Mayo to host two EU presidency events in July

County Mayo will host two events as part of Ireland's EU Council Presidency this summer, with a key event taking place in Ballina in early July.

An informal meeting of EU employment and social affairs ministers will take place on July 5 and 6, with Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary TD chairing the gathering.

The meeting will bring together ministers from all EU member states, European Commission representatives, and European social partners to discuss employment and social policy priorities across the union.

The informal format is designed to facilitate strategic dialogue ahead of formal EPSCO Council meetings scheduled for October and December.

A second event follows immediately after, with officials from all EU member states meeting in Mayo on July 7 and 8 for the Working Party on Social Questions attaché trip.

The gathering, organised by the Department of Social Protection, is intended to allow social policy officials to engage in informal discussion outside the usual negotiating environment, strengthening networks and working relationships between member states.

Both events are organised by the Department of Social Protection as part of Ireland's rotating EU Council Presidency programme.