the EU Council, which begins in July 2026, he said. He added that “we definitely want to make sure that we’re not seen as the easy place to get into because that damages our credibility as well within the European Union”. Mr Byrne’s Spanish counterpart, Fernando Sampedro, also spoke at the event, highlighting the “shared priorities, the shared perspective and strong mutual understanding” between Ireland and Spain.

Source: The Irish Times November 06, 2025 11:50 UTC