Which European values will Ireland defend in 2026 EU presidency?

When it comes to reconciling lofty ideals with gritty public policy, consistency is enormously challenging. But the rules-based world order demands it, writes Andrew Forde

Taoiseach Micheál Martin meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday. Discussions about human rights are becoming more difficult as we approach the country's EU presidency. 

Ireland prides itself in being a small but deeply committed European nation, militarily neutral, with an open economy and a reputation for being a key values-based influencer in international affairs. And rightly so.

Successive governments have cultivated and capitalised upon this reputation through peacekeeping, humanitarian action and robust political leadership when faced with horrific breaches of international law such as in Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar and Sudan.