Taoiseach Micheál Martin will be in Brussels today (Monday) and hold bilateral meetings with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and the President of the European Council, António Costa.
At the meetings, the Taoiseach will
reiterate Ireland's strong commitment to its membership of the EU and will outline the priorities of the new Irish Government. He will discuss a range of issues on the EU agenda, and look ahead to Ireland's Presidency of the EU in the second half of 2026.Speaking ahead of the visit, the Taoiseach said:
"I am travelling to Brussels to underscore Ireland's strong commitment to the EU, especially at this time of increased global uncertainty.
"I look forward to briefing Presidents Costa and Metsola on the new government's priorities and to discussing important issues on the EU's agenda with them.
"The EU needs to improve its global competitiveness and to seek to gain maximum advantage from new technologies, such as AI, which will be the focus of the conference I will travel to in Paris after my visit to Brussels.
"I will also set out Ireland’s priorities for the next EU budget, including a strong budget for the Common Agricultural Policy.
"Our meetings will also be a good opportunity to discuss important international issues including our vital relationship with the US, the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East."
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will attend the AI Action Summit in Paris on Monday, 10 February and Tuesday, 11 February. The summit, hosted by President Emmanuel Macron, will be attended by heads of state and government, leaders of international organisations, CEOs of small and large companies, representatives of academia and non-governmental organisations.
The summit will build on work already underway internationally, including by the UN, the OECD, and the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), and will cover themes such as innovation, the future of work, trust, and global governance.
Speaking ahead of the visit, the Taoiseach said:
"The rapid progress of artificial intelligence (AI) is a paradigm shift that will have profound implications for our economy and society.
"AI has enormous potential to be a force for good, whether that is boosting our economy or supporting better health outcomes, but I recognise that the speed of technological change also raises legitimate concerns for many people about the protection of citizens’ rights, widening of the digital divide, and future job security.
"I look forward to discussing with political and business leaders how we can harness these technological advances to bring about positive transformation, while ensuring the development and use of AI is ethical and responsible.
"It is vitally important to get the balance right on regulation so that innovation can flourish while protecting against harmful developments.
"The government is determined to step up our efforts to fully realise the benefits of the digital and AI revolution, and our Programme for Government commits to advancing a new digital strategy and a strategy for AI in health.”
No comments:
Post a Comment