Events
Driving Competitiveness Through Ireland’s EU Presidency
The Westbury Hotel, Dublin 2
In partnership with KPMG
Learn more
Irish business leaders are calling on the Government to use Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union to cut regulatory complexity and deliver a decisive boost to Europe’s competitiveness, IoD Ireland members will hear at an event in Dublin this evening.
Speaking ahead of the event, Dr Caroline Spillane CDir, CEO of IoD Ireland, said:
“Ireland’s EU Presidency comes at a pivotal moment for Irish and European business. Leaders do not want more complexity – they want better, clearer and more proportionate regulation that supports enterprise and innovation while maintaining robust governance.
“Our research sends an unmistakable message: business leaders want practical action. One third of directors ranked simplifying regulation as the Government’s top priority for the Presidency, while 34% said enhanced measures to create a more competitive landscape would deliver the greatest impact. Ireland's stewardship of the EU Presidency comes at a pivotal moment to turn Europe’s competitiveness agenda into concrete results.”
The ‘Driving Competitiveness Through Ireland’s EU Presidency’ event, taking place at the Westbury Hotel in Dublin 2, will put regulatory simplification, innovation and resilience at the centre of the debate as businesses confront geopolitical uncertainty, economic pressure and rapid technological change. The panel – Barry Andrews CDir MEP; Dr Orlaigh Quinn, Interim Director General of the Institute of International and European Affairs; and economist Jim Power – will examine the opportunities, challenges and strategic implications of Ireland’s Presidency. The event is being held in partnership with KPMG.
Recent IoD Ireland research, among more than 363 directors and senior business leaders, found that 33% want the simplification of regulations to be the Government’s number one priority during Ireland’s EU Presidency. A further 21% selected global competitiveness and trade tariffs.
The findings also point to determined business confidence: 43% were more optimistic about their organisation’s financial performance in 2026, while 89% expected to increase or maintain staff numbers. Digital transformation and innovation emerged as the leading driver of growth and competitiveness, and 66% said their boards were confident making strategic decisions involving AI or generative AI.
The IoD event coincides with the Informal meeting of European Affairs Ministers, which will be chaired by Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne TD, taking place in Dublin. The meeting will bring together EU Ministers, European Commissioners and members of the European Parliament to exchange views on European priorities and strategic issues, including the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034, enlargement and measures to strengthen the EU’s democratic resilience.
