It is a rotating six month term.
Ireland takes over the Presidency of the European Council this morning.
The rotating six month term will see hundreds of meetings of European Ministers and leaders here throughout the rest of the year.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has set out three main policy platforms for the Presidency - competitiveness, values and security.
Midlands MEP Ciaran Mullooly says the government has a big opportunity to secure support for people across a broad range of sectors:
The Irish Farmers Association says the success of the Irish presidency for farmers and rural Ireland will require a substantial increase in the Common Agricultural Policy budget.
Laois' Francie Gorman, President of the IFA says:
The Commission proposal from this time last year remains entirely inadequate for the needs of the sector, and the decision to cut the budget by 24% doesn't recognise the pivotal work farmers do daily for food security, the environment and for rural areas more broadly.
IFA’s National Council returned from Brussels last week where we met with representatives from all European institutions including Irish MEPs and Commissioners Michael McGrath and Oliver Varhelyi. Our message was simple - the budget proposal on the table for CAP remains too low for the requirements of the sector
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