Stars finally align as strikes averted before showcase Dublin meeting

The stars seem to have finally aligned for today’s meeting of the European Political Community (EPC).

The threat of Statewide strike action has been averted by a dead-of-night deal with the public sector union on the eve of the gathering at the National Convention Centre. It came with a bonus: a resolution of the long-running dispute by legal-aid lawyers.

Sure, there were a series of generic email threats, all signed by Mikhail Andropov (a mash-up of the names of two former Soviet presidents, a made-up name if ever there was one). But they have been dismissed as not credible.

If there were a red carpet in the political world, it would have to be rolled out. Fifty political leaders from across Europe will attend including British prime minister Andy Burnham.

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Canadian prime minister Mark Carney will also be here, for his second visit this year following his tour of his ancestral county of Mayo during the summer.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy is becoming a regular now, visiting Dublin for the third time in a year. He met Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Government Buildings last night.

As Jack Horgan-Jones reports, Martin disclosed after the meeting that Ireland was in talks to buy drone technology from Ukraine for maritime security.

Zelenskiy said his country was “ready for co-production” of drones with Ireland and that he expected “our drone deal with Ireland to become operational”.

The Americans have come too

Yesterday evening, we heard about two surprise guests to the party. They were US property developer turned envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Both have acted as Trump’s emissaries in talks with Iran, Israel, Russia and Ukraine.

Kushner and Witkoff are expected to arrive in Dublin later today and will speak to Zelenskiy. They were in Abu Dhabi, where they had talks with Russian and Ukrainian negotiating teams. They then travelled to Moscow for a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Zelenskiy did sound a note of cautious optimism that the protracted war – which has resulted in the loss of life of hundreds of thousands of people – may just come to an end.

He said there was a “window of opportunity” that might allow a solution by the end of the year, given the political changes in Europe and, of course, in the US.

What happens today and tomorrow?

So, the two meetings planned for Thursday and Friday will represent the high point of the Irish presidency of the council.

They are the ninth meeting of the EPC on Thursday and an informal meeting of EU heads of state on Friday. The EPC was formed in 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and meets twice a year.

Among the non-EU leaders will be the prime ministers of Iceland, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The main theme will be bolstering Europe’s economy in the face of challenging geopolitical change.

With 50 prominent political leaders, 500 political staff, 800 journalists and thousands of support staff, an extensive policing and security operation is already in train.

There are traffic restrictions and road closures in Dublin city centre, particularly around the Convention Centre, Samuel Beckett Bridge and the National Gallery on Merrion Square.

Best Reads

Daniel McLoughlin in Kyiv profiles possible successors to Zelenskiy – all come from the military.

Martin Wall examines what reforms are being sought for the €5 billion pay deal struck with public sector unions.

The Albanian prime minister gets an egg thrown at him on North Great George’s Street.

Marie O’Halloran reports on a bitter encounter in the Dáil between Micheál Martin and Mary Lou McDonald in which both described each other as “despicable”.

Playbook

The Oireachtas is indeed meeting today, with debates on drug-related intimidation; spiking legislation; short-term letting; greyhound racing; and third-level funding.

Dáil Éireann

Sitting: 8.47am-7.17pm. Highlights include:

8.47am: Parliamentary Questions: Minister for Social Protection
10.23am: Parliamentary Questions: Minister for Transport
12pm: Leaders’ Questions: Sinn Féin, Social Democrats, Labour Party and Independent Technical Group
2.52pm: Government statements on drug-related intimidation
5.17pm: Non-Fatal Offences against the Person (Amendment) (Spiking) Bill 2023 – Second Stage

Seanad

Sitting: 9.30am-1.45pm. Highlights include:

11.15am: Motion concerning Protection of Young Persons (Employment in Food and Beverage Services Sector) Regulations 2026 – returned from Committee.
11.45am: Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026 – Second Stage