Westmeath paired with Sweden for Ireland’s EU presidency

Westmeath has been paired with Sweden as part of a new national initiative aimed at engaging communities across Ireland during the country’s upcoming presidency of the European Union.

During the EU presidency term, between July and December of this year, ambassadors of EU member states in Ireland, accompanied by the Irish ambassador in the relevant EU member state capital, will visit counties across the country to undertake a programme of public engagements focused on Ireland’s European relations and its role in the European Union.

Each county is being ‘paired’ with a specific member state of the European Union for the period of the presidency.

Anna-Carolina (Lina) Holmström van der Weyden, Ambassador of Sweden in Ireland, is expected to participate in a range of public events in Westmeath.

Those will include talks at the libraries and visits to schools, as well as engagements with the local authority and local communities through sporting, community, youth and civil society organisations.

The government said the visits will help to strengthen links between counties across Ireland and other EU member states, and will contribute to building Ireland’s relationship with its EU partners as Ireland takes on a significant leadership role at European level.

Announcing the initiative, Minister Helen McEntee said: “Our EU presidency will be a very significant undertaking for Ireland, and one in which the whole country will participate.

“This initiative will promote and facilitate direct engagement between communities across Ireland and our partners in other EU member states, and help to strengthen each county’s cultural, business and community links with other parts of Europe,” she said.