News
Iceland takes over Chairmanship of Committee of Ministers
Iceland has taken over the rotating Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers from Ireland during a meeting with representatives of the Organisation’s 46 member states. The incoming Chair – Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir –...
Global Citizenship Education: Declaration agreed in Dublin
The fifth-ever European Congress on Global Education took place in Dublin from 3-4 November. It was a joint initiative of the Council of Europe’s North South Centre and the EU’s Global Education Network Europe (GENE) with the aim of building broader and deeper political support and commitment to...
Taking stock of Ireland’s Presidency
The Council of Europe has published a summary of Ireland’s six-month Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, which comes to an end on 9 November 2022. Ireland took over the Presidency on 20 May, a critical time in the Council of Europe’s history as the organisation sought to respond to the war...
Summit in Reykjavik to renew ‘the Conscience of Europe’
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ireland Simon Coveney, Prime Minister of Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir and Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić have all welcomed the Committee of Ministers’ decision to hold a Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe on 16-17 May 2023...
European Roundtable in Dublin on 'Right to life, security and protection from violence'
A European Roundtable on ‘Right to life, security and protection from violence: combating SOGIESC-based hate crime across Europe’, will be hosted in Dublin by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Council of Europe Sexual...
Dublin conference on “Human Rights in a Time of Change”
A conference held in Dublin under the auspices of the Irish Presidency of the Committee of Ministers has discussed “Human Rights in a Time of Change: Perspeectives from Ireland and from Strasbourg”. Speakers included the Chief Justice of Ireland, Donal O’Donnell, the Irish Minister for Children,...
Ireland’s Europe minister calls for Council of Europe summit in Reykjavik
Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, has given his backing to a fourth summit of Council of Europe Heads of State and Government to take place in Reykjavik as part of Iceland’s forthcoming presidency of the organisation’s Committee of Ministers. Addressing the...
Ireland’s President Higgins: We need a longer-term vision of the Council of Europe’s role in a post-conflict Europe
Ireland’s President Michael D. Higgins has called for a longer-term vision of the Council of Europe’s role in a post-conflict Europe, and how that might fit within the wider multilateral architecture, in order to effectively uphold human rights, the rule of law and democracy whilst ensuring there...
Council of Europe leaders condemn Russian air strikes against towns and cities in Ukraine
Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Simon Coveney, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Tiny Kox, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, have made the following...
Irish Presidency welcomes publication of report on the future of the Council of Europe
Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, and Minister for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, have joined Council of Europe leaders today in welcoming the publication of a report on the future of the Council of Europe by a High-Level Reflection Group chaired by Ireland’s former...
Dublin conference discusses rights and the best interests of the child in parental separation and care proceedings
Considering the voice of children and young people in determining their best interests in family courts during parental separation and care proceedings is the focus of an international conference taking place in Dublin on 3 October under the Irish Presidency of the Council of Europe. The Minister...
Council of Europe leaders condemn the illegal annexation of occupied territories of Ukraine
Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Simon Coveney, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Tiny Kox, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, have made the following...
Dublin Declaration on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence adopted by Council of Europe ministers
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee hosted a two-day conference entitled “No safe haven: Integrated prevention measures to end domestic, sexual and gender-based violence” in Dublin on September 29-30 as part of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of Europe. The conference saw ministers and...
Council of Europe attends National Ploughing
“Officials from the Council of Europe and Ireland’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers will take part in Ireland’s National Ploughing Championships from 20-22 September. Held annually, the National Ploughing Championships is amongst Europe’s largest outdoor events, with approximately...
Civil Society in the spotlight at Venice Commission round table
The participation of civil society in public decision-making and the foreign funding of associations were the key themes of the international round table event entitled “Civil Society: Empowerment and Accountability” in Strasbourg, organised by the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR in the...
Hostilities at the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan: Committee of Ministers Chair and PACE President call for de-escalation and respect for a cease-fire
Following last night’s escalation of violence along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, which has reportedly already caused numerous casualties and significant damage, Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Simon Coveney, and the...
Council of Europe in focus at the Association of Irish Local Government, 14-15 September
As part of Ireland’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG), which co-ordinates Ireland’s delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CLRAE), will devote its Autumn Training Programme to the Council of Europe. From 14-15...
University of Galway hosts meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveller Issues (ADI-ROM)
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveller Issues (ADI ROM) will meet in Galway, Ireland on 14 and 15 September. 43 representatives from 34 Council of Europe member states will attend the hybrid meeting, hosted by the University of Galway in the context of Ireland’s...
European Convention on Human Rights Takes Centre Stage in Galway
On 1 September, the Irish Centre for Human Rights opened its doors to legal, diplomatic, policy and civil society experts from across the continent to discuss the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). ‘Lighting the Shade: Effective Application of the ECHR in Areas of Conflict in Europe’ saw...
Council of Europe launches regular dialogue with Belarusian democratic forces
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has agreed to hold regular exchanges with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and other representatives of Belarusian democratic opposition forces, following a fruitful exchange of views with Ms Tsikhanouskaya on 6 July. The Committee has invited the Secretary...