Presidency of the EU - A six-month job well done, again

Ireland’s presidency of the EU formally comes to an end on Sunday. It was the seventh time that Ireland undertook the presidency since joining the European Economic Community 40 years ago.

The novelty has clearly worn off over the decades, but this is a reflection of the community’s growing maturity and our acceptance of the responsibilities of membership. Much work was conducted behind the scenes, and the leadership provided in addressing EU’s problems determines the success of the presidency.

There have been a number of significant agreements, especially in recent days. It was ironic that while the leaked tapes from Anglo Irish Bank were being played on the national airways and reported in the international media like a farce, Taoiseach Enda Kenny was helping to broker a seven-year EU budget agreement worth €960bn. In addition, Finance Minister Michael Noonan helped to negotiate an agreement among EU finance ministers adapting rules for banking recovery and resolution.