Ireland started its latest term as EU president on Thursday and for the next six months we will be at the epicentre of EU affairs.

Unfortunately for Irish farmers, agriculture will not be top of the list of priorities, as a myriad of global issues will be competing for attention between now and the end of the year.

Given that the presidency rotates every six months, it is very much fate that decides what are the priorities at any given time.

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When Ireland last held the presidency in 2013, it was at a crucial stage of the budget cycle preparation and our then-agriculture minister was judged to have played a difficult hand fairly well in getting a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) agreement concluded with the European Parliament involved for the first time.

CAP warming up

For current Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon, the current CAP negotiation won’t be concluded during the Irish presidency, but the ambition will be to progress the discussion and bringing it a step closer.

As always, Irish ministers are expected to park national interests at the door during the Irish presidency of the EU. However, while that is formally the case, the general acceptance is that their thinking is informed by their experiences in the country they know best.

While CAP and the EU budget were the major issues in the 2013, it is an even more complex discussion in 2026.

So far, there is little consensus on what even the size of it should be and that is before the wrangling starts on the priorities.

The CAP, as usual cynics might say, is targeted for reduction and Irish farmers will be expecting our Government to achieve some progress with damage limitation in terms of the scale of reduction.

Global conflicts

Elsewhere, events in Ukraine and the Middle East will loom large over proceedings during the Irish presidency.

The current relationship with the US requires careful management, as the Irish Government has to find a balance in protecting the national interest with wider EU objectives.

It isn’t just the tech and pharma companies that pay the bulk of our corporation tax that matter in relation to our relationship with the US, it is also important for Irish dairy exports.

The Irish Government may yet have further complications for its presidency. The Irish Open golf event will take place at the current US president’s course in Co Clare this autumn and that may well bring with it a US presidential visit.

Even if this is in a more private capacity, any visit by a US president to Ireland is a big deal and a sensitive issue alongside representing wider EU interests at the same time.

Comment – the EU is now part of us

Over the remainder of this year, the EU presidency will cause considerable inconvenience, particularly around Dublin where the majority of big events will be held.

There is a temptation to be cynical and write it all off as a political jamboree from which citizens are excluded.

However, it may be better viewed as a family gathering where a common bond brings a disparate group of people together to collectively pursue a common interest.

Ireland has now been a member of the EU in its different guises for over 50 years. In that time, the fortunes of farming and the wider economy have been transformed.

As with all families, the EU is far from perfect and causes plenty of frustration, but, ultimately, Irish farmers are better off being part of it than not.