Irish EU Council presidency to target children's online safety and competitiveness

Ireland will advocate for EU-wide rules governing the age at which children can access online services when it assumes the rotating six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July. The policy programme, unveiled on Wednesday, outlines a commitment to securing an EU-level decision on the digital age of majority.

Prime Minister Micheál Martin stressed that a core objective of the presidency is achieving significantly stronger online protections for minors, identifying privacy-preserving age verification as a critical tool. 

In addition to youth data protection, Ireland has established European economic competitiveness as a primary focus for its leadership term. Martin stated that Europe must shift its focus to innovation, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), to counter the progress in China and the US. Martin rejected suggestions, however, that Ireland's position on regulation is conflicted because of the numerous major global technology companies with European headquarters in the country. 

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