Ireland prepares to take centre stage with EU presidency

THE assumption of the political leadership of the EU has become a major challenge with the expansion and growth of the union and next January Ireland takes over the responsibility, possibly for the last time.

The job has become so demanding it is likely to be shared out between a team of five countries in future, with each taking responsibility for particular areas over a two-and-a-half-year term.

However, in just over nine months’ time Ireland will assume the presidency and preparation for this is well underway in Dublin, Brussels and in the Irish embassies in the EU capitals.