EU leaders huddle in Copenhagen amid growing threat from Russia

Good morning.

EU leaders huddled in Copenhagen for an “informal” summit – which means no official decisions are taken, not that they all turn up in shorts and flip-flops – to discuss security co-operation in the face of increasing Russian hostility towards Europe, variously expressed as cyberattacks, fighter jets making incursions into EU members’ airspace or drones buzzing sensitive locations such as airports and military bases.

“We are in a confrontation with Russia, which for several years has been very aggressive in the information space, also during elections, and is increasing its cyberattacks,” French president Emmanuel Macron said. Other EU leaders spoke more bluntly – Russia is attacking their countries, they said.

There was talk of a “drone wall” – massive investment to secure the EU’s eastern frontier against Russian incursions and also of seizing Russian assets to pay for the defence of Ukraine.

Deadline for registering to vote in presidential election is Tuesday

Miriam Lord’s Week: Budget battle truce declared as Paschal’s kid lines out for Na Fianna

Excluding big fast food chains from Budget 2026 VAT cut likely ‘unwieldy’, says Taoiseach

Today, the leaders continue discussions as part of the European Political Community – the EU plus other European countries, including the UK. The principal subject will be the same: the Russian threat.

Jack Power’s reports are here and here.

He and Conor Gallagher also report that the Taoiseach is open to working with other EU countries on drone defences.

Gaza flotilla

News broke overnight that the Israeli military had, as expected, intercepted the Gaza flotilla, which includes many Irish people. They are expected to be detained in Israel and quickly deported.

Some boats in the flotilla were continuing their journey, but are fearful of further interceptions. Latest here.

Budget blues

Behind closed doors in Merrion Street a series of difficult budget meetings are taking place as Ministers seek to nail down their spending allocations for next year. Many are not happy.

Meanwhile, the budget Ministers must also decide how to spend the €1.5 billion allocated for tax measures. As we report this morning, that will not include changes to tax credits and bands, as has been the norm in recent years.

And so instead of tax reductions that were worth upwards of €1,000 for lots of workers in recent budgets, workers who get pay increases will instead pay more tax.

Embarrassment for Gavin

On the presidential campaign trail, there was embarrassment for Fianna Fáil candidate Jim Gavin when it emerged that his campaign failed to get the proper permissions to fly drones used to film campaign videos for him.

This would be an unfortunate oversight for anyone. It is slightly more than unfortunate when your day job is at the Irish Aviation Authority and you have previously warned people about the need to obtain permission for drone flights in certain areas.

Meanwhile, the Irish Independent is reporting that the Gavin team was forced to delete some photos and edit video that included members of the Defence Forces at an event he attended yesterday. The Defence Forces, of course, are apolitical. Oops.

Best reads

The Government must end its “degrading” and “dangerous” practice of leaving newly arrived male asylum seekers to sleep rough until accommodation becomes available, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has been told by a group of 100 NGOs and advocacy organisations

Miriam Lord on Big Jim O’Callaghan’s pooh-poohing of reports of budget rows

Harry McGee is on the canvass trail

As the first storm of the season blows in from the Atlantic, Paul Colgan on the slow process of learning the lessons of previous bouts of extreme weather

Playbook

Dáil business starts before 9am with questions to Patrick O’Donovan, Minister for Culture and Communications, followed by the same for his colleague Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. Leaders’ Questions at noon.

Tánaiste Simon Harris is meeting European Commission trade boss Maros Sefcovic in Wicklow in the afternoon, after Sefcovic appears at the foreign affairs committee.

Elsewhere at the committees, the Public Accounts Committee has the Comptroller and Auditor General in for what should be a lively session.

Half day in the Seanad where the highlight, if it can be called that, is “Statements on Growing and Building Resilience in Ireland’s Small Business and Retail”.

Full details of the day in Leinster House are here.