Communicating Europe Initiative grant applications opened by Minister McEntee and Minister Byrne

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee TD, and the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne TD, have announced that the Communicating Europe Initiative for 2026 is now officially open for applications.

The Communicating Europe Initiative provides Government funding to voluntary organisations, educational bodies and civil society groups, for projects intended to deepen public awareness of the role that the European Union plays in our daily lives.

Minister McEntee said: “Ireland's EU Presidency in the second half of 2026 will be a significant moment for our country, and one in which communities across Ireland will participate. The Communicating Europe Initiative 2026 will help ensure that Irish citizens can engage meaningfully with the EU and with our European partners through the County Pairings Programme.

“This record funding allocation reflects the importance we place on ensuring that our EU Presidency reaches every corner of Ireland, not just our major cities. I encourage local authorities, community groups and civil society organisations to apply and to help strengthen the connections between Irish citizens and the European Union.”

Minister Byrne said: “The recently announced EU Presidency County Pairings Programme is reflective of the Government’s vision for an inclusive and nationwide EU Presidency. Through this programme, we are creating opportunities for people across Ireland to engage directly with our European partners, and to consider what our EU membership means for their communities.

“The dedicated funding stream of €310,000 for local authorities under the Communicating Europe Initiative recognises the vital role that local government plays in communicating Europe at community level. I encourage local authorities to be ambitious in their proposals and to work with their paired Member State embassies to deliver projects that will have lasting impact.

“Through this funding, we are also empowering volunteer organisations, educational institutions, and civil society organisations across Ireland, to strengthen their links with the EU. I strongly encourage all eligible applicants to apply."

The initiative seeks to improve the quality and accessibility of public information on European issues, at local, regional or national level.

The focus of projects this year is on Ireland’s 2026 Presidency of the Council of the European Union as well as the related County Pairings programme. The County Pairings initiative pairs counties with an EU Member State, encouraging communities across the country to engage directly with their European partners throughout the Presidency term.

Increased funding has been allocated to the initiative for 2026, with a total of €775,000 available for eligible projects. From this, an allocation of €465,000 will be available to support community-led projects, and €310,000 for programmes by local authorities who wish to support the County Pairings Programme.

ENDS

Press Office

24 February 2026

• The CEI 2026 call for proposals opened on Monday 23 February. The deadline for receipt of applications is 24 March.
• It is envisaged that the maximum individual grant awarded will be in the order of €10,000.
• Applications for CEI will be received through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s grants management platform at the following link - https://funding.dfa.ie/ - and information on the grants scheme can be found on our website Ireland In The European Union | Ireland.ie
• This year, local authorities are invited to apply for funding that will support the national programme of visits by Ambassadors. Project proposals should facilitate direct engagement between communities across Ireland and our partners in other EU Member States, as outlined in the EU Presidency County Pairings announced by Ministers McEntee and Byrne. Further information can be found on EU Presidency County Pairings announced by Ministers McEntee and Byrne