Minister Naughton visits Scoil Mhuire, Moycullen, Co Galway with the Estonian Ambassador to Ireland
- Published on: 7 May 2026
- Last updated on: 7 May 2026
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton will today (Thursday) visit Scoil Mhuire, Moycullen, Co Galway where she will be joined by the Estonian Ambassador to Ireland, Kairi Künka.
The visit takes place ahead of Europe Day on Saturday, 9 May, with the school hosting a community-wide celebration to mark the occasion.
Speaking in advance of the visit, Minister Naughton said:
“This a very special year for us in Ireland as, in less than two months from now, we will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.”
Today’s visit forms part of the county pairings initiative, under which each Irish county is matched with an EU member State for the duration of Ireland’s Presidency. Galway has been paired with Estonia.
The Minister said she was honoured to be at the school and to celebrate Europe Day, and she thanked the Ambassador for accompanying her on the visit:
“Ireland and Estonia share many strong connections and similarities, particularly in our approaches to education and our school communities."
Highlighting the importance of this year’s celebrations, she added:
“Europe Day holds special significance in 2026 as we mark the 40th anniversary of the first official celebrations, along with the public adoption of the EU flag and anthem. The flag’s circle of 12 gold stars on a blue background represents unity, solidarity and harmony among the peoples of Europe.”
The Minister also commended the efforts of the school community:
“The celebration here today at Scoil Mhuire is a wonderful example of whole-school and community collaboration. It is clear that pupils, teachers, SNAs, caretakers and school staff have invested tremendous effort to make today so meaningful.”
The visit comes as the Minister prepares to travel to Brussels next week for the final meeting of the EU Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council before Ireland takes over the Presidency of the EU in the second half of 2026.
Notes to editors
- 76 years ago, on May 9, 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman delivered a historic speech, known as the Schuman Declaration. It paved the way for a new era of peace, integration and cooperation, laying the foundations for the European Union as we know it today.