A young person’s guide to the Irish EU Presidency
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has developed a dedicated guide to Ireland’s EU Presidency for young people in Ireland.
Suitable for readers aged 15-17, the digital publication is intended to be read alongside Ireland’s EU Presidency policy programme on the Presidency website, and can also be read as a stand-alone guide to the role of the EU Presidency.
Focused on the Presidency and on the Council of the European Union, this publication is a simplified, plain-English guide intended to provide young people with the background information needed to engage with the work of Ireland’s EU Presidency and Ireland’s broader role in the EU.
Young people have been an important part of the consultation process to prepare the Irish Presidency Priorities, and continue to be at the heart of the government’s outreach and engagement work.
Ireland’s National Participation Office and a Presidency Youth Advisory Group, who were involved in the Seanad na nÓg 2025, were consulted on the development of this guide, and it incorporates youth perspectives on text and design.
The publication sets out, using accessible language, the structures of the Council and the EU decision making process.
It also outlines activities that are taking place during the Presidency, and the potential for educational, civic, and voluntary opportunities within the EU.
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