From today, July 1^st until December 31^st 2026, Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union , assuming a central leadership role at the heart of EU decision-making. For six months, Ireland will chair Council meetings, guide negotiations, broker agreement between Member States and help shape EU laws and policies that impact the daily lives of more than 450 million people.

As part of Ireland’s Presidency programme, each county in the Republic of Ireland has been paired with an EU Member State, creating opportunities to build lasting local partnerships, strengthen community connections and celebrate shared European values. Waterford has been paired with Denmark for the duration of the Presidency.

To mark the beginning of Ireland’s Presidency, the EU flag was raised at Waterford City and County Council’s Civic Offices in Dungarvan by Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Liam Brazil.

The partnership between Waterford and Denmark will continue throughout September and October, when the Chargé d’Affaires a.i of Denmark to Ireland, His Excellency Mr. Ole Egberg Mikkelsen, and Ireland’s Ambassador to Denmark, His Excellency Kyle O’Sullivan, will visit Waterford for a programme of civic, cultural and community engagements.

Following an official mayoral welcome at City Hall, the ambassadors will tour the North Quays Public Infrastructure Project, one of Ireland’s most significant urban regeneration projects. The development represents the largest single investment ever made in Waterford and the South East, with €207 million in approved public funding, including €100 million through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) and €84 million from the National Transport Authority (NTA)

The delegation will then visit one of Waterford’s Active Travel Safe Routes to School (SRTS) projects. Delivered by Waterford City and County Council in partnership with the National Transport Authority and An Taisce’s Safe Routes to School Unit, the initiative prioritises safer, more accessible routes for children travelling to school. The visit will provide an opportunity to share best practice with Denmark, where similar initiatives known as “Heart Zones” reduce traffic around schools to create safer environments for children.

The ambassadors will also experience one of Waterford’s premier visitor attractions with a journey on the Waterford Suir Valley Railway to Mount Congreve House and Gardens.

Day Two of the visit will begin at the Southern Regional Assembly, where the delegation will receive an update on Climat Transition Towards 2050, looking at Waterford and the South East’s decarbonisation roadmap at an event which will include both Waterford and Danish Climate Action policy makers.

The morning will continue at Garter Lane Arts Centre with a vibrant Taste of Denmark showcase featuring a cooking demonstration by a celebrated Danish chef, live music and presentations exploring the rich Viking heritage shared by Denmark and Waterford. This event will be hosted by Europe Direct Waterford, a regional service based in Central Library, Waterford City and is one of a network of local contact points that serve as the direct link between citizens and the EU Institutions. The centre offers information on all sorts of subjects related to the EU including your rights and opportunities as an EU citizen.

These events are supported by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Communicating Europe Initiative.

In October, Waterford City and County Council, the Southern Regional Assembly and South East Technological University (SETU) will host an associate event, ‘Driving Urban Regeneration by Mainstreaming the New European Bauhaus’.  The event will focus on the Irish experience of sustainable urban development and mainstreaming of New European Bauhaus into cohesion policy.  The Bauhaus initiative promotes built environment solutions that are sustainable, inclusive and beautiful, all while respecting the diversity of places, traditions and cultures in Europe and beyond.

Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Liam Brazil said, “The significance of Ireland holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union cannot be overstated.

“While it is a tremendous honour for our country, it is also an opportunity for Waterford to build lasting friendships, share ideas and learn from one another. We are proud to welcome our Danish partners and to showcase the innovation, culture, heritage and hospitality that make Waterford such a great place to live, work and visit. I hope this visit marks the beginning of enduring connections that will continue after the Presidency has ended.”